The roll and write genre has seen a significant surge in popularity in recent years, taking its roots from the classic board game Yahtzee. In these games, players roll dice or flip cards and use the outcomes to fill in personal score sheets, offering a simple yet engaging gameplay experience. This genre is particularly appealing due to its accessibility and immediate gratification. Players enjoy the creative freedom of personalizing their sheets while navigating straightforward rules, making roll and writes a hit among a broad audience with minimal barriers to entry. Here, we explore some of the best roll and write games available today.
TL;DR: The Best Roll and Write Games
- Rolling Realms
- Marabunta
- The Fox Experiment
- Twilight Inscription
- Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
- Welcome To... Your Perfect Home
- My City: Roll & Build
- Railroad Ink
- Next Station: London
- Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write
- Cartographers
- Long Shot: The Dice Game
- Three Sisters
- Fleet: The Dice Game
- Sagrada Artisans
- Motor City
Rolling Realms
0 See it at Amazon Rolling Realms brings the essence of various board games into a roll and write format. Each realm is inspired by another game, allowing players to engage in mini-games with each die roll. Over nine rolls, players interact with three realms simultaneously, then switch to new realms for additional rounds. The game's charm lies in these microcosms, offering family-friendly yet challenging puzzles. For more complexity, consider the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, which introduces even more challenging realms.
Marabunta
0 See it at Amazon Designed by the renowned Reiner Knizia, Marabunta is a roll and write game for two players, centered around the struggle between ant tribes over hexes filled with tempting rewards like cupcakes. Players use dice to spread their influence across color-coded hexes or earn bonuses, blending spatial strategy with mathematical elements—a signature of Knizia's design.
The Fox Experiment
0 See it at Amazon Inspired by a real-life experiment on fox domestication, The Fox Experiment by Elizabeth Hargrave of Wingspan fame, uses dice to represent genetic heredity. Players breed foxes, selecting traits to meet end-game goals, offering a deeper and more involved roll and write experience.
Twilight Inscription
1 See it at Amazon Twilight Inscription adapts the expansive universe of Twilight Imperium into a roll and write format, capturing the essence of 4X video games in about 90 minutes. Players manage different aspects of their space empires on separate sheets, requiring strategic focus and offering a rich, strategic experience.
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
2 See it at Amazon Super Skill Pinball brings the excitement of pinball to the roll and write genre. Players navigate through pinball tables using dice, aiming to maximize scores within the constraints of the game's rules. The included cooperative table adds a unique twist to the gameplay.
The Best Board Game Deals
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home
3 See it at Amazon Welcome To... is a flip and write game focused on suburban town planning. Players use cards to choose house numbers and building effects, aiming to create streets while balancing various scoring bonuses. For a more complex experience, consider its sci-fi variant, Welcome To The Moon.
My City: Roll & Build
1 See it at Amazon Based on Reiner Knizia's My City, this roll and write version offers a campaign-style play with evolving rules across multiple episodes. The game's structure allows for both campaign and standalone sessions, providing flexibility and increasing complexity over time.
Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
9 See it at Amazon Also at Target Railroad Ink challenges players to build transport networks on a grid using custom dice. The game balances risk and reward, with various editions adding thematic elements like rivers and lakes. The Deep Blue edition stands out for its added complexity and variety.
Next Station: London
1 See it at Amazon Next Station: London is a flip and write game where players build a train network across London, using colored pencils to differentiate lines. The game's rules encourage strategic expansion and crossing districts, offering a simple yet nuanced experience.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write
4 See it at Amazon Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write introduces complexity to the roll and write genre, allowing players to build and manage their own dinosaur theme park. Players balance resources and plan attractions, culminating in a thrilling tour route that scores points.
Cartographers
6 See it at Amazon Also at Target Cartographers adds player interaction to the genre with its monster card mechanic, where players must strategically place negative icons on their neighbors' maps. This adds a personal touch and enhances the game's thematic world-building.
Long Shot: The Dice Game
0 See it at Barnes and Noble Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms horse racing into a roll and write experience. Players bet on horses, buy them for special powers, and manipulate odds, creating a dynamic and interactive gameplay experience.
Three Sisters
3 See it at Amazon Three Sisters elevates the genre with its action chaining mechanic, allowing players to grow crops and use tools in a garden-themed score sheet. The game's strategic depth comes from maximizing these action chains for high scores.
Fleet: The Dice Game
0 See it at Amazon In Fleet: The Dice Game, players manage a fishing fleet, choosing between buying licenses or launching boats to catch seafood. The game's interconnected options and thematic dice make for a rewarding strategic challenge.
Sagrada Artisans
0 See it at Amazon Sagrada Artisans enhances the original Sagrada game by adding a campaign mode and the ability to color in the stained-glass windows. The game maintains its calming aesthetic while introducing new tools and challenges over ten sessions.
Motor City
0 See it at Amazon Motor City, from the designers of Three Sisters and Fleet, simulates car production lines in a roll and write format. Players use dice-drafting and a blueprint board to coordinate vehicle design, engineering, and sales, offering a strategic and innovative experience.
For more gaming inspiration, explore our list of the best board games of all time and the best puzzle tables, including a versatile multi-purpose table by Bits and Pieces perfect for playing cards and board games.
