The roll and write genre has seen a significant surge in popularity in recent years, drawing inspiration from classics like Yahtzee. Players engage with the game by rolling dice or flipping cards and marking their private sheets with the outcomes. This simple yet versatile concept has led to a rich variety of games that offer both accessibility and sophisticated gameplay.
The appeal of roll and write games lies in their straightforward nature and immediate gratification. Players enjoy the freedom to personalize their sheets while navigating clear and structured rules. This winning formula allows roll and write games to attract a broad audience, as they require minimal setup and are easy to learn. Below, 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
Rolling Realms invites players into a world where each realm is inspired by a different board game. Players use a card to assign die roll results and engage in mini-games that reflect their inspirations. Over nine rolls, all players manage the same three realms, then draw three new ones from a set of twelve, repeating this process twice for a complete game. The charm of Rolling Realms lies in its realms, which are engaging microcosms of their source games, offering family-friendly puzzles. For those seeking more challenges, the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, introduces new, fiendish realms that can be played alone or mixed with the original game.
Marabunta
Designed by Reiner Knizia, a renowned name in strategy games, Marabunta is a two-player roll and write game that simulates the rivalry between two ant tribes over territory, including delicious cupcakes and other rewards. Players use dice to expand their influence across color-coded hexes or gain bonuses that enhance their final score. Marabunta combines spatial strategy with mathematical elements, showcasing Knizia's signature style.
The Fox Experiment
Inspired by a real-life fox domestication experiment from the 1950s, The Fox Experiment, created by Elizabeth Hargrave of Wingspan fame, offers a more complex roll and write experience. Players use dice to simulate genetic traits as they breed foxes, aiming to meet end-game goals. Each round involves selecting parent foxes to produce offspring with desirable traits, creating a rewarding challenge as players strive to breed the friendliest foxes for their research.
Twilight Inscription
Twilight Inscription is a unique roll and write game that distills the expansive universe of Twilight Imperium into a 90-minute experience. It emulates the 4X genre of video games, where players build space empires through exploration, exploitation, expansion, and extermination. The game is divided into separate sheets, each representing a different aspect of empire-building, allowing for focused gameplay and strategic trade-offs. This scope and depth make Twilight Inscription feel like a full-fledged strategic board game.
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up brings the excitement of a pinball machine to the roll and write format. Players choose from four tables, navigating bumpers and targets based on dice rolls. The challenge lies in maximizing scores within the table's specific rules and avoiding repeated targets. This game offers a thrilling puzzle experience, with various sets available, including a Star Trek-themed version. Ramp It Up stands out with its cooperative table option.
The Best Board Game Deals
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home is a flip and write game that focuses on town planning. Players choose house numbers and building effect cards to create three suburban streets, balancing house order with various bonuses like pools and parks. The game offers strategic depth and satisfaction when executed well, with an advanced sci-fi version, Welcome To The Moon, available for those seeking more complexity.
My City: Roll & Build
Inspired by the board game My City, this roll and write version by Reiner Knizia offers a campaign-style play over multiple episodes. Each 30-minute session introduces new rules, gradually increasing complexity without overwhelming players. The game is flexible, allowing episodes to be played as one-offs, and it remains engaging even after completing the campaign, making it a delightful addition to any game collection.
Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
Railroad Ink challenges players to design a transport network on a grid using dice rolls to determine tracks and junctions. The goal is to connect as many exits as possible, balancing the risk of dead ends with the potential for future connections. The Deep Blue Edition adds rivers, lakes, and ferry routes to the mix, enhancing the game's variety. Other editions include Blazing Red for volcanoes, Lush Green for forests, and Shining Yellow for deserts.
Next Station: London
Next Station: London is a flip and write game centered around building a train network across London. Players use colored pencils to start at designated stations and extend their lines based on drawn cards, aiming to cross districts and hit tourist sites. The game's rules prevent line crossings except at stations, adding strategic depth. Players swap pencils between turns, resulting in colorful, engaging maps.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write pushes the boundaries of roll and write games by introducing more complexity and depth. Players roll dice to acquire resources like money and DNA, which they use to build a dinosaur theme park. The game involves planning attractions, concessions, staff, and security on a mini-grid, followed by running tours to score points. This multifaceted challenge offers a rich, thematic experience.
Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale
Cartographers adds player interaction to the roll and write genre by introducing monster cards that players pass to their neighbors, who then draw negative icons on their maps. This twist makes the game feel more personal and engaging, as players work to fulfill scoring challenges while navigating the whims of their opponents. The sequel, Cartographers: Heroes, adds dynamic monsters and hero cards for an enhanced experience.
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms the horse racing theme into a roll and write experience. Players bet on horses as they race around a board, with dice rolls determining movement. The game allows players to buy horses for special powers and bonuses, creating a web of dependencies and excitement. This interactive and thematic game stands out in the roll and write genre.
Three Sisters
Three Sisters elevates the roll and write genre with its intense action chaining. Players use dice rolls to grow a garden, purchasing tools and crops, with each action often leading to bonus actions. This strategic depth requires careful planning, making Three Sisters a tactical delight.
Fleet: The Dice Game
Fleet: The Dice Game immerses players in the world of fishing fleets, where they must decide whether to buy licenses or launch boats based on dice rolls. The game rewards players for progressing down various interconnected paths, culminating in selling catches and constructing beneficial buildings. This fast-paced and thematic game offers a unique roll and write experience.
Sagrada Artisans
Sagrada Artisans builds on the original Sagrada game by allowing players to color their stained-glass windows as they build. It introduces a campaign mode over ten sessions, adding new tools and challenges while maintaining a Zen-like feel. The game's simplicity and the joy of coloring make it a soothing yet engaging experience.
Motor City
Motor City, from the designers of Three Sisters and Fleet, transforms the roll and write genre into a car production line simulation. Players manage aspects of vehicle design, engineering, testing, production, and sales using a dice-drafting mechanic and a blueprint board. This game focuses on strategic coordination rather than explosive combos, offering an innovative and challenging experience.
For more gaming inspiration, explore our list of the best board games of all time and our selection of the best puzzle tables, including a versatile option by Bits and Pieces perfect for card and board games.
