Top Roll-and-Write Board Games of 2025

The roll and write genre has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, drawing inspiration from the classic game Yahtzee. This accessible style of gameplay involves rolling dice or flipping cards, then using the results to mark up a personal sheet. Despite its simple concept, the genre offers a wealth of opportunities for sophisticated gameplay, appealing to a broad audience due to its straightforward nature and immediate rewards. Players enjoy the creative freedom of personalizing their sheets, yet the rules remain clear and easy to follow. This winning combination has led to significant success across a diverse range of players, with minimal barriers to entry. The following games are considered the cream of the crop in this 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

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Rolling Realms transforms each realm into a mini-game inspired by other board games, using a card where players assign die roll results to engage with these mini-games. Over nine rolls, all players share the same three realms, then draw three new ones from twelve options, repeating this cycle twice for a complete game. The charm lies in the realms, which are clever microcosms of their original games, offering engaging, family-friendly puzzles. For those seeking more challenges, Rolling Realms Redux introduces additional realms that can be played standalone or mixed with the base game.

Marabunta

Marabunta

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Designed by Reiner Knizia, Marabunta is a two-player game that captures the struggle between ant tribes over hexes filled with various resources, including cupcakes. Players use dice to expand their influence across color-coded hexes or secure bonuses for a higher final score. This game blends spatial strategy with mathematical elements, showcasing Knizia's signature style.

The Fox Experiment

The Fox Experiment

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Inspired by a real-life fox domestication experiment, The Fox Experiment by Elizabeth Hargrave uses dice to simulate genetic inheritance. Players breed foxes, selecting traits to meet end-game goals, creating a delightful and intricate gameplay experience that rewards careful planning.

Twilight Inscription

Twilight Inscription

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Twilight Inscription brings the expansive universe of Twilight Imperium into the roll and write format, simulating the 4X genre of video games. Players manage different aspects of their space empire on separate sheets, choosing actions on one sheet per turn. This creates strategic trade-offs, offering a deep, strategic experience condensed into about 90 minutes.

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up

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Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up captures the thrill of pinball using just a pen and dice. Players navigate a pinball table, choosing bumpers and targets based on their rolls, maximizing scores within the table's unique rules. With various themed sets available, Ramp It Up stands out with its engaging cooperative table.

The Best Board Game Deals

Welcome To

Welcome To... Your Perfect Home

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Welcome To... Your Perfect Home uses a flip and write mechanism, where cards replace dice, offering more strategic options. Players plan suburban streets, balancing house numbers and building effects to meet city plans and score bonuses. For those seeking more complexity, Welcome To The Moon offers a sci-fi twist.

My City: Roll & Build

My City: Roll & Build

1See it at Amazon

Based on Reiner Knizia's My City, this roll and write game follows a campaign structure, gradually increasing complexity over multiple episodes. Each session adds new rules, allowing for a rewarding learning curve. The game's flexibility also permits standalone play, making it a versatile addition to any collection.

Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition

Railroad Ink

9See it at Amazon

Also at Target

Railroad Ink challenges players to draw a transport network on a grid using custom dice. The goal is to connect as many exits as possible, balancing immediate connections with future opportunities. The Deep Blue edition, featuring rivers and lakes, adds an extra layer of strategy, though other editions offer varied thematic elements.

Next Station: London

Next Station: London

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Next Station: London is a flip and write game where players use colored pencils to draw a train network based on drawn cards. Starting from different stations, players must navigate districts, tourist sites, and river crossings, mindful of not crossing lines except at stations. The game's simplicity belies its strategic depth, making each playthrough a nuanced puzzle.

Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write

Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write

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Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'N Write elevates the genre with its complexity, challenging players to build a dinosaur theme park using dice-rolled resources. Players manage attractions, concessions, staff, and security, then run a tour route to score points. The game's depth and thematic elements make it a standout in the roll and write category.

Cartographers

Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale

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Also at Target

Cartographers introduces player interaction into the roll and write genre through a flip and write mechanism. Players map a fantasy kingdom, fulfilling scoring challenges, but must also contend with monster cards that allow neighbors to place negative icons on their maps. This adds a personal touch and enhances the game's thematic engagement.

Long Shot: The Dice Game

Long Shot: The Dice Game

0See it at Barnes and Noble

Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms horse racing into a roll and write experience. Players bet on horses as they race around a board, influenced by dice rolls. The game allows players to buy horses for special powers and manipulate odds, creating interdependent strategies among players.

Three Sisters

Three Sisters

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Three Sisters rewards players for achieving specific combinations, with a score sheet representing a garden. Players grow crops and flowers, using dice rolls to activate actions that often lead to bonus actions, creating intense strategic chains. This game offers a tactical depth uncommon in the genre.

Fleet: The Dice Game

Fleet: The Dice Game

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Fleet: The Dice Game immerses players in the world of fishing, using dice to buy licenses or launch boats. Players navigate interconnected options, aiming for larger rewards as they progress through trees of potential actions. The game's thematic dice and fast-paced play make it a fun and engaging experience.

Sagrada Artisans

Sagrada Artisans

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Sagrada Artisans builds on the original Sagrada's concept of arranging gem dice to create stained-glass windows. Players now color their windows and engage in additional decorative coloring, maintaining the game's relaxing feel. As a campaign game, it unfolds over ten sessions, adding new tools and challenges while preserving simplicity.

Motor City

Motor City

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Motor City, from the creators of Three Sisters and Fleet, reflects car production lines in its roll and write format. Players manage vehicle design, engineering, testing, production, and sales using a dice-drafting mechanic and a blueprint board. This game offers a strategic challenge that focuses on coordination and planning, setting it apart from its predecessors.