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The 10 Best Roll and Move Games. Yes, you heard me right
Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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As game geeks it is second nature or perhaps even an evolutionary survival mechanism to avoid any game that is based upon the idea of rolling some dice, moving a pawn and then end your turn. I received “That’s Life” for Christmas and I was very surprised how much I enjoyed the game. So I decided to look at the top ten rated “Roll and Move” games.
Qualifications: a rating above 6, no expansions count, and at least 100 reviews.
Please feel free to add your favorite R&M games and any comments.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Formula De
My first thought was, “this is a racing game.” Yet, it is by mechanic a roll and move wonder. This is a great game that seems to have an addicting draw to people I have introduced it to. None of whom who are racing fans (well except my buddy Rob who worships at the church of Saint Mark Martin every Sunday morning).
The game has an incredible scale-ability both in the number of players and in the weight variance of the game. It can be easily enjoyed (and explained) by playing one simple lap with the basic game rules by a bunch of non-gamers, all the way up to a grueling multi-lap racing scenario with teams of cars per owner, weather conditions, tire quality. In addition I have witnessed local game stores put on very well attended Formula De tournaments.
Glad to see this on the top of the list
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Star Wars: Epic Duels
Some people argue about the balance of the games, one side being more powerful then another. I say relax and enjoy this basic game when you need the Star Wars fix or when you are in some late night “What If” debate with your geek friends. The kind of debate about what would happen if Chewbaca got fed up of being bossed around by Solo and tired of Luke’s whiney voice so Chewy joined a band of Storm Troopers and fought Luke and Solo. Admit it, you had some pointless debate about Star Wars like this (Yoda vs. Jawas, Queen’s Guards vs. Hoth Rebel fighters).
Don’t take this game any further then that and everything will be just fine.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Street Soccer
This is one of two games on the list that I have not played but seen played. Of these games, this is one that I most want to play. I have heard so many good things and I like what I have seen. There is another sports based roll and move game on this list but this is the game I could see owning out of those two.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Talisman 3rd edition
The second game that I have seen set up but never played. This game seems to have it’s own inside ("internal conflict" to use a Knizia term). Folks argue about which version is best. I’ll let others who know better then I which edition that is.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Ingel Argern
This is a great game with little fury woodland creatures racing in an abstract plain of existence. What gets better then that? Well, OK lots of things but don’t let that take away from the fact that this is a wonderful filler that has 40 variants. Count them, 40 Variants! Can’t go wrong with that. A great game to carry with you in your travels from Con to Con and fill your desire to see little fury mammels race.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Battleball
Probably my least favorite on this list. It is fun but to fiddy to be a light game and to toy factor and light to be a game I take seriously. Don’t get me wrong, this game will probably show up in plenty of yard sales and thrift stores when unsuspecting teens leave at home to go to college, military or where ever. So you can probably get it for cheap. It has that “toy” look that moms see and toss out because they can’t imagine their son or daughter wanting to play with it anymore. Kind of like that 1970s electric vibrating football game.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Backgammon
A classic. Reminds me of my travels in Greece. How I love the community and culture that surrounds games like backgammon and dominoes in places like Greece, Italy and the Caribbean. In these cultures it is OK to go to a tavern or restaurant, order some bread and drinks and play games with your friends all day long. I dislike the American culture where economics push the rules of “table fellowship.” This idea that restaurant try to turn over tables in 45 to 50 minutes. Sit us down, take drink orders, then food orders, get us out, bus the table and next customer.
How cool would it be to walk into a suburban restaurant chain like Applebees, sit down order a few drinks, some bread sticks and just play games with your friends for three or four hours.
Well, enough pontification and reflection. On to the next game.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Midnight Party
Wolgang Krammer lands two games on this list, not bad odds when you consider the entire number of roll and move games that exist. This may find its place in Halloween party games that are easy to explain in a party/social situation.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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Lord of The Rings
Is it possible to put together a list that does not include a Knizia game? I thought that this Roll and Move Mechanic would, by the nature of the design, keep the K-man out of this list. No, his omni-presence continues. Not sure how the advance game plays. Otherwise it is a kids game.
