As you've probably already guessed by reading my blog or following my Instagram or Facebook pages, I love games! But what you may not know is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE roll & write games! I often say that roll & writes are my love language! Haha! But seriously, I'm a HUGE FAN of the roll & write game mechanic.
If you're not familiar with the term "roll & write," it refers to any game where you roll dice and then use the results to write or draw onto a sheet. This could include writing numbers, drawing lines (to represent roads or railroad tracks), drawing pictures, or even coloring in blocks. These games are usually fairly simple to learn, easy to play, and finish in less than 30 minutes (although a few are more complicated and longer). This makes them great games for family game time or a fun starter for a game night! Most roll & writes also play well with 2 players. This makes them great for an evening game with hubby!
An offshoot of the roll & write genre is the "flip and write." These games follow the same format, but instead of rolling dice you flip over cards. Because these games are so similar - and I include them as part of my roll & write "love language," I've included them in this review.
So here are some of my favorite roll & write and flip & write games (in no particular order):
1.) Lanterns Dice -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 2-4, *Age: 10+, *Time: 30-45 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) Its beautiful! - The colors are gorgeous.
B.) Its both a roll & write AND a polyomino game! - There are polyomino tiles that are placed in areas to score points. I love that this game incudes the roll & write mechanic AND placing polyomino tiles!
C.) The turn bonuses! - On each turn you get a turn bonus. It allows you to fill in one extra area. I love these because they're very helpful, but you still have to think strategically to use them.
NOTE: This is one of my husband's FAVORITE games! This says a lot because my hubby isn't as much of a game fanatic as I am, so any game he loves is a real triumph!
2.) Seven Bridges of Königsberg -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 1-6, *Age: 10+, *Time: 15-20 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The theme! - I love that the theme is historical! Its based on an actual mathematical problem and an actual city!
B.) The scoring! - The scoring is a bit extensive (not really complicated, just extensive). Because of this, its really hard to tell who is gonna win the game. I love that! There's nothing worse than knowing early in a game who the winner is gonna be.
C.) The design! - The dice are wooden! I love this! And the player sheets have a very simple color scheme. I'm usually a fan of bright, colorful games, but the calm scheme really fits this game! And it gives it a very relaxing feel for such a "thinky" game.
NOTE: Hubby loves this game as well! Again, that's a HUGE triumph! And even though the game is very "thinky" (as you try to plan your moves strategically), its very relaxing and an absolute joy to play!
3.) Truck Off Roll and Write -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 0-99, *Age: 14+, *Time: 25 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) Player Count - I love that the player count is basically infinite! (Although I'm not sure exactly how 0 people can play. Hahaha!) But this makes this game really versatile! And because play is simultaneous (everyone does their action at the same time after a player rolls) the game time won't go up by a huge amount even when a lot people are playing.
B.) The theme! - During the Pandemic I developed a special place in my heart for food trucks. Our neighborhood had (socially distanced) food truck nights each week in an effort to help support these small businesses during this difficult time. We tried quite a few fabulous food trucks during this time! This is such a unique game them and I absolutely love it!
C.) The dice! - I know. I know. Dice are a given in a roll & write, right? But this game takes it up a notch! There are 6 different dice - a D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, and D20! This gives a lot of variety in terms of scoring! You could score 20 points in one turn! That gives someone who had a bad turn earlier a chance to jump back into contention!
NOTE: As I mentioned, this theme really got me! Its so fun! The other thing that got me was the bonuses - I love a game where you can "earn" bonuses! This adds an extra level of strategy to the game. You have to decide whether to work toward earning the bonus or skip past it. I love that extra bit of strategy!
4.) Cartographers -
*Game Type: Flip & Write, *Player Count: 1-100, *Age: 10+, *Time: 30-45 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) Player Count - Again, I love that the player count is basically infinite! It really makes this a great game for multiple player counts! You can play this with just the hubby, with the family, or with a large group during a game night or after a big holiday dinner!
B.) The Ambush Cards! - I love this concept! When an Ambush Card is revealed, you have to pass your player sheet to the player to your right or your left and they get to draw the monster revealed onto your sheet! This adds an extra bit of strategy that is TONS OF FUN!!!
C.) The design! - The card illustrations are so gorgeous! And the player sheet has such an "old" design that fits perfectly with the theme! I also love that you get to name your make, give yourself a title, and even draw your own crest!
NOTE: This theme is so fun and the game is so beautiful. Its no wonder this game is so popular! Cartographers has quickly become one of the most popular roll & writes in the board game community!
