The best roll & write games 🎲🖋 2026

Roll&Write games are (usually) small and handy dice games 🎲🖋. The player rolls the dice and marks the results on sheets of paper or erasable boards. Another common factor is that marking decisions made in previous turns constrain a player's marking decisions in future turns.

Roll & Write games in a nutshell

  • The forefather of roll-and-write games is Yahtzee). In Germany named "Kniffel" appeared in 1972, but in the USA under the name "Yahtzee" already in 1956. Since then many different kinds of games with many creative ideas have appeared.
  • In contrast to Kniffel (Once on your turn, you may roll the dice 3 times to make special combinations of dice. The goal is to achieve the highest possible score at the end. Risky decisions are provoked to win the game), modern incarnations of roll-&-write games may involve more direct player interaction. Sometimes in the form of dice selection, but sometimes by being the first to trigger a particular event or by locking out other players.
  • Often not only one player's dice result is active, but all players can use it to take an action. The waiting time is therefore much shorter than with Kniffel – especially with several people.
  • The games in the Kniffel family and their generic version "Yacht" are subgroups of the Roll-and-Write family. So these games also belong in this overview.
  • Roll & Write often contain an extra solo variant.
  • Sometimes cards are used instead of dice – then the games are called "Flip-and-Write". Since the principles are so similar, we have included the flip-and-write games in this list as well.

The best Flip-/Roll-&-Write games 🎲🖋

But now to our overview with the best Flip- and Roll-&-Write games 2026

This list was last updated on June 20, 2026. There's also a print version for this list .
  1. That's Pretty Clever! dice game

    That's Pretty Clever! dice game

    That's Pretty Clever is a strategic dice game where players must make thoughtful choices to optimize their score. The game's title, Ganz schön clever in German, aptly describes the need for cleverness and tactical thinking.

    All details & rating
    1–4 30 min 8+ Easy to learn
    + 2 € above the best price
    11 € at Amazon*
  2. Qwixx

    Qwixx

    Qwixx is a fast-paced and engaging dice game that involves all players actively, regardless of whose turn it is. It combines simple mechanics with a need for strategic decision-making, making it a fun and interactive game for all involved.

    All details & rating
    2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
  3. Encore! Roll & Write game

    Encore! Roll & Write game

    Encore! (originally published as Noch mal!) is a dice-based board game that challenges players with strategic choices and a touch of luck. In this game, players use dice to determine the colors and the number of spaces they can mark off on their playing sheets.

    All details & rating
    1–6 20 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 1 € above the best price
    11 € at Amazon*
    Video reviews 1
  4. Long Shot: The Dice Game

    Long Shot: The Dice Game

    Get ready for the racetrack! Players develop strategies and test their luck in an exciting race with eight horses. You will buy horses, place bets, influence the race, and use special abilities, while dice rolls determine horse movements and your options each round. Once three horses cross the finish line, winnings are tallied, and the player with the most money is declared the winner. Will you play it safe or take a risk for big rewards?

    All details & rating
    1–8 25 min 14+ Easy to learn
  5. Qwixx: Connected

    Qwixx: Connected

    Qwixx: Connected features two new score pads that slightly alter the standard gameplay. In "The Steps," players track a meandering series of black-bordered spaces that intersect the four colored rows, adding a new layer of strategy as players can score additional Xs. "The Chain" introduces a mechanism where marking one circle in a connected pair automatically marks the other, providing extra opportunities to fill in gaps on the score sheet.

    All details & rating
    2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
    1 € below the next retailer
    6 € at Amazon*
  6. Panda Royale
    2–10 20–30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  7. Qwinto

    Qwinto

    Qwinto offers a refreshing twist on the roll-and-write genre, engaging players in a simultaneous play experience where quick thinking and strategic number placement are key to victory. In this game, players race to fill out their scoresheets with ascending numbers in three colorful rows, while navigating the constraints of overlapping columns and avoiding duplicates to maximize their scores.

    All details & rating
    2–6 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
  8. Lost Cities: Roll & Write

    Lost Cities: Roll & Write

    Players embark on expeditions along six colored paths, aiming to start with the smallest possible dice rolls. They must decide whether to continue an expedition or begin a new one each round, while artifacts and acceleration fields help them progress quickly. Each player has a scoring sheet with columns for colored paths, artifacts, and dice, and points are earned based on the filled fields, with bonuses for being the first to fill certain boxes. The game concludes when all players are exhausted or all bridges are crossed, and the player with the highest score wins.

    All details & rating
    2–5 30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  9. Qwixx: 10 Jahre Limited-Edition

    Qwixx: 10 Jahre Limited-Edition

    Qwixx: 10 Jahre Limited-Edition is a special edition celebrating the game's ten-year anniversary. It includes the base game as well as the expansions Bonus and Gemixxt, along with components needed for the standalone game Qwixx Longo. All game boards are wipeable, and it comes with dry-erase markers.

    All details & rating
    2–4 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
  10. Qwixx Mixx

    Qwixx Mixx

    Qwixx gemixxt includes two new score sheet blocks for use with Qwixx. The rules remain unchanged as players aim to mark off numbers from left to right. However, one block features colors distributed across the number rows, while the other presents numbers in a non-numeric order.

    All details & rating
    2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
  11. Calavera

    Calavera

    Calavera is a dice game where players aim to score as many crosses on their block as possible, as more crosses mean more points. However, if players become too greedy, their precious points may melt away. The player with the best dice result who places the crosses correctly will emerge victorious.

