The roll and write genre has seen a remarkable surge in popularity in recent years, drawing inspiration from the classic game Yahtzee. Players roll dice or flip cards, using the outcomes to mark up a personal sheet, creating an engaging and accessible gameplay experience. Despite its simple premise, the genre offers a surprising depth of sophisticated gameplay, appealing to a broad audience due to its low entry barriers and immediate gratification.
The combination of creative personalization and structured rules makes roll and write games particularly successful. Players enjoy the freedom to customize their own sheets or boards while following straightforward guidelines, resulting in a satisfying and enjoyable experience. Here are some of the best roll and write games that showcase the genre's potential and diversity.
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
0See it at Amazon
Rolling Realms transforms each realm into a mini-game inspired by other board games, using a card where players assign die roll results. Over nine rolls, all players interact with the same three realms simultaneously, then draw three new realms from twelve and repeat twice for a complete game. The charm lies in the realms themselves, offering family-friendly mini-puzzles that reflect their source material. For those seeking more challenge, the standalone sequel Rolling Realms Redux introduces more complex realms, playable alone or mixed with the base game.
Marabunta
0See it at Amazon
Marabunta, designed by the renowned Reiner Knizia, brings his strategic prowess to the roll and write genre. This two-player game pits tribes of ants, known as Marabunta or army ants, against each other for control of hexes filled with tempting treats like cupcakes. Players choose to spread their influence across color-coded hexes or earn bonuses to boost their final score. This mix of spatial strategy and mathematical planning is a signature of Knizia's design.
The Fox Experiment
0See it at Amazon
Inspired by a real-life experiment on fox domestication from the 1950s, Elizabeth Hargrave, the creator of Wingspan, designed The Fox Experiment. This roll and write game delves deeper into gameplay, using dice to represent genetic heredity. Players breed foxes, selecting traits to meet end-game goals, and carry these selections into subsequent rounds, striving to produce the friendliest foxes for their research.
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 encapsulates the 4X genre of video games—exploration, exploitation, expansion, and extermination—into a 90-minute experience. Each aspect is represented on separate sheets, allowing players to focus on different strategies each turn. The result is a game that feels like a full-fledged strategic board game, offering a broader scope than typical roll and writes.
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
2See it at Amazon
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up uniquely captures the thrill of a pinball table using just a pen and dice. Players select one of four tables and navigate through bumpers and targets based on their rolls, without reusing boxes. The game challenges players to maximize their score using specific combos and special play rules, creating a puzzle that's both fascinating and thrilling. While various sets are available, including a Star Trek-themed one, Ramp It Up is the top choice, even featuring a cooperative table.
The Best Board Game Deals
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home
3See it at Amazon
Welcome To... Your Perfect Home, while technically a flip and write game, fits seamlessly into this list. It uses cards instead of dice, offering players more strategic choices in town planning. Players select pairs of house numbers and building effect cards to develop three suburban streets, balancing house numbers with various bonuses. For those seeking additional complexity, its sci-fi counterpart, Welcome To The Moon, offers a more intricate experience.
My City: Roll & Build
1See it at Amazon
Based on the acclaimed board game My City, also by Reiner Knizia, My City: Roll & Build adapts the campaign structure into a roll and write format. Each 30-minute episode introduces new rules, gradually increasing complexity without overwhelming players. This approach makes for a rewarding experience, and the game's flexibility allows for one-off sessions or full campaign play, ensuring lasting enjoyment.
Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition
9See it at Amazon
Also at Target
Railroad Ink challenges players to draw a transport network on a grid using custom dice that provide tracks and junctions. Success lies in linking as many exits as possible to the same network, requiring a delicate balance between minimizing dead ends and leaving options open for future connections. The Deep Blue edition adds rivers and lakes, along with potential ferry routes, enhancing the game's variety. Other editions like Blazing Red, Lush Green, and Shining Yellow offer additional thematic elements.
Next Station: London
1See it at Amazon
Next Station: London, another flip and write game, introduces a unique mechanic where pencil colors play a crucial role. Players start from colored stations on their maps and draw networks based on drawn cards, aiming to cross districts, visit tourist sites, and connect lines while navigating the river. The game's simple concept reveals strategic depth over multiple plays, resulting in vibrant and engaging maps.
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write
4See it at Amazon
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write pushes the genre's boundaries by adding complexity and depth. Players use dice rolls to acquire resources like money and DNA to build a dinosaur theme park. They sketch attractions and concessions on a grid, manage staff and security, and run tour routes to score points, all while ensuring visitor safety. This game offers a rich strategic challenge and thematic immersion.
Cartographers
6See it at Amazon
Also at Target
Cartographers introduces player interaction to the genre with its flip and write mechanics. Players map a fantasy kingdom using cards, aiming to fulfill variable scoring challenges. The game's twist comes with monster cards, prompting players to pass their maps to neighbors, who then place negative icons in the most disruptive locations. This adds a personal element and a sense of world-building, with the sequel, Cartographers: Heroes, enhancing the game with dynamic monsters and hero cards.
Long Shot: The Dice Game
0See it at Barnes and Noble
Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms the excitement of horse racing into a roll and write format. The game features a board for the race track, with dice determining horse movement. Players bet on outcomes and can purchase horses for special powers and bonuses. The game fosters interaction and excitement as players navigate the race, making it a standout in the genre.
Three Sisters
3See it at Amazon
Three Sisters emphasizes strategic action chaining, where players grow crops and flowers in a garden, using dice rolls to access a rondel of actions. Completing certain actions grants bonus actions, which can be used to trigger further bonuses. This intense action chaining requires careful planning, making Three Sisters a tactical delight within the genre.
Fleet: The Dice Game
0See it at Amazon
Fleet: The Dice Game immerses players in the world of fishing fleets, where dice rolls help players acquire licenses or launch boats to catch seafood. The game rewards progress down each decision tree, with boats returning to harbor to sell catches and build beneficial structures. The interconnected options and thematic mock mother-of-pearl dice make for a fast, fun, and strategic experience.
Sagrada Artisans
0See it at Amazon
Sagrada Artisans builds on the original Sagrada game, allowing players to color in their stained-glass windows as they build them. The game introduces a campaign structure across ten sessions, adding new tools and challenges while maintaining its Zen-like simplicity. This version enhances the roll and write experience with additional decorative coloring and a smooth progression to an exciting finale.
Motor City
0See it at Amazon
Motor City, from the designers of Three Sisters and Fleet, reflects the car production process in a roll and write format. Players manage vehicle design, engineering, testing, production, and sales using a dice-drafting mechanic and a blueprint board for potential bonuses. This game focuses on strategic coordination rather than explosive combos, offering an innovative and challenging experience.
For more ideas, be sure to check out our list of the best board games of all time and the best puzzle tables featuring a great multi-purpose table (by Bits and Pieces) for playing cards and board games on, too.
