TUMBLIN-DICE

Designer: Carey Grayson, Randy Nash, Rick Soued | Publisher: Eagle-Gryphon

There’s no mistaking the loud clatter of a fistful of dice bouncing down the stepped board of Tumblin-Dice. I remember my first time encountering this. I was wandering around at a convention many years ago, and I heard that unmistakable noise followed by cheers and curses. As the group came into view I noticed they were throwing down money and placing bets on the game, completely caught in the throes of cascading dice. This one can really sink its teeth in. Players take turns rolling their three sixsiders, one die at a time. You’re trying to gently bounce the cube down the board, landing near the bottom for the highest amount of points. You multiply the value on the board with the number you rolled on the die and add to your accumulating total. Easy. But you don’t score until everyone is done for the round. This means later players can viciously toss their dice in an attempt to unseat the most successful rolls. If you’re bumped off the board you score nothing and must wallow in misery. It’s wonderful yet cutthroat as only silly games of skill and chance can be. You play this thing round after round and it becomes enveloping. No one wants to quit. It’s enthralling as it’s a simple task, and much like the game of golf, a really well placed shot warms the soul. This is kind of a weird one as you have to haul around a big box with those large wooden boards. This makes it more of an event than something simple and quick to break out. But it always succeeds in this unique role and will land successfully with just about any individual. In short order you will be adding in new dice and house rules, looking to up the ante as Tumblin-Dice takes firm hold of you.