A guide to great roll and write games
Roll and write games have become increasingly popular in the last five years. The classic grandfather of these games was Yahtzee, but all have a similar way of playing. You roll dice, or flip cards and then take actions, usually on a game pad, racking up combinations to score the most points at the end of the game. Roll and write games are fantastic for new players, as they are small, quick and not intimidating. They are also perfect for gaming on the go, either on your commute or on holiday.
Great roll and write games that you'll love
1
Ganz Schon Clever
Simple to learn and fiendish to master, Ganz Schon Clever is an excellent example of why roll and write games are so fun to play and have become so popular.
20 mins
9/10
Easy
In Ganz Schon Clever, players take turns rolling coloured dice and then select the right "Goldilocks" ones to create the best combinations and gain the most points. Each turn takes three rolls, and players lose dice lower than the one they choose; plus, opposing players can select from the discarded pile at the end of the turn. This means players are constantly calculating which dice to keep and play, and which should be discarded. It's easy to learn, but getting a high score is very hard.
Why we love Ganz Schon Clever:
The game builds momentum with each round, until combinations are firing across your pad!
It's an easy game to play and teach
It's a good gateway game to play with new players
It's compact, just needs a pen, the pad and the dice
It's very cleverly balanced, scoring is easy, scoring high is satisfyingly challenging
Where to buy:
2
Paper Dungeons
A roll and write with a difference, Paper Dungeons is a "dungeon scrawler" that is fast, fun and with superb components
45 mins
9/10
Easy
In Paper Dungeons, players roll special dice and take actions to help their party of four adventurers survive and thrive in their dungeon. Players must battle orcs, ghosts and more, evade traps and capture diamonds, all in their quest to score as many points as possible. At the end of each round, players must also battle boss monsters and avoid death! All of this takes place on an easy-to-understand, beautifully designed game sheet.
Why we love Paper Dungeons:
This is a fun twist on both fantasy and roll-and-write genres
The game is really easy to learn
It has a fun campaign setting, which is unusual for roll-and-writes
It has an excellent solo mode
It's a very affordable game
The component quality is great, and we love the custom dice!
Where to buy:
3
Next Station: Tokyo
Some of the best fun you can have with four coloured pencils, Next Station: Tokyo is all about building rail networks and connections in the Tokyo Metro. It's simple, quick and compact. This is about flipping cards rather than rolling dice this time, though.
20 mins
9/10
Easy
A pretty, simple and beautifully themed roll and write that forms part of the Next Station series of train connection games. Players use coloured pencils to draw in metro connections across a map of the Tokyo underground. They must match shapes to cards flipped over in each turn, and points are scored for the most connections and the most train stamps. It's fun, quick, and only needs your lap to play on!
Why we love Next Station: Tokyo:
Very simple but attractive theme
Everyone loves trains!
This plays well solo, too
It's challenging to do well, but easy to teach to new players
It's a small box and good for travel
It's a very affordable game
Where to buy:
Summary: Our favourite roll-and-write games
All three of these games are brilliant; they are easy for new players, but hard to master even for experienced ones. They are fun to play, and each takes a completely different approach to roll-and-write mechanics. They can all be played in solo mode, and are fun in a crowd too!
Our Recommendation
All three games are absolute classics. For overall, universal appeal, we think Ganz Schon Clever just nicks the win. But if you love fantasy, go for Paper Dungeons and if you love Japan or trains, then Next Station: Tokyo is your choice.
Where to Buy:
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