Lost Cities: Roll & Write is a dice-based adaptation of the popular card game Lost Cities, designed by renowned game designer Reiner Knizia. The roll & write version of the game was released in 2021 by KOSMOS, offering a new way to enjoy the strategic gameplay of the original game.
Game Components of Lost Cities: Roll & Write
Dice: Six custom dice, with three having colored symbols and three having numbers 0 through 9.Score Sheets: Each player receives a score sheet for recording progress.Optional Dice Tray: For organizing the dice.Pens/Pencils: Not included, required for marking the score sheets.
How To Setup Lost Cities: Roll & Write
To set up, give each player a score sheet and a pen or pencil. Optionally, use a dice tray to organize the dice. The game is ready to play once each player has their score sheet and writing utensil.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
Rolling Dice: Players take turns rolling the six custom dice.Selecting Dice: The active player chooses one numbered die and one colored die to play, while other players select from the remaining dice.Column Progression: Players fill in their score sheets by writing numbers in columns that correspond to the colored dice, ensuring each number is equal to or greater than the previous number in that column.Double Points: Starting a column with a 0 doubles the points for that column.Bridge Bonuses: The first player to cross a ‘bridge’ in a column earns a 20-point bonus.Artifacts: Certain spaces on the score sheet represent artifacts, which are marked when specific combinations are rolled.Exhaustion: Players can mark off dice in a separate column if they choose not to take any dice, with penalties for reaching the top of this column.Game End: The game ends when all players have crossed eight bridges or when all players are exhausted.Scoring: Points are tallied based on the highest space filled in each column, with bonus points for bridges and artifacts.
Player Experience
Lost Cities: Roll & Write offers a quick and engaging experience with a mix of strategy and luck. Players must balance the risk of starting new expeditions with the potential rewards, making each turn a tactical decision. The game is highly interactive, even in a genre often characterized by solo play, as players constantly make decisions based on the rolled dice.
Pros
Easy to Learn: Simple rules make it accessible to new players.Quick Gameplay: Games typically last 25 minutes, making it a great addition to game nights.Portable: The game is highly portable, with minimal components.Interactive: More interactive than many roll-and-write games, with constant player engagement.Inclusive: Color symbols aid players with color vision deficiency.
Cons
Luck Element: The game can be heavily influenced by the roll of the dice, which may not appeal to all players.Limited Climax: Unlike the original Lost Cities, this version lacks a climactic end game.Solitaire Feel: Despite being more interactive than some roll-and-write games, it still feels somewhat like a solitaire experience.
Personal Thoughts on Lost Cities: Roll & Write
This game is ideal for those looking for a light, easy-to-learn roll-and-write experience. It is particularly suitable for new players or those seeking a quick, fun game to introduce to non-gamers. The game’s simplicity and portability make it a great addition to any game collection, although fans of the original Lost Cities may miss the direct competitive tension and climactic ending of the card game.
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