I already talked about one light dice game this week with Strike. Today I am doing the same thing again and talking about Tumblin-Dice, another game that hit the table a multiple times over the weekend. This one, also just simple and with rolling dice, but let’s see how this one works.

How To Play Tumblin-Dice

This is a very simple game, you have a set of dice, the game comes with six sided dice (D6), and you roll them on the board. You need to hit the top and then where it ends up, if it’s on the board you get a multiplier for your points. The further down the board you roll it, the higher the multiplier is, going from x0 to x4 in a few spots at the bottom.

After everyone has rolled all of their dice, you figure out everyone’s totals and the person with the most points wins. That is the whole of the game and there are some tweaks or things to think about that you can do. But I will talk about those coming up here.

What Doesn’t Work?

Firstly, this is a simple luck based game. You are rolling dice and trying to keep them on the board so you get points. But they can be knocked off and knocked over, so you might go from a 6×3 to a 1×4 or even nothing if someone bumps you. It is purely luck in this game with what numbers you get, kind of, I’ll talk about that more in what works.

The other thing that the game suffers with a little bit is that the game play is very fast, but scoring is not as fast. Someone needs to add up everyone’s scores, and if people aren’t good at math on the fly, it slows it down. Even if people are, it’s generally a group process so it isn’t that fast. Scoring doesn’t take longer than the game, it just isn’t the fastest and easiest thing.

What Works?

The first thing that works is that this is a fast and easy game. When we played it, we talked about how this is kind of a bar or drinking game. You don’t need to pay much attention, you can just have fun with it. Now, your math is going to get worse the more you drink. But that’s what phone calculators are for. But the sentiment still stands, it is a game meant for people to have a silly or fun time with it.

And this is a variant to the game, I don’t know if it’s needed, but it is fun. You play the game with a set of RPG dice instead. Now you’re rolling a D4, D6, D8, two D10, a D12, and a D20. It makes the game a whole lot more swingy. You could get 80 points if you rolled a 20 on a x4. But it’s fun to get those bigger numbers and if someone gets that great roll, well, it gives the next thing I enjoy.

I talk about how it is all luck, an the game is all luck. You roll a die down a board and sure, you can get decent at it to get it to stop on the board, but what number, that’s luck. How far down the board, that’s some luck. But there is some “strategy” to the game. If someone has a 6 on the x4 or x3, you want to knock them off their spot. And that is the strategy you get, going for that shot to move someone’s dice, and that is fun as well.

Who Is It For?

I kind of gave away some of it, but I think this is a good game for a bar or for when you’re just hanging out, having a beer, and want to do something but nothing too serious. I actually think this is a good option for a barbecue type of event because you could set it up, be standing around chatting and play a slow game.

Along with that, I also think that it could be a solid family game. And even a teaching tool for kids who are learning their multiplication. In the base game you can have the learn or practice their 1-6×1-4 tables. It’s not a ton but it’s practice. And with the variant that I played from the Dice Tower, you now have a whole lot higher numbers to work with, and it’d be a solid way to do something fun and learn.

Final Thoughts on Tumblin-Dice

This one I don’t think is quite as good as Strike. Mainly because Strike delivers more of those, what was that shot moments. But Tumblin-Dice is still a good time when you play it. Mainly because it is so simple. And it looks impressive on the table.

The board that you roll on is big. And everyone standing around it makes it look fun. So, Tumblin-Dice is a game that will attract people to it and to play it. And for some people it will be a miss. It isn’t a serious game, but if you can have fun with it, it works. And I think a lot of people will be able to have fun with it.

I didn’t expect deep strategy when I played it. I went in expecting that I’d have a fun time rolling dice. And I left with those expectations being met. Often times if you can do that, that is enough to make a game fun. And Tumblin-Dice meets expectations so is a fun time as a game.

My Grade: B-

Gamer Grade: D

Casual Grade: B

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