What do you get when you combine the intensity of sport with the leisure of a good old-fashioned card game? The answer is Jukem, the sports card games that take things to the next level.
Jukem, from Haywire Group, is a series of two-player battles for kids ages 8 and up. There’s Jukem Basketball, Jukem Football, and Jukem Soccer, and unlike the actual sports they resemble, these card game versions can be played anytime and anywhere.
As an artist and graphic designer, the first thing I noticed about Jukem was the beautiful packaging and card illustrations. Each deck comes with 56 cards and an “Official Playbook” housed in a thick cardboard box. The front of each box sports a striking image of an athlete in the thick of competition, and the details and bright colors give the packaging a unique look. A tiny magnet hidden inside allows the top of the box to open and snap closed with ease, allowing for easy access and simple storage. These boxes are super compact, making them perfect for travel and welcomes guests inside even the most over-stuffed bag.
In Jukem Basketball, players must outscore their opponents in four quarters of play, or one time around the deck. There are black-and-white offensive cards, and red defensive cards that can be played. Offensive cards consist of dunks, two-pointers, three-pointers, and even “and-one” scoring options, while defensive cards include blocks, air balls, and three-second violations. After distributing five cards face down to each player, kids get to take turns playing offensive cards against other players’ defensive cards, in an attempt to score on their opponent. Say for example, it’s my turn on offense. I choose to play a three-pointer card, and a two-pointer card, while my opponent chooses to play the only defensive card in their hand: an “airball” card. I may come up short on my 3-pointer, but I’m lucky enough to bank two points home. Whether kids are burying a buzzer beater or blocking a vicious dunk attempt, this game truly has the feel of the sport itself.
In Jukem Soccer, the idea is very similar. Players compete to score the most goals after two halves of play, and use offensive and defensive cards to do so. In this case, the offensive cards include passes, header flops, and shots, while the defensive cards include penalties, sliding tackles, and saves. By stringing together passes and headers, players can take shots on goal in an effort to bury the ball in the back of the net.
Jukem Football is slightly different because it involves three different card types. In this game, black cards are offensive cards that drive players down the field, yellow defensive cards slow down the opponent’s drive, and red defensive cards end the opponent’s drive entirely. These red cards include things like fumbles and interceptions, and have the ability to shift the momentum of the game instantly. The object of this Jukem game is to outscore the opponent by scoring touchdowns and field goals. To score a touchdown, kids must drive a total of exactly 100 yards by playing pass and rush cards of specific distances. So yeah, there’s definitely some math and strategy involved in this one. Whether players connect on a Hail Mary pass, or chip one in between the posts, Jukem Football is guaranteed to be fast-paced.
Jukem is a great blend of sport and leisure, and it will truly keep kids engaged. Those with a better understanding of the sports and their rules may adapt to the game more quickly, but that’s not to say that those that don’t will be entirely lost. Like any game, feeling comfortable with the rules takes time. Overall, Jukem offers the excitement of sport without the physicality (and the sweat) that comes with the real thing.
