Review on Entertainment Earth Firefly Shiny Dice by Carl Movahed

Firefly: Shiny Dice is a dice game (I couldn't resist) for 2-5 players, played over three rounds. A typical game for our group lasted less than 30 minutes. The dice are divided into team dice (ten pieces) and enemy dice (five pieces). Each round, the player draws a mission card that affects play and scoring for that round. Players try to defeat the "enemy" dice by playing combinations of "team" dice and using special abilities. At the end of each round, the player decides whether to attempt to defeat the next set of enemy dice using the team's remaining dice. Playing too conservatively will keep potential points on the table, but if you fail you will lose all accumulated points for that round. After three rounds, the player with the most points wins. According to the criteria of Dr. Games... GO/NO GO Criteria • Difficulty: (GO) Shiny Dice is a relatively simple game and has a number of nice gameplay features, including playmats with space for different dice and solutions, a player screen and a set of rules for each player. Among all these resources, it's easy to understand what each die and combination does. The task is to determine what to play and if you want to try your luck at the end of the round. • Balanced: (GO) The game is fully balanced. • Chance: (GO) The dice are rolled for each player in turn, and each player starts with the same set of dice. However, there are multiple choices as to which dice to reroll, when to use a special power instead of holding a die to potentially get a combo or set that triggers a different effect, etc. • Clarity: (GO) Shiny Dice is easy to understand, and gameplay hints ensure players understand the effects of dice rolls and combinations on the game. • Reasonable Time: (GO) You can complete any game in less than 30 minutes. Bonus Criteria • Social: Each player plays alone. There are no specific mechanisms that encourage (or discourage) social play. • Unique/Interesting Mechanic: The idea of possibly using special abilities or trying to get dice combos is an interesting mechanic. Additionally, the decision to continue or keep the accumulated earnings is a nice touch. • Inform: The game uses characters and language from the TV series Firefly and the film Serendipity. • In-Game Rewards: You can earn points as you play. Firefly: Shiny Dice is a fun walk down memory lane for Firefly fans, and it's a good "solid" game even for those who aren't Firefly fans.