Matthew BaileyRoll for It! was one of the very first games I ever reviewed here at Little Board Gamers, and that review is looking pretty long in the tooth now. It’s about time we gave it an update, especially as Roll for It! is one of the most played quick and simple games that we always take with us when travelling.
I’m just going to say it now—Roll for It! isn’t even remotely my favourite travel game. But it’s one of the most reliable, and also one of the easiest to teach to non-gaming relatives or people you might be travelling with. It’s also really easy to get out wherever you are, and you can easily adjust the rules if you want a quicker game.
The idea of the game is simple. Each player gets six dice of a specific colour, and in front of them are three cards with a variety of dice combinations on them. Each of these cards is worth points—usually 5, 10, or 15—which generally reflects the number of dice needed to complete them. On your turn, you roll your dice and can then spread them out however you want over the available cards, or keep some back for future turns. The goal is to match all of the dice shown on a card, usually over multiple turns. If you complete a card, you take it and get your dice back. Any other players who had dice on that card also get theirs back.
The trade-off is that lower-value cards (worth fewer points) generally require fewer dice, making them easier and quicker to complete. The higher-value cards, like the 15-point ones, usually need all six of your dice, so they require more focus and commitment—but the payoff is worth it if you can pull it off.
If at any point you’re not happy with how your dice are spread out, you can take them all back and start fresh on your next turn. This is great because if a new card comes out that you really want to go for, you can quickly change your strategy and go for it.
My absolute favourite thing about Roll for It! is how simple it is to understand. You roll the dice, match the numbers, and if you complete a card, you win it. Generally, the first player to reach 40 points wins. If you want a shorter game, you can reduce that to 30, or for a longer game, you can go even higher.
Henry—who we don’t mention that much on Little Board Gamers, largely because he’s three—loves Roll for It!. Unlike his two older brothers, who were capable of playing games well above their age at a young age, Henry has a much shorter attention span. Getting him to play games often requires a bit more patience and small steps. But he really enjoys Roll for It! and, when we played the other day so I could take some photos for this review, he actually won the game—with no outside help from us! We were so proud. He knew he needed that 15-point card to win, stuck with it (with just a little mastermind coaching from me), and eventually completed it, beating both Jack and me, who were both closing in on the 40-point finish.
The version you can see here is the Roll for It! The deluxe version, which comes with two sets, allowing you to play with up to eight players. I really like this version—it comes in a nice little tin and has this kind of Greek goddess vibe to it. The standard versions are a little less fancy but play exactly the same, so don’t feel like you have to go for the more expensive one if you don’t want to.
Is Roll for It! one of my favourite travel games? No.
Is Roll for It! one of my favourite dice-rolling games? No.
Is Roll for It! one of my favourite dice-matching games? No.
There are definitely better versions of all of these. In fact, the game Spots takes everything good about Roll for It! and arguably makes it a better game overall. (Review linked below)
Spots Review : https://littleboardgamers.com/spots/
But—and this is a really important but—Roll for It! is incredibly easy to teach, really easy to play, and barely requires any explanation. So, if you’re travelling and want something to play with non-gamers, young children, or family members of all ages, Roll for It! is a solid recommendation to add to your travel collection
