The best roll & write games 🎲🖋 2024
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 2024
That's Pretty Clever!
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.
Nominated for 8 awards and won 1.
⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2018
More details for That's Pretty Clever!- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition is a captivating multiplayer puzzle game that combines strategy and luck to create a unique gaming experience.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
More details for Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition- 1 - 6 Players
- 20 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
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.
Nominated for 9 awards and won 3.
⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2013
⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2013
More details for Qwixx- 2 - 5 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Encore!
More details for Encore!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.
- 1 - 6 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Video reviews for Encore!
Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition
Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition is a dynamic and engaging multiplayer puzzle game where players aim to build the most efficient transportation network. The game revolves around connecting as many exits as possible on individual erasable boards using routes determined by dice rolls. Strategic planning is key, as players must balance the desire to expand their network with the risk of leaving routes incomplete.
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Railroad Ink: Blazing Red Edition- 1 - 6 Players
- 20 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Qwixx: Connected
- 2 - 5 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Qwixx: 10 Jahre Limited-Edition
- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Qwinto
More details for QwintoQwinto 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.
- 2 - 6 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Lost Cities: Roll & Write
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Lost Cities: Roll & Write- 2 - 5 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*My City: Roll & Build
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for My City: Roll & Build- 1 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Immediately playable
Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition
More details for Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green EditionRailroad 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.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 15 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Qwixx: Big Points
- 2 - 5 Players
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Calavera
- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Video reviews for Calavera
Qwixx: Bonus
- 2 - 5 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Qwixx Mixx
- 2 - 5 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Twice as Clever!
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.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Twice as Clever!- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 10+ years old
- Easy to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Qwixx On Board
- 2 - 4 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Dizzle
- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
That's Pretty Clever! Kids
Nominated for 2 awards.
⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2022
More details for That's Pretty Clever! Kids- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 Minutes
- 5+ years old
- Immediately playable
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Trek 12: Himalaya
Nominated for 2 awards.
🔥 Deal: 6% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!
More details for Trek 12: Himalaya- 1 - 50 Players
- 15 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
🔥 Great price!Check for best price now at*Fleet: The Dice Game (Second Edition)
- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age is a captivating dice game that immerses players in the task of building and advancing their civilizations. This game combines elements of luck, strategy, and resource management, making it an engaging experience for players who enjoy civilization-building themes.
Nominated for 10 awards and won 1.
⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2010
More details for Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Dizzle: Levels 5-8
- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Railroad Ink Challenge: Shining Yellow Edition
- 1 - 4 Players
- 15 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Rolling Realms
Rolling Realms is a roll-and-write game designed by Jamey Stegmaier, born out of the desire to connect and engage with people globally during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. This game transcends the traditional board game format by allowing an infinite number of players to join, making it ideal for both live and virtual play sessions.
Nominated for 3 awards.
More details for Rolling Realms- 1 - 6 Players
- 30 Minutes
- 14+ years old
- Easy to learn
Harvest Dice
Nominated for 1 award and won 1.
More details for Harvest Dice- 2 - 4 Players
- 15 - 30 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Knapp Daneben!
- 1 - 5 Players
- 20 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
👍 Good price!Check for best price now at*Video reviews for Knapp Daneben!
Fleet: The Dice Game
More details for Fleet: The Dice GameFleet: The Dice Game offers a strategic and immersive experience as players return to the bustling Ridback Bay to engage in the competitive fishing industry. Unlike typical roll and write games, Fleet: The Dice Game introduces complex decision-making and strategy, accommodating 1-4 players and including a robust solo mode.
- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Medium difficulty
Roll Through the Ages: The Late Bronze Age
Nominated for 1 award.
More details for Roll Through the Ages: The Late Bronze Age- 1 - 4 Players
- 30 - 45 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Easy to learn
Criss Cross
- 1 - 6 Players
- 10 Minutes
- 8+ years old
- Immediately playable
Video reviews for Criss Cross
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