    All details & rating
    2–4 20 min 8+ Immediately playable
    Video reviews 1
  12. Encore! Deluxe

    Encore! Deluxe

    Encore! Deluxe follows the same gameplay as its predecessor, engaging players with three color dice and three number dice to mark areas on their personal player boards. Players aim to fill columns or colors for bonus points. The game features wipeable boards, a 3D dice tower, a cooperative mode with shared objectives, and both an original solo variant and a new solo challenge with missions.

    All details & rating
    1–4 20 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 3 € above the best price
    20 € at Amazon*
  13. My City: Roll & Build

    My City: Roll & Build

    Players create a unique city over four chapters, each containing three episodes. A die roll indicates which building to draw on the player board, with new challenges arising in each episode. Players can choose to play through the entire campaign or select individual episodes or chapters to replay.

    All details & rating
    1–6 30 min 10+ Immediately playable
  14. Qwixx On Board

    Qwixx On Board

    Players use rules identical to Qwixx but with the addition of a game board. They move their pawns forward, occupy spaces, tactically cross out numbers, avoid mistakes, and strive to complete the game point by point.

    All details & rating
    2–4 20 min 8+ Immediately playable
  15. Clever Junior

    Clever Junior

    Collect balloons, gifts, candles, and mountains of sweets at the birthday party. Players roll dice and select their desired items while others take what's left over. Each color coded area on their scoring sheets has different rules for checking off items, and completing sections will earn them rainbow stars. The game ends once a player marks all items in an area, and the player with the most stars wins.

    All details & rating
    2–4 15 min 5+ Immediately playable
    + 6 € above the best price
    12 € at Amazon*
  16. Qwixx: Bonus

    Qwixx: Bonus

    The bonus features two new scorepads that change how Qwixx is played. One scorepad includes twelve boxes with three boxes in each colored row and a row of twelve colored boxes below, allowing players to trigger chain reactions. The other scorepad has ten bonus boxes that provide special rewards upon marking specific bonuses.

    All details & rating
    2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 2 € above the best price
    7 € at Amazon*
  17. Dizzle: Levels 5-8

    Dizzle: Levels 5-8

    Dizzle: Level 5-8 includes exactly what it promises: 4 new levels for the base game. Players can expand their gameplay with these additional challenges.

    All details & rating
    1–4 30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  18. Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition

    Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition

    Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition enhances the well-loved roll-and-write gameplay of the original Railroad Ink series, introducing lush new strategies and player interactions. This version of the game is designed for 1 to 4 players and emphasizes not only route-building but also competitive objectives that encourage keeping an eye on opponents' progress.

    All details & rating
    1–4 15–30 min 8+ Easy to learn
    + 4 € above the best price
    19 € at Amazon*
  19. Stampfarm
    2–5 20 min 6+ Immediately playable
    + 3 € above the best price
    22 € at Amazon*
  20. Sausage Sizzle!

    Sausage Sizzle!

    The game combines two unique elements: dice and sausages, using animals as the connecting theme. Players roll four white dice featuring animals and four black dice showing numbers and sausages. The goal is to collect as many animals of one type as possible while ensuring high numbers on the black dice, as points are calculated based on the lowest number rolled.

    All details & rating
    2–5 15 min 8+ Immediately playable
  21. Dizzle

    Dizzle

    Players fill their scorecards with dice collected each round. They take turns choosing dice from the center of the table, ensuring that the next die matches the previous ones. At the end of a round, they mark all boxes on their filled scorecard, but competition for the needed dice adds a challenging twist.

    All details & rating
    1–4 30 min 8+ Immediately playable
  22. Pipeline
    1–6 10 min 8+ Immediately playable
  23. Twice as Clever! dice game

    Twice as Clever! dice game

    Twice as Clever! (original title: Doppelt so clever) is a dice-based strategy game that builds on the mechanics introduced in its predecessor, Ganz schön clever. This game offers new challenges and additional strategic layers, providing an engaging experience for both fans of the original game and newcomers.

    All details & rating
    1–4 30 min 10+ Easy to learn
    + 3 € above the best price
    13 € at Amazon*
  24. Trek 12: Himalaya

    Trek 12: Himalaya

    Players engage in a dice and writing game with progressive difficulty levels. They aim to create chains of consecutive numbers from 0 to 12 and areas with the same number to score points.

    All details & rating
    1–50 15–30 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 4 € above the best price
    12 € at Amazon*
  25. Knapp Daneben!

    Knapp Daneben!

    Players collect numbers that are close to their existing totals without being identical. Each player has a scoring sheet and rolls five colored dice in a round. They combine numbers from their dice, recording the sums on their scoring sheets while following specific rules to earn points, with the game concluding after 25 rounds. The player with the most points at the end wins.

    All details & rating
    1–5 20 min 8+ Immediately playable
    + 1 € above the best price
    8 € at Amazon*
    Video reviews 1
  26. Flower Shower
    1–4 20 min 8+ Immediately playable

Frequently asked questions

Which game ranks first on this list?

That's Pretty Clever! dice game currently tops our list. The ranking is derived from player community ratings and is recalculated continuously.

How many players do the games on this list support?

Most games on this list support 1 to 5 players. The exact player count is listed with each game.

What age are these games suitable for?

Publisher age recommendations on this list start at 5 years. Each game carries its own age rating.

How long does a game take?

A typical game takes about 20 minutes. Each game's playing time is listed individually.

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