5.) SteamRollers -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 1-5, *Age: 10+, *Time: 30-45 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The Route Building! - Route Building is another great board game mechanic. And it pairs really well with the roll & write mechanic! I and SteamRollers, you're working to build a network of railroads and attempting to use those railroads to deliver goods.
B.) The Solitaire game! - Sometimes there's just no one around to play with. Or there's no one around who is willing to play. (Sigh.) This makes SteamRollers' solitaire mode a fantastic option!
C.) The different modes of scoring! - As I've mentioned before, there's nothing worse than playing a game where its obvious pretty quickly who is gonna win. I mean, why play the full game if you already know you're gonna lose. In SteamRollers, you gain points by making deliveries, building rail networks, upgrading your engine, and fulfilling orders. All these varied modes of scoring make it much more difficult to figure out who is going to win ahead of final scoring!
Note: Steam Rollers is a fascinating roll & write because it employs several other board game mechanics, including: card drafting, pick and deliver, and route building. If you're a fan of any of these mechanics, this may be a great roll & write for you!
6.) Nations: The Dice Games -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 1- 4, *Age: 14+, *Time: 20-40 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The Dice! - With 44 six-sided dice and 1 four-sided die, this game is dice-tastic!
B.) The game time! - This game takes approximately 15 minutes per player. That means that the game will only take 30-60 minutes, depending on the player count. This varied playing time means Nations: The Dice Game works both as a quick, 2-player game, and as a longer 4-player option.
C.) The theme! - This theme is fantastic! Over 4 "ages," you will develop your nation. (Choose from Persia, Rome, Greece, and Egypt.) You're going to build wonders, conquer colonies, accumulate the most books, try to avoid famine, and attempt to win wars. This theme means this game is not only fun, but a great, educational, jumping off point for discussions on ancient civilizations and how civilizations grow and develop.
Note: I really love a game that's not only fun to play, but educational! Nations: The Dice Game definitely fits that category! And this year we'll be studying ancient civilizations in history, so we'll definitely be adding this game to our gameschooling plans!
7.) That's Pretty Clever (Ganz Schon Clever) and Twice As Clever (Doppelt So Clever) -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 1- 4, *Age: 8+, *Time: 30 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The simplicity AND complexity! - That's Pretty Clever and its successor, Twice As Clever, are basically rolling dice, choosing a die, and writing that number or crossing off that number on your sheet. The simplicity makes it easy enough that a child can learn to play. But choosing which die to choose and where to write it in/cross it off makes it complex enough that it can be a real challenge, even for adults!
B.) The solo mode! - Again, these games off your a solitaire mode. This makes this game perfect for all sorts of game nights: family game night (3 or 4 players), date night (2 players), and a relaxing night at home alone.
C.) The multi games option! - Buy That's Pretty Clever or Twice As Clever and get a great, fun game. But Twice As Clever adds some different dice marking and die action options that make it worth the buy - even if you already own the original. (I own both and I'm not sorry at all! Hahaha!!!)
Note: My hubby and I both really enjoy these games for an evening of relaxed gaming. Although its definitely a "thinky" game, its not super heavy. Makes a great game for an evening of relaxation and fun. We'll often play while watching a football game. And because it takes less than 30 minutes, it won't keep you up super late - unless you, like me, can't stop playing games!
8.) Second Chance -
*Game Type: Flip & Write, *Player Count: 1- 6, *Age: 8+, *Time: 15 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The player count! - As a family of five, nothing is worse than finding a game the whole family loves - and then finding out in only plays 4 players. (Sigh.) Second Chance plays 1-6 players! So anyone can play alone if they want to play a solitaire game. But we can also play the entire family at once, which is fabulous!
B.) The theme! - If you, like me, grew up in the '80s and '90s, then you probably were as obsessed with Tetris as I was. Second Chance is a great way to use those "Tetris muscles" in a fun, family game!
C.) The coloring! - In Second Chance, you draw polyomino shapes and color them in - any way you like! Use 2 colors or all 6 colored pencils included! Or, grab your huge set of colored pencils and really go crazy! Its both a fun family game AND a creative activity! Board gaming AND art in one box! SOLD!
Note: My ENTIRE FAMILY is a huge fan of this game! It gets a lot of play here! And because a game only takes about 15 minutes, you can play back-to-back games if you like!
9.) Sunflower Valley -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 1- 5, *Age: 8+, *Time: 45-60 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The Drawing! - Unlike most of the other roll & writes on this list, this one includes actually picture drawing! Nothing too difficult, so don't worry! But you'll be drawing mountains, railroad tracks, sunflowers, and sheep. Draw super simple shapes or really go at it and let your artistic side take over!
