The Dice Race 2 to 5 players ages 6 and older
The game Dotto dice is an easy speed based game where players race to complete their pattern card before the timer goes off. Like the game Doddle Dice, Dotto has unique dice instead of using regular numbered dice.
I picked this game up one Easter when I wanted to fill plastic Easter eggs with something other than candy. In other years I had filled the eggs with puzzle pieces but when I saw Dotto and all of its small pieces, I knew I had a winner.
The Object of Dotto
The object is to be the last person standing.
Setting Up Dotto
Before starting, the cards are shuffled and placed face down where all players can reach them (we like to have two piles for easier reach). Next, each player gets three tokens. The board is set up in the middle of the space and the dice are given to the payer who will be the first to play.
The Dice
There are ten dice with colour dots on four sides. The other two sides are left white. There are ten colours all together including the white.
The Cards
There are three different types of cards in Dotto. First are the skip cards. When a player flips over one of these, she collects the card and play passes to the next player.
Second are the U-turn cards. When a player flips over one of these cards, he collects the card and play reverses order. So if the play was going clockwise it is now going counterclockwise.
Last are the pattern cards. These card show what colours and positions the dice need to be in to complete the card and your turn.
How to Play Dotto
First, decide who will play first and give her the dice. Next, press the on/off button of the timer and then press start.
The first player then flips over the top card and races to put the die in the correct pattern on the board. When she has succeeded, the next player flips over a card and tires to complete the pattern before the timer goes off. When the timer does go off, the player who is working on a card must place a token back in the bag. This player has lost the round.
Note: dice do not need to be rolled.
Second Round
The player who lost a token is the first player in the next round. The rounds are played the same way as the first, ending with another player (or the same player) losing a token when the timer goes off.
Out of Tokens
When a player loses his last token, he is out of the game.
Winning Dotto
The last player with a token is the winner.
What We Like
First, we like that it is a dice game without numbers. Also, the scoring doesn’t need a pen and paper and therefore requires no scrounging for a note pad or scrap paper. Next, we like that Dotto is easy enough for anyone to play; it only takes a minute to explain and all you need is matching skills.
The quality of Dotto is also a good feature. It is also a quick game to play.
What we Don’t Like
First, the timer is confusing. We can never seem to get it started on the first try and we end up just randomly pressing both button until it starts—both distracting and annoying.
Time’s Up
Dotto is an easy, quick game. The fun begins when you watch someone scramble to find the right dice with the right side but then the pressure is on you when it’s your turn. Your heart rate races as fast as your fingers knowing that the timer could end and you’ll be the one missing out. If you can find it, we recommend adding Dotto to your Family Game Shelf. Sadly, the game is out of print.
But don’t worry! We have you covered. We like this game so much and wanted you to be able to play it, so we created our own version called Three Strikes. In Three Strikes, players race to match the pattern cards using regular six sided dice. The scramble and fun are the same as the original with some fun new twists. You can check out Three Strikes in our Family Game Shelf Shop here.
Pros: easy, quick, quality, players of all ages
Cons: repetitive, timer
Mom: speed, observation,
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