Phase 10: World Tour is an app that allows you to play the card game Phase 10, a unique version of Rummy created by the makers of Uno. In Phase 10: World Tour, you can compete against a huge variety of computer opponents or even challenge your friends to a game of Phase 10.

Phase 10: World Tour is a digital simulation of a real-life card game. While you can't play Phase 10 easily with a normal deck of cards, you can absolutely buy a special Phase 10 deck and enjoy the game offline at your table. The physical version of Phase 10 has near-identical rules and systems to the one featured in the app.

In Phase 10: World Tour, you can play the Phase 10 card game against computer opponents, matchmade online opponents, and friends. The game uses a freemium model that combines an energy system and ads to generate revenue for the developers. A one-time $3 purchase turns off ads forever, while energy can be purchased very cheaply for real money. It takes something like $0.05 of microtransactions to get enough energy to play an additional game. Alternately, you can simply wait about half an hour for your energy to recharge.

The game of Phase 10 is quite similar to Rummy. In Phase 10, you start with 10 cards in your hand. At the start of your turn, you draw a card, then you discard a card of your choice. Your goal is to assemble sets of cards that conform to particular rules. Unlike in Rummy, Phase 10 has several phases, each of which has different rules that govern the sets of cards that you build. 

The missions in the app play with the order and types of melds you're allowed to build slightly. On Level 15, for example, you have to build two sets of 3, then a set of 4 and an even of 4, then 4 of one color and a run of 5, then a run of 8, then 7 of one color, then a run of 5. Each phase of the game requires a new expenditure of energy, meaning that playing through a long level can take a bit of time.

Just like in Rummy, Phase 10 is scored based on the contents of your hand once each round ends. You can take cards from your hand and put them into melds on the table, discard unwanted cards, and even use things like the "skip" card and wild cards to change how the game is played. Your goal is to empty your hand as fast as possible in order to score as few points as possible and emerge victorious.

Phase 10: World Tour has a few opportunities for microtransactions. You can purchase skip and wild cards to use in multiplayer games, spend in-game currency on energy, and enter certain tournaments. The game's single-player modes vary wildly in difficulty. While some levels are almost trivial to beat, others will take several retries and plenty of luck, especially if you're not an experienced rummy player. This means that it can take a frustrating amount of energy to pass certain levels.

Even if you understand the rules, Phase 10 can be a tricky game to play. The keys to success are luck, thinking ahead, and trying to figure out what your opponents are up to. By carefully watching the state of the game, you can shave off plenty of points at the end of each round and emerge victorious.

First, remember that your goal is to score as low as possible at the end of the game. This means that you want to keep the value of your hand low, and you'll want to start early. When you draw your first 10, figure out which high cards you don't need for the round's objectives and get ready to discard them, pronto. The sooner you get unneeded 12's out of your hand, the better.

There's a big exception to this: if you can figure out that your opponents are going to be playing melds where your high-value cards fit, you don't need to get rid of them right away. Your goal should be to discard the highest value card that won't fit into an opponent's meld. While you can't see your opponents' hands, you CAN see what they're discarding and what the objectives of each round are. Try to keep track of your own hand, the discard pile, and what other people have played in order to get an idea of what each player might be building towards. This will be difficult at first, but it'll eventually pay big dividends as you build up your memory and rummy skills.

Don't forget about public information, either! Once a meld has hit the table, remember that you'll be able to play cards into it as soon as you've finished your objectives for the round. If a player already has a 3-of-a-kind meld with 12's, you don't need to discard your 12's anymore - unless the round is about to end.

Skips and wild cards can be tempting to lay down early, but this usually isn't the best play. Skips are often best saved for the very end of rounds, where you can prevent an opponent from drawing, discarding, and playing their last card or two. Wild cards tend to be best used in your second objective of the round. It's often a mistake to waste these precious resources on your first meld unless you can also plop down the second one right after.

Finally, remember that Phase 10 is a game of both chance and strategy. The AI is ferociously good at strategy on many of the game's levels, while chance isn't always in your favor. Be prepared to spend some time getting past the harder levels in the game. Alternately, when you're playing online, remember that many of your opponents will have thousands of hours of real-life rummy experience or hundreds of games in Phase 10: World Tour already. Don't feel bad if you're not at the top of the pack immediately!

Are you a Phase 10: World Tour expert? Which levels did you find the hardest? Did we miss any tips or tricks? Let us know in the comments below!