The roll-and-write genre has exploded in popularity recently. This accessible style of gameplay, reminiscent of classic Yahtzee, involves rolling dice or flipping cards, then using the results to fill in a personal score sheet. While simple in concept, roll-and-write games offer surprisingly sophisticated gameplay and endless possibilities for strategic depth.
Their appeal lies in their straightforward rules and immediate gratification. Players enjoy the creative freedom of personalizing their sheets, balanced by the clear structure of the rules. This winning combination makes roll-and-writes accessible to a wide range of players, lowering the barrier to entry significantly. Below is a selection of the best this genre has to offer.
TL;DR: The Best Roll & 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
Rolling Realms
Available on Amazon. Rolling Realms' realms are inspired by other board games, each offering a unique mini-game triggered by dice rolls. Players simultaneously manage three realms over nine rolls, then draw new ones for two more rounds. The charm lies in these clever, family-friendly microcosms of their source material. For a more challenging experience, consider the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, with even more intricate realms.
Marabunta
Available on Amazon. Renowned designer Reiner Knizia brings his strategic prowess to this two-player roll-and-write game. Players compete as ant tribes vying for territory rich in cupcakes and other delectable treats. Dice rolls offer choices between expanding influence across color-coded hexes or securing bonus points, creating a fascinating blend of spatial and mathematical strategy.
The Fox Experiment
Available on Amazon. Inspired by a real-life Russian fox domestication experiment, this game from Elizabeth Hargrave (designer of Wingspan) uses dice to represent genetic heredity. Players breed foxes, selecting traits to achieve their research goals over multiple rounds of selection.
Twilight Inscription
Available on Amazon. A unique entry, Twilight Inscription adapts the sprawling 4X gameplay of Twilight Imperium into a roll-and-write format. This 90-minute experience covers exploration, exploitation, expansion, and extermination across separate sheets representing different aspects of empire building. The strategic challenge lies in choosing which sheet to focus on each turn, creating significant trade-offs and diverse playstyles.
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
Available on Amazon. Unlike most roll-and-writes, Super Skill Pinball cleverly simulates a pinball table. Players choose a table, then use dice rolls to navigate their ball, hitting bumpers and targets. The key challenge is avoiding repeated boxes, creating a thrilling puzzle of strategic shot selection.
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home
Available on Amazon. A "flip-and-write" game using cards instead of dice, Welcome To... tasks players with designing suburban streets by selecting house numbers and building effects. The challenge lies in balancing house order with scoring bonuses from pools, parks, and city plans.
My City: Roll & Build
Available on Amazon. Based on Reiner Knizia's My City, this game features a rewarding campaign structure. Each 30-minute episode introduces new rules, gradually increasing complexity. Episodes can also be played individually.
Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
Available on Amazon and Target. Players draw transport networks on a grid using custom dice to determine tracks and junctions. The goal is to connect exits to maximize points, balancing risk and reward while employing spatial reasoning. The Deep Blue edition adds rivers and lakes, introducing ferry routes.
Next Station: London
Available on Amazon. A flip-and-write game where colored pencils represent starting stations. Players draw train lines, aiming to cross districts and landmarks while avoiding line crossings except at stations. The simple concept reveals surprising strategic depth.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
Available on Amazon. This game introduces more complexity to the roll-and-write formula. Players build dinosaur theme parks, managing resources, attractions, and staff while planning a tour route to avoid disastrous incidents.
Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale
Available on Amazon and Target. This flip-and-write game introduces player interaction. Players map fantasy kingdoms, fulfilling scoring challenges while occasionally passing their maps to neighbors to add annoying monster icons.
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Available at Barnes & Noble. A horse racing game where players bet on horses based on dice rolls. Players can also buy horses for special abilities, creating interesting dependencies between players.
Three Sisters
Available on Amazon. Players cultivate a garden, using dice rolls to grow crops and flowers and purchase tools. The game emphasizes action chaining, creating a strategic challenge in maximizing bonus actions.
Fleet: The Dice Game
Available on Amazon. Players manage a fishing fleet, using dice to buy licenses and launch boats. The game focuses on interconnected choices and maximizing benefits across multiple options.
Sagrada Artisans
Available on Amazon. A campaign-style roll-and-write version of Sagrada where players create stained-glass windows. The campaign adds new tools and challenges over ten sessions.
Motor City
Available on Amazon. Players manage car production lines, using a dice-drafting mechanic and blueprint board to coordinate design, engineering, testing, production, and sales.
For more gaming options, explore our lists of the best board games of all time and the best puzzle tables.
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