Publisher: Gamewright
Genre: Dice Game
Players: 2-6
Ages: 8 & Up
Time: 15 minutes
MSRP: $10.99
Dodge Dice consists of 10 dice (1 penalty, 1 action, 8 dodge), 18 purple skip chips, and a rules
pamphlet. This fast moving, highly competitive, push your luck dice game is a great ice breaker
or starter game for your family game night. Dodge Dice teaches probability, the principles of
risk, and basic math concepts in an exciting dice rolling format.
The goal of the game is to dodge penalty points and end up with the lowest score at the end of
a series of rounds.
Gameplay is played in a series of rounds. The player who last played dodge ball goes first.
After the first roll, the penalty die is found placed to the side. This shows the penalty for the
round. The action die is then found and determines what happens next in the game. The active
player looks at all of the dodge dice and places any whose face up side matches the penalty die
to the side. Any remaining dice get passed to the left along with the action die. The number of
dice decreases as the round is played. Play continues in each round until a player rolls a stop
on the action die or all of the dice match the penalty die. These end the round and the active
player collects the points on the penalty die. Players complete rounds until one person reaches
100 points. The game ends and the person with the lowest score wins. To make the game
more strategic, the rules include skip chips. Skip chips allow the player to skip their turn or
ignore the result of a roll to avoid collecting points. Skip chips are limited, so it is important to
use them wisely.
We have played through this game numerous times with players 12 and older and mixes of
younger kids and adults. The recommended age for the game seems to be spot on. At first
glance, it seems that younger players might be able to play because there is no reading and
only fairly simplistic math involved. This assumption, however, would be incorrect. Much of the
strategy was lost when we attempted this game with younger players. Skip chips were spent
too quickly and the escalating probability of gaining points as the round went on was completely
missed.
While there’s nothing epic about this game, it’s an enjoyable, quick game that can be used in a
variety of ways. We’ve used it as a spark to get people organized around the table to play a
more advanced game. We’ve used it as a study break for our children to keep their minds
active while giving them a bit of kinesthetic relief. Dodge Dice‘s compact size makes it a great
portable game that can be brought along on outings to restaurants and other places where you
might need an activity while you sit and wait.
Wondering about other Gamewright games? Check our our reviews here!
Disclosure: A review copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review purposes.
