I like variety in board games, not only in play, but also in game pieces. There are many dice only games, but I’ve been on the search for games that include dice in the game play with other parts to the game. These are a few that I’ve found. Some of them have become our new favorites game night game.

There are dozens of great board games that include dice. Dice in game play can be used to battle against your opponents, gather points or move you around the board. A few to try include the German game HeckMeck, classics like Risk and newer games such as King of Tokyo.

HeckMeck

HeckMeck might be a stretch for a board game, but it’s a great little dice and domino game that is compact and easy to bring with you when you travel. 

HeckMeck is a luck of the dice and domino game. Players roll the dice to collect the most worms on the dominoes. 

This is a great quick game for people of all ages.  It is very simple to teach, as well as a great way to reinforce additional math skills but it is fun and engages all players. 

The game contains 16 dominoes numbered 21 to 34 with varying amounts of worms on them, and 8 dice numbers 1-5 and a picture of a worm on the sixth side. 

Game play begins by placing the dominoes faced up in numerical order. Begin rolling all dice. After each roll you choose which number you will keep, and pull all the dice with that number aside. You then choose to continue to roll the dice until the number on your dice adds up to a number on a playable domino or when that player goes bust. 

 When choosing dice to keep, be sure to look at the remaining dominos in the center and the number on each. 

The winner is the player who collected the most worms on their dominoes at the end of the game. 

King of Tokyo

The King of Tokyo, is the first dice and board game in a series by IELLO Games. Other editions include King of New York and King of Tokyo: Dark Edition. If you enjoy the game, there are several expansion sets to enhance your game. 

You, as a monster, robot or strange alien, have a simple goal:  to destroy!  

On the board, you’ll find 2 circles on the gameboard: Tokyo and Tokyo Bay. Tokyo Bay is only in use if there are 5 or 6 monsters still in play. All monsters reside outside of Tokyo at the beginning of the game.

On your turn, you will roll 6 dice, which decide whether you will collect victory points, energy, health or attack your opponents. Set aside any dice you’d like to keep and continue rolling for two more turns.  If no monster is in Tokyo (or Tokyo Bay if in play), you must move your monster in the Tokyo circle before resolving dice. 

Results of the dice will indicate whether to attack, heal yourself (except while in Tokyo!) or buy power cards.

Power cards are upgrades and can be purchased using your energy points. Some cards are a one time use, while others are considered ongoing, such as the card which gives you an extra dice to roll. 

To win, you must either destroy Tokyo by collecting 20 victory points, or be the last monster standing. Then and only then, are you crowned King of Tokyo!

Risk

I consider Risk to be the original dice board game. It’s a family favorite, and I’m always surprised to discover how many people I meet have never played it. While the setup looks daunting, it’s a really simple, albeit often long game. 

In a nutshell, you and your army are trying to conquer every country on the Risk map, fighting against your enemies and claiming the countries for your own. 

Depending on which version on hand, army game pieces can range anywhere from a couple of plastic shapes to intricate metal soldier, horse and cannon pieces. You’ll pass out the designated amount of pieces to each player and the game begins.

Players one by one place their allotted pieces on the board. Once all have been placed, the game begins. 

Taking the white dice, the attacking army chooses which land adjacent to theirs they’d like to attack and hands the red dice to the defender. You both roll dice and if your rolled dice are higher than theirs, they lose soldiers. But watch out – if you both roll the same number, the defender wins!

Continue rolling and battling until either you choose to stop, or you no longer have any soldiers to fight with. The dice is handed off to the next player and the battle continues. 

Much strategy (which I often lack!) is helpful in conquering the world. And just when you think you’re home free-the luck of the dice may turn against you!

A fun and intense game for kids and adults alike. 

Astro Trash 

After you’ve conquered the world, it’s time to zoom into space to clean up the trash in this fast, but equally intense dice and board game called Astro Trash.

The board is a series of circular boards, representing planets and the sun. Cute little plastic pieces represent the trash floating around in space, and dice to determine where the trash will land…hopefully away from your planet!

Each player receives 3 dice which when rolled indicate where to move the trash according to the direction, quantity, and color indicated on the dice. Roll to remove the trash from your planet and send it to either an opponent or to the sun. The catch? Your opponents have their dice and are rolling and moving trash at the same time you are.

Win the round and receive a trash trophy. Collect three trophies to win! Fast, engaging, and nail-biting. Great for all ages. 

What About Baseball 

One, two, three strikes, you’re out! Both little leaguers and pro’s will enjoy this dice and board game by Grandma Smiley. 

What About Baseball offers both basic and advanced play rules to appeal to any age. It combines both strategy and chance, making this a perfect game that grows with your child.

Included in the game are three multicolored (green, black and red) dice for the team in the field, and two white dice for the team at bat. Determine which team is home and which is away or the guest team. As in the official sport, the away team begins at bat. 

In the basic play, only the green and white dice are used. The team in the field rolls the green die to see what the pitcher throws-CONTACT! (indicated by a baseball on die), STRIKE, FOUL BALL or BALL. If the die lands on CONTACT!, the team at bat then rolls their two white dice and adds up the total on the dice. If it’s a score of 9 or above, your player moves according to the hitting chart. Roll a 12? Imagine the roar of the crowds because you’ve “hit” a homerun! 

Ready for a more advanced play? Add in the brown and black dice. These are used when the team at bat rolls doubles. Options then might include: Wild Pitch, Reach on Error, Attempt to Steal, or double play. 

Both formats are played as if it was a traditional baseball game of nine innings. Tied at 9th? Time to go into overtime. Be the team who has the most points, and you’ve become the MVT…the most valuable team!

Serious about baseball? You can visit their site and download the stats sheet to keep fully tally on the game. This game can also be played solo. 

Conclusion

These are just a few board games that include dice. Dice can add a unique element to games, and add a bit of luck to the game. Do you have any board games with dice favorites?