| PLAYERS | TIME | DESIGNER | PUBLISHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | 30-45 mins | Brian Lewis David McGregor Marissa Misura | Pandasaurus Games |
In this Roll ‘n’ Write spin off to the series, players are once again using DNA to create Dinosaurs while guests move around and hopefully have a good time.
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As with each other game in the series, this one comes with those beautiful chunky Amber dice.
Each round they are rolled and players take turns choosing dice to gain DNA, money, roads, and security.
But pips on the dice can mean that threat increases from what’s left behind.
Maybe there is a mutual agreement at the table to leave the best dice until last so that no threat is given. After all, you all get that final resource.
Or you could see that your park is safe and your opponents aren’t, purposefully leaving the 3-threat dice because you know that you’ll be able to take the hit.
Your dice are then used to carry out actions like building infrastructure and enclosures in your park, with the aim of creating a route from the HQ to an exit.
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You do this route activity three times in the game, but you’ll only score excitement from guests if the route contains new areas from the last tour.
Buildings take up space on your grid map and it soon fills up, especially when buildings can’t touch.
Of the four games in the series, this is the one we play most. It is the quickest to set up and smoothest to play. It’s also my favourite Roll ‘n’ Write.
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One gripe I do have is that, of the five actions, one (making dinosaurs) can take a lot of time to plan and complete, while the remaining four are quite quick.
This usually means that most rounds will see players waiting for that one person taking the Dinosaur action to finish before the round can end.
There’s no way round it, but it does slow the game a fair bit for those waiting.
If you’ve played the other games, or just like Roll ‘n’ Writes, DINOSAUR ISLAND is a stand out entry to both the series and the genre.
Always Play Blue 