ArticlesBoard Games

Roll for it!

rollforit

Spring is a busy time of year for me.  Finding time for gaming is not always easy.  I tend to stay away from long games and looks for games that quick, fun to play, and offer at least some amount of strategy.  I was not expecting to find all of this is Roll for it!, but this little game is full of fun and surprises.

Components / Set Up

Roll for it! comes in a compact box making it a great travel and play anywhere game.  There are two color version available as well as a deluxe edition.  The red box comes with 12mm translucent dice and red cards.  The purple box comes with 12mm pearlescent dice and purple cards.  Both the red and purple box come with enough dice for four players.  They come with 24 dice and 30 cards.  The Deluxe version can commendation up to 8 players and comes with 48 dice and 60 cards.  There is also a velvet dice bag included in the deluxe edition. I can only speak of the quality of the regular version.  

Both dice sets are beautiful, though I think I prefer the pearlescent dice.  They are also very high quality dice.  The dice may be small but this leads to the portability of the game.  The cards are colorful, clear and easy to read. The large die faces and numbers can be seen easily by the players at the table.  And while not being color dependent, the color of the card shows how much it is worth. (Blue – 2 points, Yellow – 5 points, Green – 10 points, Purple – 15 points)

Set up is quick and easy. Each player chooses their six dice and three cards are dealt face-up on the table.  For a 5+ player game, four cards are dealt instead.  To determine the first player, each person rolls two dice and highest total goes first.

Goal of the Game:  

Players want to be the first to score 40 or more points.  The first player to score 40 points wins the game.

Game Play

When dice are the central component of a game, there should be no doubt that luck will be the largest factor, yet in Roll for it!, wise game play can help mitigate some of that luck.

Roll for it! is a very simple game to play and learn.  Players can set up, learn, and be playing the game in less than 10 minutes.  To start the game, the first player rolls their dice.  They then look at the cards in play.  The player can decide their dice out among the three available cards or concentrate on only one.  The player places their dice next to a card that has a matching a single image on that card.  A placed die cannot be moved to another card.  Players also have the option to not place any dice during their turn.
Once a player has matched all of the die images on a card, they score that card.  All dice on a scored card are returned to the owners and can be used on the next turn.  The amount a card is worth is on the bottom of the card. A card can be worth two, five, ten, or fifteen points.  Once a card has been scored it should be placed in front of the player so everyone can see the players score.  Remember the first player to forty wins.

Once a card is scored, a new card should be flipped to replace it.  If the current player has rolled dice that match the cards they may place them, even on the newest card.  Remember matched dice stay on a card until it is scored.  This means that players may have less dice to roll on a following turn.  There is a special rule I like to play with.  At the start of a players turn they are allowed to take back match dice before rolling.

Play continues with players matching and scoring until one player reaches forty points and wins!

My Thoughts

I have really enjoyed Roll for it! and have found it to be a great game for both my family and my classroom.  Everyone who I have played it with has given it the highest praise.

As I have mentioned the components are outstanding.  I did not think I would like the small dice at first but they work well and make the game portable.   The cards are beautiful.  The simple graphic design that makes them both attractive and easy to read across the table.  The card stock quality is good, they aren’t really handled.  The price point is nice at $15.00 retail.  I also like that you can combine two sets and sine there are two dice options you can easily take them apart again.

The rules are simple easy to learn and simple to teach.  I do wish the rule book was a bit smaller since it fits too snugly and the box and can get bent.  The rule book itself is easy to read and straight forward.  It includes a checklist for set-up and a picture that is useful when you are learning to play and want to be sure about set-up.

Simple rules, dice rolling, player interaction, and bit of push your luck combine to create an entertaining little game. There is luck in Roll for it!, as you would expect from a dice game, but that luck can be mitigated by smart dice placement. Players roll, scan the cards, and decide what to do with their dice.  You may want to go for the easy quick points, or you may be brave and try for a 15 point card.  There are multiple paths to victory.  I’ve seen players win using multiple strategies. Luck may win one game, but smart play usually wins out in the end.

The people I have played with also seem to really enjoy the push your luck and take that aspect of Roll for it!  They like competing for cards with the other players, and they really enjoy when they are able to steal a card someone else has been trying so hard to get.  My students especially enjoyed stealing a 15 point card someone else had been trying to get for most of the game.  The colorful nature of the game draws a crowd, as well as the shouts of joy and anguish as you once again miss that needed six.

Roll for it! makes a great family game.  I am always looking for a game that works well for multiple ages and ability levels and Roll for it! meets that goal.  It is easy to learn and accessible to multiple ability levels.  Players can adjust victory point totals or the number of cards available to create a faster or more open game.   As soon as a game is over, people want to set up right away for another go and another try.

 

One negative of the game is that it does not work that well with two.  The needed competition and interaction are not always there in a two player game.  More players seem to make the game better.  I have yet to put the two copies together for an epic 8 player game though.  I’m not sure about the down time with over 4 players.

Overall Roll for it! is a fun social game with a good balance of luck and strategy.  It works well with families, in the classroom, as a travel game, and a filler game on a long game night.  The simple yet colorful graphics are aesthetically pleasing and add to the game play.  The small size and price point makes this a must for any game collection.

Quick Statistics

Designers: Chris Leder
Artists: Chris Leder
Publishers: Calliope Games, The Game Crafter, LLC
Players: 2-4 Regular Version, 2-8 Deluxe Version
Game Length: 20-40 minutes
Ages: 8 and Up

Review Overview

Final Review

Really Liked It

Roll for it! is a fun social game with a good balance of luck and strategy. The small size and price point makes this a must for any game collection.

User Rating: Be the first one !
Show More

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button