Board Games with Dice: Mini Reviews
Board Games with Dice: Mini Reviews
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Do you love the sensation
Do you love the sensation
of dice? How about when you throw them? Dice come in all shapes, sizes and materials (plastic, glass, metal, ceramic, and so much more!) and have been around for seemingly forever!
Fun facts:
Dice have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back further than 2,000 BCE!
Some of the first dice were actually made of bone!
Dice add unpredictability to games which helps make them feel fresh every time you play.
This also forces players to adjust their game plans according to the result of the oh-so-satisfying throw of the dice!
Here are a few dice games that you may want to check out!
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Cubitos
Cubitos
Brew
Brew
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Long Shot: The Dice Game
Publisher: Perplext
Designer: Chris Handy
Player Count: 1-8 players
Play Time: 25 minutes
Mechanics: Betting, Dice Rolling, Paper-and-Pencil, Racing
“You and up to 8 players will buy horses, place bets, influence the race, and use special abilities. Once three horses cross the finish line, the player that makes the most money is the winner. Will you play it safe, or risk it big on a long shot?” 1 - Description from the publisher
In Long Shot: The Dice Game, players will bet on a horse race. As the race moves forward, maybe you will want to buy a horse. Maybe you will start betting on a new favourite. Or even try to influence by using special abilities!
Dice are rolled which will determine which horse will move forward and by how many spaces. To make the race enjoyable, every time a horse moves forward, other horses will move forward, just not as much as the rolled horse. Players will then perform actions on their player boards.
The player board allows players to place new bets on the rolled horse, it also allows players to cross off objectives which, once completed, gives access to special abilities which can have a colossal impact on the race.
For example, a player might choose to push their preferred horse forward by a space or even three(!), place free bets on a horse, or even bring a horse close to finishing by a space or three!
For whom is Long Shot: The Dice Game?
For whom is Long Shot: The Dice Game?
If you enjoy games where everybody cheers, groans and tries to influence others' decisions, give this game a shot (pun intended!)
The randomness of the dice can create a very unpredictable race and the player abilities can mess up someone’s perfect race.
Does Crunchy recommend Long Shot: The Dice Game?
Does Crunchy recommend Long Shot: The Dice Game?
Entertaining, fast-paced, unpredictability, cheers and disappointment, everything to ensure a start to a great game night!
Though Long Shot: The Dice Game has many options to choose from, every possible action is simple to understand.
Because of the multitude of choices, it may take a little longer for a new player to completely understand what is going on.
But don’t let that keep you from taking the game, they will have a blast!
The more the group gets into the game (cheering and getting loud), the more enjoyable it is! So don't hesitate, let loose!
Score: 8.5/10
If you enjoy Long Shot: The Dice Game, give this one a try
If you enjoy Long Shot: The Dice Game, give this one a try
Game Recommendation
Game Recommendation
If you enjoyed optimizing the placement of the tiles, Patchwork is a game might want to check out where you will select available polyomino tiles to fill a board as much as possible. Just like Carcassonne, Patchwork is easy to learn and a fun puzzle.
This game plays more quickly than Carcassonne, but sometimes that is exactly what you need!
Cubitos
Cubitos
Publisher: Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG)
Designer: John D. Clair
Player Count: 2-4 players
Play Time: 30-60 minutes
Mechanics: Delayed Purchase, Dice Rolling, Market, Pool Building, Push-Your-Luck, Race
“Players take on the role of participants in the annual Cube Cup; a race of strategy and luck to determine the Cubitos Champion. Each player has a runner on the racetrack and a support team, represented by all the dice you roll. Each turn you roll dice and use their results to move along the racetrack, buy new dice, and use abilities.
But you must be careful not to push your luck rolling too much or you could bust!” 2 - Description from the publisher
What makes Cubitos unique and endlessly fun is that your race uses dice. But not your normal dice! Every die has different powers. These powers may help a player get more coins to buy more powerful dice or even add extra movements to get further quicker in the race.
There are different maps to change up the feel of the game which in turn might make some dice abilities even more interesting!
For whom is Cubitos?
For whom is Cubitos?
Due to the sometimes complicated dice powers, Cubitos is (almost) for everyone: the family with preteens to anybody who have an understanding of individual powers.
Does Crunchy recommend Cubitos?
Does Crunchy recommend Cubitos?
The powers in Cubitos are super fun. The names for each power are delicious.
The push-your-luck mechanism is also very interesting. The fact that you want to continue rolling to improve your chances in the race but you are also rewarded for busting adds an interesting element to the game.
Cubitos is fun for everybody! The learning curve of every power, but the basics are simple and the best part of a racing game: it can get chaotic!
Score: 7/10
If you enjoy Cubitos, give this one a try
If you enjoy Cubitos, give this one a try
Game Recommendation
Game Recommendation
If you enjoyed optimizing the placement of the tiles, Patchwork is a game might want to check out where you will select available polyomino tiles to fill a board as much as possible. Just like Carcassonne, Patchwork is easy to learn and a fun puzzle.
This game plays more quickly than Carcassonne, but sometimes that is exactly what you need!
Brew
Brew
Publisher: Pandadaurus Games
Designer: Stevo Torres
Player Count: 2-4 players
Play Time: 45-90 minutes
Mechanics: Area Majority, Dice Rolling, Open Drafting, Variable Player Powers, Worker Placement
“Time is broken and shattered. The seasons all exist at once, and day and night have no real cycle—they rotate at the whim of the forest. This enchanted land has been driven into chaos and it's up to you, the cunning mystics of the forest, to tame extraordinary woodland creatures and use your magic to bring back balance.
In Brew, players must choose how to use element dice—either to take back control of as many seasons as possible in an area control game or to procure goods at the local village in a worker-placement game. Recruiting woodland creatures and brewing potions can help offset chance die-rolls or create an engine to help you tame the lands.” 3 - Description from the publisher
In Brew, you will be collecting resources through a dice placement mechanism which will later allow you to brew a potion which gives you points and special abilities.
Through the dice placement mechanism, you will also win points through area majority (who has the most dice in an area) tiles you win in every round, as well as recruiting creatures that also give you more abilities and points.
Being strategic on your dice placement in order to optimize your results or hinder your opponent's potential is of monumental importance in order to even come close to succeed.
For whom is Brew?
For whom is Brew?
If you enjoy fulfilling contracts, planning moves ahead of time and especially love cute artwork, TakenokoI is worth checking out
Does Crunchy recommend Brew?
Does Crunchy recommend Brew?
Brew offers many choices all by limiting your optimal options as you must consider what your opponent(s) is(are) thinking.
Optimizing your woodland creature's abilities along with strategically placing your dice all make Brew a challenge you will want to come back to time and time again.
The artwork is also cute and appealing.
All of these great reasons earn Brew a score of:
Score: 7.5/10
If you enjoy Brew, give this one a try
If you enjoy Brew, give this one a try
Roll Player
Roll Player
In Roll Player, you will be drafting dice which you can place on your player board and try to optimize your points through specific location conditions.
The idea behind this game is to create a Role Playing Game character, through this mechanic. Crunchy Board Games recommends giving it a try, you will (most likely) not be disappointed
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