Super Mega Lucky Box is a new roll and write game that people have been talking about. I even have seen it make some people’s top 10’s of 2021. So as a fan of roll and write games, I knew that I needed to check it out and see if it was a good fit for my roll and write collection. I did so, and Super Mega Lucky Box was the last game I played in 2021.

Super Mega Lucky Box Game Play

The game is a very simple roll and write. You flip a card and you cross off that number, between one and nine, on a nine by nine grid. You are trying to complete cards for points, basically like bingo. The game is about completing columns and rows. You get a special bonus when you complete a column or a row, and points when you complete a card.

There are five different bonuses you can get. Two of them are similar, though, they allow you to cross off a specific number, or a number of your choice. You can cross of a pink star, more points, get a moon, more points if you have the most, or, get green lightning bolts. The lightning bolts are the mitigation for the number that is flipped. One lightning bolt allows you to lower or raise the number by one for yourself. This means sometimes you can cross off a number even if you don’t have the number flipped.

The game goes four rounds, and at the end you add up your scored cards, who has the most moons, pink stars, and how many spaces you cross off on non-scored cards. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins. There is a solo mode as well, and that’s a see how well you can score solo.

What Doesn’t Work?

This is a very simple roll and write style game. You flip the card and cross something off. I’m worried about the long term playability of this game. I played it three times solo and while that is extremely fast, the decision space was limited. I’m worried that the space is even more limited than some other roll and write games I have.

What Works?

The game is extremely simple to learn and play. I think that the rule book, while it needs to be the length it is, hides how simple the game really is. While the rule book is a few pages, it isn’t that many, I think I could teach this in five minutes at most. It is probably simpler to teach without the rule book than to learn from there. I also think with the simplicity this is one that non-gamers will like.

But, it is very simple, is there enough for gamers. I think the game offers limited decision space. I like the decisions it does offer. How do you keep it so you complete cards early but keep numbers available. And what do you focus on with getting extra numbers and less lightning bolts or moons? More numbers means potentially more points for completing cards. But less flexibility when numbers are flipped.

The decision space is simple, but it is there. And picking three of five cards to start and then one of three cards when you complete is mainly your choices. That is when you decide to go for filling in extra numbers, or flexibility on the numbers you get. Because, when you fill in a card, it goes away at the end of the round, so you could be limited on what you can do.

What Do I Want To See In More Plays?

Well, I only have one negative, so that is going to be it. The game feels like it can provide more decision space than it kind of seems to. So is this going to feel like the same game every single time. When I play Orchard even though I only get 9 cards, and really 8 decisions, it is a new and interesting puzzle each time. I am not convinced how new and interesting the plays will be for Super Mega Lucky Box.

That said, I also want to see how it goes over for others. This is a game I could pass on to someone who is just getting into games if they like it. And it is a simple enough game I could easy play it with my parents. So while I might not pull it off the shelf solo, which I was hoping for, it might be simple enough to play with a large number of people. And if it is, that could keep it on my shelf longer.

Super Mega Lucky Box Initial Impressions

This is a fine roll and write game. As I keep on coming back to, I am worried about long term playability. I think it might feel like the same puzzle too much with each time that you play it. But it is also very simple, and seems like it could get expansions. If it does, then it might change up the game. Even one more mechanic, another token thrown in, it might give just enough choices then.

Still, it is fun to play. This, to me, feels like about the same level of decision making as A Gentle Rain, a game that I like quite well, but is fading a little bit. I really want just one more decision to make in the game, but I won’t say no to playing the game. But the question is, with owning 30 roll and write games, is it one that I will pull off the shelf? Time will tell on that, but right now, I want to play around with i t more.

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