The roll and write genre has seen a remarkable surge in popularity in recent years, drawing inspiration from the classic board game Yahtzee. In these games, players roll dice or flip cards and use the outcomes to mark their personal score sheets. Despite the simplicity of the concept, the genre has evolved to offer sophisticated and engaging gameplay experiences.

This style of game is particularly appealing due to its straightforward nature and immediate gratification. Players enjoy the freedom to personalize their sheets or boards within a structured set of rules, making roll and writes accessible and enjoyable for a broad audience. The following list highlights some of the best roll and write games available today, showcasing the diversity and depth within the genre.

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

Rolling Realms

0 See it at Amazon
Rolling Realms stands out with its innovative approach, where each realm is inspired by another board game. Players assign die roll results to mini-games that reflect these inspirations. Over nine rolls, all players engage with the same three realms, then draw three new ones from a set of twelve, repeating the process twice for a complete game. The charm lies in the realms themselves, which offer engaging, family-friendly puzzles. For those seeking more challenge, the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, introduces new, more complex realms that can be played independently or mixed with the base game.

Marabunta

Marabunta

0 See it at Amazon
Marabunta, designed by the acclaimed Reiner Knizia, is a strategic roll and write game for two players. It simulates the rivalry between ant tribes over hexes of territory, including cupcakes and other resources. Players must strategically spread their influence across color-coded hexes or gain bonuses to boost their final score. This blend of spatial and mathematical strategy showcases Knizia's expertise in creating engaging gameplay.

The Fox Experiment

The Fox Experiment

0 See it at Amazon
Inspired by a real-life experiment on fox domestication, The Fox Experiment by Elizabeth Hargrave delves into genetic heredity through dice mechanics. Players breed foxes, using trait dice from parent foxes to influence offspring, aiming to meet end-game goals. This game, though more complex, offers a rewarding experience as players work to breed the friendliest foxes for their research.

Twilight Inscription

Twilight Inscription

1 See it at Amazon
Twilight Inscription uniquely adapts the expansive world of Twilight Imperium into a roll and write format. It captures the essence of 4X video games, where players build space empires through exploration, exploitation, expansion, and extermination. With separate sheets for each aspect of the game, players must focus on one sheet per turn, leading to strategic trade-offs and varied gameplay. This results in a comprehensive strategic experience, more akin to a full board game than a typical roll and write.

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up

2 See it at Amazon
Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up stands out for its thematic depth, replicating a pinball table using dice and a pen. Players choose from four tables, navigating bumpers and targets based on their rolls, with the challenge of not reusing boxes. This creates a thrilling puzzle as players aim to maximize their score using table-specific rules. The Ramp It Up edition, including a cooperative table, is the standout choice among several themed sets.

Welcome To...

Welcome To... Your Perfect Home

3 See it at Amazon
Welcome To... is a flip and write game where players plan suburban streets using house numbers and building effect cards. The challenge lies in arranging houses in numerical order while balancing scores across various bonuses. This game offers satisfying strategic depth, with a more complex sci-fi version, Welcome To The Moon, available for those seeking additional challenge.

My City: Roll & Build

My City: Roll & Build

1 See it at Amazon
Based on Reiner Knizia's My City, this dice game features a campaign structure that unfolds over multiple episodes. Each session introduces new rules and complexities, allowing for a gradual increase in challenge. Players can also enjoy individual episodes, making it versatile and replayable. This approach makes My City: Roll & Build a rewarding and engaging experience.

Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition

Railroad Ink

9 See it at Amazon
Also at Target
Railroad Ink challenges players to draw transport networks on a grid based on custom dice rolls. The goal is to connect as many exits as possible, balancing the need to minimize dead ends with the potential for future connections. The Deep Blue edition, which includes rivers and lakes, adds a unique twist, but other editions like Blazing Red, Lush Green, and Shining Yellow offer varied gameplay experiences.

Next Station: London

Next Station: London

1 See it at Amazon
Next Station: London is a flip and write game where pencil colors play a crucial role. Players start from designated stations and draw networks based on drawn cards, aiming to cross districts, visit tourist sites, and connect lines. The game's simplicity reveals strategic depth over multiple plays, resulting in engaging, colorful maps.

Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write

Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write

4 See it at Amazon
Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write pushes the boundaries of the genre by adding complexity and depth. Players build dinosaur theme parks using dice rolls to gather resources like money and DNA. They design attractions and concessions, manage staff and security, and run tour routes to score points. This game offers a challenging and thematic experience, balancing multiple aspects of park management.

Cartographers

Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale

6 See it at Amazon
Also at Target
Cartographers introduces player interaction to the genre through a flip and write mechanic. Players map out fantasy kingdoms, aiming to meet variable scoring challenges. Periodically, monster cards are drawn, and players must pass their maps to neighbors who draw negative monster icons, adding a personal and thematic element to the game. The sequel, Cartographers: Heroes, further enhances gameplay with dynamic monsters and hero cards.

Long Shot: The Dice Game

Long Shot: The Dice Game

0 See it at Barnes and Noble
Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms horse racing into an exciting roll and write experience. Players bet on horses as they race around a board, influenced by dice rolls. They can also buy horses for special powers and bonuses, creating a web of player dependencies. This game combines interaction, excitement, and a strong theme, setting it apart from other roll and writes.

Three Sisters

Three Sisters

3 See it at Amazon
Three Sisters elevates the roll and write genre by emphasizing action chaining. Players cultivate gardens, growing crops and flowers based on dice rolls, and completing actions to gain bonus actions. This strategic depth requires careful planning, making it a tactical delight.

Fleet: The Dice Game

Fleet: The Dice Game

0 See it at Amazon
Fleet: The Dice Game challenges players to manage a fishing fleet, using dice rolls to buy licenses or launch boats to catch seafood. The game rewards players for progressing down interconnected trees of options, culminating in selling catches and building structures. This fast-paced game combines thematic elements with strategic depth, all enhanced by unique mock mother of pearl dice.

Sagrada Artisans

Sagrada Artisans

0 See it at Amazon
Sagrada Artisans expands on the original Sagrada, allowing players to color their stained-glass windows in a roll-and-write format. The game includes additional decorative coloring and is structured as a campaign over ten sessions, introducing new tools and challenges without losing its calming simplicity. This version enhances the original's Zen-like experience with a satisfying progression.

Motor City

Motor City

0 See it at Amazon
Motor City, from the designers of Three Sisters and Fleet, transforms roll and write into a car production simulation. Players manage design, engineering, testing, production, and sales using dice-drafting and a blueprint board. This innovative game focuses on strategic coordination, offering a unique challenge within the genre.

For more gaming inspiration, explore our list of the best board games of all time and our selection of the best puzzle tables, including a versatile multi-purpose table by Bits and Pieces perfect for cards and board games.