Crabs in a Bucket Review

Our family got to try out a new game from Timberdoodle this week: a fast-action card game called Crabs in a Bucket.

Crabs in a Bucket feels like a fun mix of UNO and Old Maid. It’s played with a full set of 52 cards in 4 suits, but has an extra deck of called “Joker Crab” cards mixed in to make it more interesting.

There is also one nasty little “Lobster” card, which causes anybody who plays it to immediately lose the game. Thankfully, there are several ways to rid yourself of the Lobster card without laying it atop the discard pile and forfeiting the game.

If these rules seem a little bit complex, never fear. The instruction booklet contains several QR codes that will direct you to short videos explaining how things work and demonstrating the rules in action.

Those videos made Crabs in a Bucket a breeze to learn. I love this feature so much, as it means players completely unfamiliar at the game can pick it up in just a couple of minutes.

The game also comes with individual cards (front and back of the instruction card pictured above) so that each person can keep it beside him for easy reference.

It took us about 10-15 minutes to complete one round of Crabs in a Bucket, but the game naturally goes much faster as you become familiar with the various super powers of the joker crabs and learn to make strategic moves to eliminate cards from your own hand and multiply the number of cards your opponents are holding.

Do you have family members or friends who love playing games as much as we do? Give Crabs in a Bucket a try. It’s available through Timberdoodle for individual purchase or as part of their 2025 9th Grade Curriculum Kit. Just be forewarned: There’s a bunch of big fun packed into that tiny box.

And while you’re on the Timberdoodle website, I’d encourage you to look around. We love everything we’ve ever ordered from this small family-owned company!

Be sure to sign up for their Doodle Dollar program to save on future purchases. And to read more of my Timberdoodle Reviews, follow this link.

PLEASE NOTE: As a member of the Timberdoodle blog team, I routinely receive free or deeply discounted products in exchange for writing honest reviews. Opinions expressed in these posts are 100% my own. I’ve been a happy and enthusiastic Timberdoodle customer for decades — long before I ever started blogging for their company.