GEEKBEAR Go Stop Korean Card Game, Hwatu 화투 고스톱

I was looking for a good set of hwatu at a good price so I could play Go Stop. I already had Japanese hanafuda sets, but hwatu include extra "joker" cards that can be used with Go Stop. The set I received includes diamond brand cards, which are very nice. The cards are nice thick plastic with rounded corners. They should hold up to years of use. Six extra "jokers" are included as well. The cards themselves come in a small plastic case that snaps tightly shut. Also included with this set are rules to Go Stop and player mats with all the scoring combinations. The player mats are excellent. They are made of thicker paper which should hold up to multiple plays. All the Go Stop combinations are included, so it should make it easy for new players to know what scoring combinations they have. I've played Koi Koi (similar to Go Stop) in the past, and having mats like these to teach new players would have been great. Eventually, you'll learn all the bonus combinations and not need them, but super helpful until then. The rules are presented on a double sided sheet of paper. On one side, there is a nice chart with all the cards and what month they belong to. The other side contains the basics of playing Go Stop. For the most part, the rules are serviceable. However, there are some wording choices and lack of explanation that could leave new players confused. In particular the section on penalties leaves the penalty up to the players to decide. It would be nice if the usual penalties, such as player with no brights paying double, were listed. Similarly, the extra cards also leave it up to the player to decide how to use them with no rules on how to use them. A list of options on how to use the extra cards would be nice. Some of the more complex rules, such as bombing the field, are not included with these rules. Overall, I think the rules could use some improvement, but there are plenty of places online to get clearer rules. All in all, this is an excellent set. It's worth the cost for the excellent Diamond brand cards and the playing mats alone. Despite my qualms about the rules, I still give this 5 stars. Most sets don't even include rules, and this is the first set I've seen that has a player mat. It's enough to give new players a good starting point. The game of Go Stop itself is great fun, give it a try.

Excellent cards. Thicker and a better feel than other decks I bought. Spend the extra money. The mats or OK for beginners, but you won't need them soon. The charts of the cards are handy. This is a great buy that I highly recommend.

We were introduced to this game from my parents and been wanting to purchase one for ourselves because it is just a FUN game to play! Only thing you really need to learn is the sets of different flower patterns but this set you purchase COMES with a clear chart so it is easy to play although you are not familiar with the patterns. Also if you want to play regular hwatu or go-stop with it, individual seat guides come with the set which makes the learning phase super easy and fun (the point system is marked on the map as well so you don't have to google it) I like the quality of the material as well. One more tip, you can also use it as a flip and match memory game - it made us laugh so much. Test your memory as you get a kick out of it!

The outer box to keep the game in is cardboard, which is okay, but it came damaged & not sturdy enough to actually store the game. The playing mats and cards with plastic holder are great. Overall pleased. Now just need to learn how to play! :)

This item is top notch quality. Thickness is excellent and the colors of the graphics are also excellent. I still have an original set that I had gotten while stationed in Korea in the late sixties. This is where I learned to play this game. This is a very fun game for all ages to play. Even the storage box that houses them is well made. An excellent item in all respects. Very happy.

The box was shipped in only an Amazon plastic bag, not a cardboard box, so the outside box got ripped during shipping. The inside mats were dirty too (like physical black smudges) and after reading them i was confused because this company calls Brights "stars" and Ribbons are called "stickers" and Junk is called "plains". It would be more helpful if they called the cards by what the actual game calls them. The cards themselves seemed to be intact inside a smaller box as seen in the picture so that was at least good.

The kit works perfectly for a beginner like myself the guide is very easy to learn,the cards are very vibrant and thick for all players beginners and old timers to enjoy.I highly recommend this for people who are new at go stop I was very surprised with quality of the cards and size of the game guide.

Cute small cards in a little case that fits perfectly in my bag so I can play a quick game or two with friends. The cards may be cardboard but they are so thick and have a laminate coat that make them TOUGH as heck. They should last me a very long time. Also CANT BEAT THE PRICE