Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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In this video I’m going to delve deep into my collection of roll and write games to see what the core ingredients are of a really satisfying entry in the genre. The aim as always is to identify 10 key mechanisms which come up time and again. If you fancy designing such a game, you’re going to have your work cut out if you want to rise above the competition - so rather than repeating one of these mechanisms, why not subvert it! Flip it on its head and create something genuinely new.

Review copies received: Rolling Realms and Hashi. All other titles purchased at retail.

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0:00 INTRODUCTION
1:10 RANDOMISERS
4:13 TURN STRUCTURE
5:51 SETS & SEQUENCES
8:06 SPATIAL PLANNING
10:47 MAJORITY SCORING
11:22 RACE TO OBJECTIVE
13:08 VARIABLE INTERFACE
14:49 UNLOCK SPECIAL ACTIONS
16:12 PENALTIES
17:36 INTERACTION