Small, short, and easy to learn, Zombie Dice is a “pick up and play” dice game worth your attention. Read on for the full review:
Just the Facts:
Players: 2+
Playing Time: 10-20 minutes
Publisher: Steve Jackson Games
MSRP: $13.13
Release: April 2010
Rating:
The Gameplay: On each roll of a zombie die, there are only three possible outcomes:
- Brains: Score 1 point
- Shotgun: Receive 1 strike
- Feet: Roll again
The game uses a push-your-luck mechanic in tempting you to rack up as many brain points as possible before rolling three shotguns. If that third shotgun appears at any point in your turn, then you receive no points and your turn is over.
Players begin by mixing up thirteen dice in a tumbler cup, and randomly pulling out three dice for their first roll. After they roll these three dice, they set aside their brains and shotguns, and then have to make a decision: should they continue to roll more dice, or should they cash out their points? If a player decides to push forward and continue rolling, they pick up any re-roll dice from the previous turn (feet), and then drop as many new dice into their hand as is needed to get back up to 3.
The strategy of this game lies in the color of the dice. There are 6 green dice that only have 1 shotgun on them, 4 yellow dice with 2 shotguns, and 3 very deadly red dice, each with 3 shotgun faces (a 50/50 chance at a strike). Knowing what dice are left in the tumbler is crucial to knowing what your odds are of surviving that next roll. For example, if you have been rolling all greens so far, you may want to cash out, as you know your next three dice will be much more likely to deal a shotgun blast.
The Contents: Included in this game are 13 dice (6 green, 4 yellow, and 3 red), 1 rules sheet, and 1 dice shaker/storage tube. The rules are extremely concise yet very easy to understand, and what little art it used in the packaging is very well done.
The only negative here is that players who get a bit too vigorous with their shaking of the dice cup will often unexpectedly pop the bottom cover off of the tumbler, sending the dice flying. Since both red lids easily pop off, I recommend gluing one on if you have this issue.
Our Thoughts: For a dice game, Zombie Dice is just plain fun and is a great value. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t ever call up a group of friends solely to play Zombie Dice. However, once friends do start trickling in for a game night, this is the first game we will reach for while we wait.
In fact, this is the perfect “line game”. What I mean here is that in modern geek culture, it seems as if everything we do involves waiting in long lines, whether they be for a midnight movie premier, release of a hot new piece of gadgetry, or admission into an event. Throughout this entire process of waiting, you are surrounded by like-minded individuals who would love to play a few rounds of Zombie Dice to pass the time, only they don’t know about it. The game is very portable due to its self-storing tumbler, and is easy to pick up and move with you, should your line be ever-so-slowly creeping forward. Therefore, Zombie Dice is an easy choice to bring along in such situations, and for this reason alone, you should go buy this game right now.
Another reason for giving Zombie Dice such a high score is its value. Taking a quick look at the most popular dice game, Yahtzee, where you will be asked to pay $10 for five traditional dice, a plastic cup, some poker chips, a score sheet pad, and some golf pencils. For $3 more, you are getting thirteen custom dice. I feel that this is a better product for the money spent.
Where to Buy: Zombie Dice is available for purchase directly from the Steve Jackson Games online store, Warehouse 23, for $13.13. It is also available at other online retailers and of course, your fine local game store.
The choices here are just not interesting. Do I stop or keep going, that’s it. I see this losing it’s appeal quickly.
Why not talk about a Zombie game worth calling your friends over to play? Like Last Night on Earth?
Funny you ask, I actually have a Last Night on Earth review in the works!
Judging games like Zombie Dice is difficult because it’s not meant to compete for the same space on your shelf as games like LNoE. I compare it to games with similar mechanics and price points, where one roll literally has no impact on the next, asides from how many points you might stand to lose. At least in Zombie Dice there is some consideration behind continuing or stopping, both in the number of shotguns you have accumulated, and the odds of rolling future shotguns with the remaining dice.
A 4.5/5 for Zombie Dice is not the same as a 4.5/5 for a game like Small World, but I try to explain the context in which this sort of game is enjoyable. I don’t think “all games that are majority luck and take 10 minutes suck” is an acceptable way for me to handle this, so I rate it based on its own merit.
In any case, thanks for taking the time to read the review and share your thoughts.