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 classic games like Yahtzee. In these games, players roll dice or flip cards and use the results to mark up their personal sheets, blending simplicity with engaging gameplay. This genre's appeal lies in its accessibility and immediate gratification, allowing players to personalize their sheets while following straightforward rules. With low barriers to entry, roll and writes attract a diverse audience and offer a rich field for innovative and sophisticated gameplay.

Here's a curated list of the best roll and write games that showcase the genre's finest offerings:

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 draws inspiration from various board games, each represented by a card where players assign dice rolls to engage in themed mini-games. Over nine rolls, all players tackle the same three realms, then switch to three new ones out of twelve, repeating this process twice for a complete game. The charm of Rolling Realms lies in these realms, which are engaging microcosms of their source material, offering family-friendly puzzles. For those seeking more challenges, the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, introduces more complex realms that can be played alone or mixed with the original game.

Marabunta

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Marabunta, designed by the renowned Reiner Knizia, brings his strategic prowess to the roll and write genre. This two-player game pits ant tribes against each other for territory, which includes tempting treats like cupcakes. Players use dice rolls to expand their influence across color-coded hexes or secure bonuses to boost their scores, creating a blend of spatial and mathematical strategy that showcases Knizia's signature style.

The Fox Experiment

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Inspired by a real-life experiment on fox domestication, The Fox Experiment, created by Elizabeth Hargrave of Wingspan fame, offers a unique twist on roll and write gameplay. Players use dice to simulate genetic traits, selecting parent foxes to breed offspring that align with their end-game goals. This engaging mechanic adds depth to the game as players strive to cultivate the friendliest foxes for their research.

Twilight Inscription

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Twilight Inscription stands out by merging the expansive universe of Twilight Imperium with the roll and write format. This game encapsulates the 4X genre—exploration, exploitation, expansion, and extermination—into a 90-minute experience. Players manage separate sheets representing different aspects of their space empires, requiring strategic focus and creating a rich, strategic gameplay experience akin to a full-fledged board game.

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up

2See it at Amazon

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up breaks from the typical roll and write theme by simulating a pinball table using dice and a pen. Players choose from four tables, navigate bumpers and targets based on dice rolls, and aim to maximize their score within the game's rules. This puzzle-like challenge is both thrilling and fascinating, with Ramp It Up standing out among its sets, including a cooperative option.

Welcome To... Your Perfect Home

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Welcome To... Your Perfect Home, while technically a flip and write, uses cards to provide players with more options in town planning. Players select house numbers and building effect cards to construct three suburban streets, balancing numbers and bonuses like pools and parks. Its strategic depth and satisfaction make it a standout, with an even more complex variant, Welcome To The Moon, available for seasoned players.

My City: Roll & Build

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Based on Reiner Knizia's popular My City, My City: Roll & Build introduces a campaign structure with each 30-minute episode adding new rules. This gradual increase in complexity is manageable and rewarding, allowing players to enjoy standalone sessions or complete the campaign. Its flexibility and engaging gameplay make it a delightful addition to the genre.

Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition

9See it at Amazon

Also at Target

Railroad Ink challenges players to create a transport network on a grid using custom dice. The goal is to connect exits to the same network, balancing open routes with minimizing dead ends. The Deep Blue edition adds rivers and lakes, offering additional strategic depth. Other editions like Blazing Red, Lush Green, and Shining Yellow provide further variety.

Next Station: London

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Next Station: London, a flip and write, incorporates colored pencils into gameplay. Players start from different stations on their map, drawing lines based on drawn cards, aiming to cross districts and visit tourist sites. The game's rules prevent crossing lines except at stations, adding strategic depth and resulting in colorful, engaging maps.

Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write

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Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write introduces more complexity to the genre by letting players build their own dinosaur theme park. Dice rolls determine resources like money and DNA, which players use to construct attractions and manage security. The game concludes with a tour through the park, adding a thematic element to the strategic challenge.

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, fulfilling scoring challenges, but monster cards allow neighbors to place negative icons on each other's maps. This adds a personal touch and enhances the thematic experience, with the sequel, Cartographers: Heroes, adding dynamic monsters and hero cards.

Long Shot: The Dice Game

0See it at Barnes and Noble

Long Shot: The Dice Game transforms the original horse racing game into an engaging roll and write experience. Players bet on horses as they race around a board, using dice rolls to influence outcomes. The ability to buy horses and manipulate odds creates a dynamic interplay between players, making for an exciting and interactive experience.

Three Sisters

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Three Sisters elevates the genre with its action chaining mechanic. Players grow crops and flowers on a garden score sheet, using dice rolls to trigger a series of bonus actions. This strategic depth requires careful planning, making it a tactical delight that stands out in the genre.

Fleet: The Dice Game

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Fleet: The Dice Game challenges players to manage a fishing fleet, using dice rolls to buy licenses or launch boats. The interconnected options grow more rewarding as players progress through the game, selling catches and constructing buildings. This engaging mechanic, paired with thematic dice, makes for a fun and strategic experience.

Sagrada Artisans

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Sagrada Artisans enhances the original Sagrada's stained-glass window theme by allowing players to color their windows and engage in additional decorative tasks. As a campaign game, it adds new tools and challenges over ten sessions, maintaining simplicity and a Zen-like experience while building towards an exciting conclusion.

Motor City

0See it at Amazon

Motor City, from the designers of Three Sisters and Fleet, transforms the roll and write genre into a car production line simulation. Players use dice-drafting and a blueprint board to manage different aspects of vehicle production, aiming for a coordinated strategy to bring their car to market. This innovative approach offers a joined-up strategic challenge that sets it apart.

For more gaming inspiration, explore our list of the best board games of all time and the best puzzle tables, including a versatile option from Bits and Pieces perfect for cards and board games.