B.) The dice! - The dice are so cute in this game! They contain the pics of the items you'll be drawing in the game! This isn't just an adorable addition, but it also gives you a simple example of how to draw each item.
C.) The player count! - Again, this game plays all 5 of us! That's a HUGE bonus!
Note: Sunflower Valley is fun for the whole family! The kids really enjoy the dice rolling and drawing involved. Mom and dad really enjoy the network/route building mechanic and the multiple ways of scoring!
10.) Once Upon A Castle -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: , *Age: 8+, *Time: 20 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The drawing! - Once again, this game involves drawing! Well, more like tracing! This makes it great - even for kids and people who don't feel very artistic. But you can also get as artistic as you'd like and color in the different castle parts to make a really cute pic!
B.) The play time! - This game plays in about 20 minutes (or longer, if you decide to get really artistic). This makes it a perfect game for a quick family evening. Or if you've got more time you can play multiple games back-to-back!
C.) The theme! - kids really enjoy this castle building theme! And it can also be a great jumping off point for a discussion of Medieval history! Discuss who lived in castles, what castles for used for, what the different parts of a castle were, etc.
Note: Once Upon A Castle is simple enough for my 6 year old to play, yet challenging enough that daddy and I don't get board playing! This makes it a fantastic family game night option!
11.) Droll -
*Game Type: Draw & Roll, *Player Count: 3-6, *Age: 8+, *Time: minutes
What I like about it:
A.) They flipped the Roll & Write concept! - Most of the games on this list are Roll & Write games. First your roll some dice, then your write some stuff. In Droll, you actually write (actually draw) first and THEN you roll! Basically, in the game, each person picks a "theme" card. Each card has 2 choices on it. (Things like: Star Wars, Batman, Safari, Party, The United States of America, Hiking, Revolution, Time, etc.) Once you've picked your card (which the other players cannot see), you choose one of the two topics and then draw at least 5 different pictures for that topic on your die. (You can repeat one picture if you can't think of a sixth thing to draw). Once everyone is done drawing, you roll your die. Then everyone looks at your die and tries to figure out what your were trying to describe through drawing. You can't pick up the dice, so you will only be able to see 5 sides at the most.
B.) The replayability! - There's nothing worse than finding a game you love and then realizing after a few plays that you've done pretty much all you can do. Droll isn't that way! The game includes 100 double-sided theme cards. And each side has 2 choices. That's 400 themes to choose from! And if you do happen to use those up, just make yourself some new theme cards! Or use cards from another game! Either way, you can keep enjoying all the fun!
C.) The instructions! - The instructions are literally the size of a large bookmark (front and back)! This is immediately refreshing, because I know this is a game I can get from instructions to fun VERY QUICKLY! Some games are tons of fun - once you've fully explained how to play. But if the instructions take a good 30 minutes, sometimes people have already lost interest.
Note: This game actually seems to play well as a family game (as long as everyone can read the cards) AND a party game! And it can play up to 6 players, so you'll have room for a few friends! The only downside to this game is the box. Its not very sturdy at all and getting the insert and all the large dice to fit back in is kind of frustrating. I could tell the first time I opened it that the box probably won't survive long. That's not a huge deal. I'll just get a little box to keep everything in. The game is definitely worth having, despite the box design. I just wish the box was better.
12.) Match 5 -
*Game Type: Roll & Write, *Player Count: 2-8, *Age: 10+, *Time: 20 minutes
What I like about it:
A.) The design! - This game is so visually appealing! I love that they used dice colors like pink and teal instead of the typical red and blue. Just makes the game a refreshing change of pace visually.
B.) The possibilities! - There are 2 double-sided topic sheets in each color. Each game you randomly pick one of each color. Then you roll the dice and place each color die in its designated spot. Then you're going to use two specific topics (like body part and fruit) to make a connection (like Adam's apple). Because of the double-sided sheets and all the mixtures of topics, there are over 3000 different possible connections! That's a lot of possibilities!
C.) The fun! - This game can lead to quite a bit of hilarity when everyone reads out their answers! And because it plays up to 8 players, that makes it perfect as a party game choice!
Note: I love games like this where you have to make connections between two words or topics. Its really fun to see who comes up with the same answer or who has something totally original. Its a lot of fun and leads to some great discussions - and usually tons of laughter!
I received some of these games, free of charge from the manufacturer, in exchange for my honest review.
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