Review of Snowman Dice

Game: Snowman Dice 

Designer: Mike Elliot

Published: Brain Games

Players: 2-4 Players

Playtime: 10 Minutes

Play Type:  Dexterity

Synopsis:

Compete against your friends to see who can build a snowman the quickest. Be quick on your feet though, and be ready for the onslaught of snowballs to prevent you from meeting your goal!

Game Play:

Snowman Dice is an extremely light, yet somewhat addictive dexterity game where players are rolling dice to build a snowman. 

To start, each player will receive five dice. Then after a countdown from three, all players use one hand to try to get all three sections of their snowman complete. This happens simultaneously, with players rolling dice and trying to get their sections as quickly as possible. Players must have either a bottom piece, a middle piece and a head or a mixture of those pieces and snowflakes (wild dice) to continue to the next step.  

After a snowman is fully built, the player must roll an arrow to begin to push the snowman toward the North Pole at the center of the table. The players must announce “Look at the snowman go!” before moving the snowman to alert the other players. Then pushing only the bottom dice with one finger they will try to make it to the center. If their snowman loses any pieces, they must rebuild the entire snowman by rolling all dice.

Meanwhile, other players will be rolling their dice attempting to get a snowball. If another player gets a snowball while one player is attempting to reach the North Pole, the player with the snowball may flick that dice at the other player’s snowman. If it knocks anything off the snowman, the other player must restart the process.

The winner is the first player with a fully intact snowman to reach the North Pole. 

Components:

Snowman Dice is relatively simple, and has very few components. The major component in the game is the 20 custom dice. They are vibrant, well-made and easy to read. The North Pole marker though could be a little thicker. It is made out of a very thin plastic, and I worry that wear and tear will eventually destroy it.

Other than the internal components, Snowman Dice is packaged in a very fun way. It comes in a small, palm sized bag. The bag is shaped like a snowball, and has images of snowmen all over it. It would be an easy game to throw in a bag to fill time while at a restaurant or bar while waiting for food. 

Overview:

Positives:

• Simple Game Play
• Easily Explained
• Quick Playtime
• Family Friendly
• Great for Teaching Kids Small Motor Skills
• Portable

Negatives:

• Replayability
• Depth of Game Play

Snowman Dice is simple, quick fun. It is a perfect fit for families with younger children. The game takes less than five minutes to explain, but will have all players laughing. Even when playing with all adults, I have found that it has an addictive quality, where players will want to play multiple times in a row. 

That being said, Snowman Dice is not a game I would suggest for its depth of game play or endless replayability. The game is definitely a light filler game. There is a lot of luck involved in rolling the right things, and the game may be boring to those who enjoy heavier games with a lot of decision-making. 

From an educational perspective, I would suggest Snowman Dice to families or schools who are looking for a way to help with fine motor skills. Snowman Dice uses precise movements to win the game, and it could be a fun way to help students continue to develop those skills.

If you are in the mood for a quick dexterity game, Snowman Dice is probably a great fit. It has a lot of the tension of other longer dexterity games, but it is less of a time commitment. I would especially suggest it for those looking for a cheaper holiday gift, or for those who really enjoy games like Meeple Circus or Ice Cool. The stacking feels a lot like an easier version of Meeple Circus, as players attempt to fit the requirements of making the snowman. The snowball throwing reminds me a lot of Ice Cool, and takes just as much skill!