Bang! The Dice Game is a family favorite….and we normally don’t like dice games. We prefer games without a huge luck component. Bang! The Dice Game is an exception.
Bang! The Dice Game came out in 2013. There is often confusion around Bang games as there are multiple versions and they all play different. Set in the wild west...this game feels like a spaghetti western. Good guys v bad guys. It was our first social deduction game.
OK...as you might guess by the name... dice are a big part of this game. It has custom dice for attacks, arrows, beer (healing) and gatling gun. The dice component plays a bit like Yahtzee with the ability to have multiple rolls. Speaking of rolls...each player gets a face down role card: Sheriff, Deputy, Outlaw or Renegade. This is the social deduction side of Bang! The Dice Game. The Sheriff and Deputy win if the Outlaws are killed. The Outlaws win if the Sheriff is killed. The Renegades need everyone else to die. Lots of good social guessing to be had here.
And each player starts the game with a face up character card. Each character card indicates the player’s maximum health and a special ability. The special abilities are sometimes strong enough to influence what is the best strategy for a player.
Game play is fast and easy. Roll dice. Use the results to heal or attack based upon which roles you think each player is. Active player rotates. Game continues until a victory condition is reached.
This game is perfect for filling in 20 minutes or breaking the ice or just having some good ole fashioned fun. And we love the rules/assist cards!
The Good: Hearing the kids make arrow sounds like Charlie Callas fashion.
The Bad: Luck plays a large part in the game but is offset somewhat by the social deduction.
The Dastardly: Great theme...lots of good simple fun!