The roll and write genre has seen a remarkable surge in popularity in recent years, drawing inspiration from the classic board game Yahtzee. This engaging style of gameplay involves rolling dice or flipping cards, then using the resulting numbers or symbols to mark up a private sheet. The concept is deceptively simple, yet it offers a fertile ground for sophisticated gameplay and creative exploration.
The appeal of roll and write games lies in their straightforward nature and immediate gratification. Players enjoy the freedom to personalize their sheets or boards, while the rules remain easy to grasp. This winning combination allows roll and writes to attract a broad audience, as they require minimal setup and are easy to dive into. Here, we present a curated selection of the best roll and write games currently available.
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
Rolling Realms
0See it at Amazon
Rolling Realms offers a unique twist by basing its realms on other board games. Players use a card to assign die roll results to play mini-games that reflect their inspirations. Over nine rolls, all players engage with the same three realms, then draw three new ones from twelve options, repeating this twice for a full game. The charm lies in the realms themselves, which are captivating microcosms of their source material, presenting family-friendly puzzles to master. For even more challenge, consider the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, featuring more complex realms that can be played alone or mixed with the base game.
Marabunta
Marabunta
0See it at Amazon
Marabunta, crafted by renowned designer Reiner Knizia, is a strategic roll and write game for two players. It simulates the rivalry between two ant tribes over hexes of territory, including tasty cupcakes and other rewards. Players use dice to spread influence across color-coded hexes or earn bonuses to boost their final score. This game blends spatial and mathematical strategy, showcasing Knizia's signature style.
The Fox Experiment
The Fox Experiment
0See it at Amazon
Inspired by a real-life experiment on fox domestication, The Fox Experiment, designed by Elizabeth Hargrave of Wingspan fame, is a more involved roll and write game. Players use dice to represent genetic heredity, with each parent fox contributing trait dice to their offspring. The goal is to breed the friendliest foxes to meet research objectives, making for a delightful and strategic experience.
Twilight Inscription
Twilight Inscription
1See it at Amazon
Twilight Inscription stands out by merging the expansive world of Twilight Imperium with the roll and write format. This game emulates 4X video game genres—exploration, exploitation, expansion, and extermination—within a 90-minute playtime. Players manage separate sheets representing different aspects of their space empire, making strategic choices each turn. The game offers a large scope and feels more like a full-fledged strategic board game than a typical roll and write.
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
2See it at Amazon
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up uniquely captures the essence of a pinball table using just a pen and dice. Players choose from four tables, navigating bumpers and targets based on their rolls. The challenge is to maximize scores without reusing boxes, creating a thrilling puzzle. Various sets are available, including a Star Trek-themed one, but Ramp It Up is the top choice, even offering a cooperative table.
Welcome To
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home
3See it at Amazon
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home is a flip and write game that involves town planning. Players select house numbers and building effects to create suburban streets, aiming to balance scores across bonuses like pools and parks. While it offers deep strategy, players seeking more complexity can explore its sci-fi counterpart, Welcome To The Moon.
My City: Roll & Build
My City: Roll & Build
1See it at Amazon
Based on Reiner Knizia's acclaimed My City, this roll and write game features a campaign structure across multiple episodes. Each 30-minute session introduces new rules, gradually increasing complexity. The game is flexible, allowing for one-off sessions or continued play through the campaign. This approach makes it both accessible and rewarding.
Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
Railroad Ink
9See it at Amazon
Also at Target
Railroad Ink challenges players to draw transport networks on a grid based on custom dice outcomes. The goal is to connect as many exits as possible, balancing the need to minimize dead ends with future expansion opportunities. Different editions add variety, with Deep Blue allowing rivers and lakes, while other editions include volcanos, forests, or deserts.
Next Station: London
Next Station: London
1See it at Amazon
Next Station: London, a flip and write game, introduces a novel use of colored pencils. Each color corresponds to a starting station, guiding players to draw their network based on drawn cards. The challenge is to cross districts, visit tourist sites, and manage line crossings, leading to strategic depth and colorful maps.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write
Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
4See it at Amazon
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write pushes the genre towards complexity, challenging players to build a Jurassic World-style dinosaur theme park. Dice rolls provide resources for constructing attractions and managing security, while tours score points. This game offers a rich, strategic challenge with a thematic twist.
Cartographers
Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale
6See it at Amazon
Also at Target
Cartographers introduces player interaction into the roll and write genre. Players map a fantasy kingdom using cards, fulfilling scoring challenges. Occasionally, monster cards prompt players to pass their maps to neighbors, who then place negative icons strategically. This twist adds a personal touch and enhances the game's thematic engagement. The sequel, Cartographers: Heroes, introduces dynamic monsters and hero cards.
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Long Shot: The Dice Game
0See it at Barnes and Noble
Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms horse racing into a roll and write experience. Players bet on horses as they race around a board based on dice rolls, with varying probabilities of movement. Players can buy horses for special powers and bonuses, creating a dynamic interplay of strategies and dependencies among players.
Three Sisters
Three Sisters
3See it at Amazon
Three Sisters intensifies the concept of action chaining in roll and write games. Players manage a garden, growing crops and acquiring tools based on dice rolls. Completing actions often leads to bonus actions, requiring strategic planning to maximize benefits. The game's score sheet includes a space for tracking and managing these chains, adding depth to the gameplay.
Fleet: The Dice Game
Fleet: The Dice Game
0See it at Amazon
Fleet: The Dice Game challenges players to manage a fishing fleet, deciding whether to buy licenses or launch boats to catch seafood. As players progress down each decision tree, rewards grow. Boats return to the harbor to sell catches and build structures, offering interconnected benefits over 10 rounds. The game uses thematic mock mother-of-pearl dice, making it a fun and engaging experience.
Sagrada Artisans
Sagrada Artisans
0See it at Amazon
Sagrada Artisans expands on the original Sagrada by allowing players to color their stained-glass windows as they build. It also introduces a campaign mode over ten sessions, adding new tools and challenges without compromising the game's simplicity and relaxing feel. This version enhances the original's calming experience with creative and strategic depth.
Motor City
Motor City
0See it at Amazon
Motor City, designed by the creators of Three Sisters and Fleet, reflects car production lines in the roll and write format. Players use dice-drafting to manage vehicle design, engineering, testing, production, and sales. The game eschews explosive combos for a more integrated strategic challenge, making it a standout in the genre.
For more gaming ideas, explore our list of the best board games of all time and the best puzzle tables, including a versatile table by Bits and Pieces perfect for cards and board games.