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Preston Fuller
United States
Ashland
New Hampshire
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That’s Life
Followed by Formula De this is my favorite of the games I have experienced on this list. Another Kramer game and it is the one game on this list that really is a traditional roll and move game.
I would dare to say that this is not a regular Euro game design. It is a traditional game that amazingly is designed very well. This game could can be EASILY explained to anyone who has a grasp on human communication because it is the roll and move kind of game play people grew up with.
Indeed this is a clever little gem that has a decent amount of player interaction, screwage factor and not knowing who has won till the end of the game if you hide the tiles.
I would not hesitate to play it.
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United States
Lincoln
Nebraska
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This is my favorite game with a roll and move mechanic. There can be some interesting decisions to be made when trying to go through those navigation circles. A random setup on the map makes for a different game each time you play. Forget about the combat rules and play to $2,000 and it ends leaving you wanting to play just a little more, because you could've won in just one more turn.
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Dane Peacock
United States
Stansbury Park
Utah
That tickles
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The roll and move mechanic is central to this game. Each space provides a different benefit, so the number rolled is important. As such, many of the spells and abilities are designed to affect movement and dice rolls.
It is still roll and move, but it is handled creatively.
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Chris Bailey
United States
Broomfield
Colorado
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One of Reiner Knizia's roll and move.
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Gary Heidenreich
United States
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
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Probably my favorite of the roll and moves. Like someone noted below...a cross between Monopoly and Acquire. A staple and one that can be pulled out with everyone knowing how to play. Heck, my son will play it (and he's a RPGer and LARPer).
Also, as far as I'm concerned, an EXCELLENT gateway game.
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Gary Heidenreich
United States
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
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This would have to come in 2nd place, for me. Always a good time. Born Yesterday is THE moneymaker of the bunch.
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Gary Heidenreich
United States
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
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Third on my list. It has been awhile since I've played it but that doesn't mean it's not good. Plays up to eight, as well.
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Jon Theys
United States
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
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96 ratings. Close enough.
And does a much better job of "simulating" a race than Formula De, IMHO.
This game is amazingly great fun.
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Paul Boos
Spain
Falls Church
Virginia
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Here's another race game; I gave this one to my friend who passed away just recently. Hopefully his sister (who is a gamer also) will wind up with it...
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Bing Hsu
United States
Pasadena
California
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An oldie, and definitely shows it's age when compared to the more recent train games. But it saw lots of play in it's day with my group.
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Bing Hsu
United States
Pasadena
California
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An oldie, and definitely shows it's age when compared to the more recent train games. But it saw lots of play in it's day with my group.
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Andrew Martin
United States
Lodi
California
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This one should definitely be on your list. I enjoy it quite a bit.
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Norman Hills
United Kingdom
Portslade
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Light and fluffy, but with some mildly ineresting bits. Pretty board and peices and has been used to suck in some non-gamers.
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Sue Hemberger
Washington
Dist of Columbia
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Top of my list right now. Reminds me of a combination of two other good roll-and-moves: Break the Safe and In Teufel's Kuche.
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24.
Board Game: Flaschengeist
[Average Rating:6.82 Unranked]
[Average Rating:6.82 Unranked]
Sue Hemberger
Washington
Dist of Columbia
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In the kids' category, my pick would be Geistertreppe with the Flaschengeist expansion (and the variant where you can swap disks or ghosts).
Mago Magino is good too, but less fun for any adults involved.
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John Lapham
United States
Glenview
Illinois
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What's not to love about a game with whips, scythe blades, and crashing chariots?
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I suppose they're "at least 100 RATINGS", not reviews.
Brecksville
Ohio
Seattle
Washington
Beaumont
Texas
Paris
Unspecified
To include Titan, Street Soccer or Heimlich and Co in this list stretches the concept too far, IMHO.
It is easy to list good games with dice. It is more difficult to find good R&M games, for sure. I think half the games on this list should be scraped, not because they are bad but because they just don't smell like R&M, not in the way Merchant of Venus, Rail Baron or Broadway do.
As it is, I find the name of this list to be misleading