Note: This review refers to the "deluxe" version of the Canasta Caliente game, which is the same as the standard, but includes a rotating card tray

I really thought Canasta was just a game for old people. This is probably because, throughout my childhood I remember my grandmother talking about playing Canasta with her friends, and the gossip and fighting and scandal that would happen during these card parties. My grandmother! That was definitely not a game for me, right? And then I happened across a Canasta game to play for free online. I was bored, so I gave it a shot and soon found myself completely addicted.

Origins of Canasta
Canasta is a game that has been around awhile. It is said to have originated Uraguay in 1939. From there it soon spread to Argentina, and eventually to the United States. The United States is actually responsible for the current game played worldwide, as the rules were actually standardized in the US sometime around 1950. The game the world has played since that time is quite different from the original

Canasta Caliente is really the modern American Canasta game, with all of the standard rules. But instead of standard playing cards, Canasta Caliente has special cards that play exactly the same way, by exactly the same rules. Instead of 3s, you have "Bonus" cards which have the same function but are easier to remember during play. The cards also have an Argentinian flavor to them, with old-fashioned looking graphics that pay tribute to the Argentinian (why not Uraguay, I don't know) game, while adhering to the modern American rules.

What You Get
*108 regular playing cards
*2 special Caliente cards used to play a special variant of the game
*4 scoring help cards
*2 advertisement cards
*1 rulebook
*1 rotating card tray (if you buy the deluxe version)

How to Play
There are several slight variations of this game, depending on the number of players. There is also a slight variant of the game to play with the 2 special Caliente cards included. I play the 2-player card with my husband.

11 to 15 cards are dealt to each player, depending on how many players. Each player looks at his cards. It's best to arrange your cards in some order. The rest of the cards are placed in the middle of the table (or the tray), and the top card is turned up to start the "Prize" pile. On their turn, players first draw card (or cards), then meld if they wish to or can, add to existing melds if they want to or can, then discard. The eventual goal is to meld as many points as possible on your hand, while hopefully keeping your opponent from doing the same, and maybe even sticking your opponent with some cards in his hand to take down his score.

The hand is over when one player has melded enough and discarded his last card. What constitutes enough varies depending on the number of players.

When the hand is over, players add up their scores and another hand is dealt. Play continues until someone reaches 5000 or more points at the end of a hand.

How Many Can Play?
The box says anywhere from 2 to 6 players. I've heard people say that this is really best as a 4-player game (2 partnerships), but I really enjoy it as a 2-player. It also would be a fine3 player game. 5 or 6 players is really stretching it, as each hand some players have to sit out, which seems lame, but doable. If I was going to play with 5 or 6, I would get an extra set and split up the games with 2 and 3 players each.

Age Range?
On the box, the age range is listed as 7 and up. I think that's stretching it a bit. I could teach my 8 year old to play, but I really wouldn't want to. The scoring is pretty complex, and you have to hold a bunch of cards in your hands all at the same time. I don't think I'll want to try this with my very smart kid until he's about 10. This is really a kind of adult game.

How Long Does it Take?
Canasta generally takes my husband and I about 90 minutes to play to the usual 5000 points. It's much quicker on the computer, but with real cards you spend some time arranging your hand, laying down melds, and adding up your score. An average 2 player game requires about 5 hands.

Final Thoughts
This is a really good game, and it turns out it's not just for old folks. Although you can easily put this game together yourself with a few decks of regular playing cards, the old-style graphics on these cards are cool, the rotating card tray on the deluxe version is very handy, and the fact that the wild, bonus, and stop cards are clearly labeled makes the game a bit easier to play.

I guess I'll have to try Pinocle next!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): $14.00
Type of Toy: Game
Age Range of Child: Other