The Best Roll and Write Board Games in 2025

The roll-and-write genre has exploded in popularity recently. This accessible style of gameplay, inspired by the classic board game Yahtzee, involves rolling dice or flipping cards and using the results to fill in a personal score sheet. While simple in concept, roll-and-write games offer surprisingly sophisticated gameplay and endless opportunities for strategic thinking.

Their appeal lies in their straightforward rules and immediate gratification. The creative freedom of personalizing your sheet is balanced by the clear, easy-to-understand rules. This winning combination makes them accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of players, lowering the barrier to entry significantly. The following games represent the best this genre has to offer.

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

Available on Amazon. Rolling Realms features realms based on other board games. Each realm presents a mini-game triggered by die rolls, reflecting the inspiration of its source material. Players simultaneously manage three realms over nine rolls, then draw new realms and repeat. The diverse and cleverly designed realms are the game's highlight, offering engaging, family-friendly puzzles. For a greater challenge, consider the standalone sequel, Rolling Realms Redux, which includes even more intricate realms.

Marabunta

Available on Amazon. Designed by Reiner Knizia, Marabunta is a two-player game depicting a territorial struggle between ant tribes. Dice rolls allow players to expand their influence across hexes containing various resources. The game masterfully blends spatial strategy with mathematical elements, a hallmark of Knizia's design style.

The Fox Experiment

Available on Amazon. Inspired by a real-life fox domestication experiment, this game uses dice to simulate genetic inheritance. Players breed foxes, selecting traits to meet their research goals across multiple rounds. Slightly more involved than some others on this list, but richly rewarding for its unique mechanics.

Twilight Inscription

Available on Amazon. A unique entry, Twilight Inscription adapts the sprawling 4X strategy of Twilight Imperium into a roll-and-write format. The game is divided into sections represented by separate sheets, each focusing on a different aspect of empire building. Players must strategically choose which sheet to focus on each turn, creating meaningful trade-offs and varied gameplay. It’s a more strategic and involved experience than typical roll-and-writes.

Super Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up

Available on Amazon. This game uniquely recreates the experience of pinball using dice and a pen. Players choose a table, then navigate their ball, using dice rolls to hit bumpers and targets. The inability to reuse a target adds a strategic layer, making for a thrilling and engaging puzzle. Several themed sets are available, with Ramp It Up being a standout, even featuring a cooperative mode.

Welcome To... Your Perfect Home

Available on Amazon. A "flip-and-write" game (using cards instead of dice), Welcome To challenges players to design suburban streets by selecting house numbers and building effect cards. The strategic challenge lies in balancing house number order with bonus scoring opportunities, creating a satisfying and surprisingly deep experience.

My City: Roll & Build

Available on Amazon. Based on Reiner Knizia's My City, this game features a rewarding campaign structure. Gameplay unfolds across multiple episodes, each introducing new rules and mechanics. This layered approach allows for gradual complexity, and the game can also be played as individual episodes.

Railroad Ink: Deep Blue Edition

Available on Amazon and Target. In Railroad Ink, players draw transport networks on a grid using dice rolls to determine track placement. The challenge lies in connecting exits while minimizing dead ends, creating a blend of risk management and spatial reasoning. The Deep Blue edition adds rivers and lakes, offering additional strategic depth.

Next Station: London

Available on Amazon. A flip-and-write game where colored pencils are central to gameplay. Players draw train networks, connecting stations and districts while navigating spatial constraints. The twist of swapping pencils adds a unique element of interaction and strategic depth.

Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write

Available on Amazon. This game introduces more complexity to the roll-and-write format. Players build and manage a dinosaur theme park, using dice rolls to acquire resources and construct attractions. The addition of a tour route at the end adds a thematic and strategic element.

Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale

Available on Amazon and Target. This flip-and-write game introduces player interaction. Players map out a fantasy kingdom, fulfilling scoring challenges while also dealing with monster placements determined by their neighbors. This creates a more personal and engaging experience.

Long Shot: The Dice Game

Available at Barnes and Noble. A horse racing game with a roll-and-write twist. Players bet on horses racing around a track determined by dice rolls. The ability to buy horses and influence the odds creates player interaction and strategic depth.

Three Sisters

Available on Amazon. Three Sisters emphasizes action chaining. Players cultivate a garden, using dice rolls to perform actions that often trigger bonus actions, creating intricate strategic planning opportunities.

Fleet: The Dice Game

Available on Amazon. Players manage a fishing fleet, using dice to acquire licenses and launch boats. The interconnected choices and potential benefits create a strategic challenge of maximizing rewards.

Sagrada Artisans

Available on Amazon. A campaign-based roll-and-write version of Sagrada. Players create stained-glass windows, adding a coloring element and a series of challenges across multiple sessions.

Motor City

Available on Amazon. This game simulates car production, using a dice-drafting mechanic and a blueprint board to coordinate actions and bring a muscle car to market. It offers a more integrated strategic challenge than some other roll-and-writes.

For more gaming options, explore our list of the best board games of all time and the best puzzle tables, including a versatile table from Bits and Pieces ideal for card and board games.