Roll & Write Review, Test, and Critique

Did you know that rappers Kris Kross were 13 when their song Jump was released? So you could easily play Reiner Knizia's Roll and Write: Recommended for ages 8 and up, but otherwise unrelated to the rap duo of the same name.

The publisher Edition Michael Fischer GmbH reissued the dice game in 2024 and added a new version. The predecessor was published in 2017 by moses.Verlag.

How to play Criss Cross?

Game material is controllable: two six-pointed dice and a block. Pencils are not included, which I welcome: nobody likes writing with five-centimeter pencils.

Each person playing receives a game coupon and enters the specified starting symbol into the framed square on the 5×5 grid. The dice are then rolled and each person places the two symbols next to or below each other in their grid. The rolled result can be thought of as a domino. The goal is to get as many identical symbols next to each other in each column and row as possible.

Gaps should be avoided because individual boxes cannot be filled. This happens from time to time, as you can see in my example.

Criss Cross ends when everyone has filled their boxes or can no longer fill them. This is how it is calculated when the same symbols are next to each other without a gap:

• 2 points for couples
• 3 points for three of a kind
• 6 points for four of a kind
• 10 points for five of a kind

The scores of all the columns and rows are added together to give a total score. The person with the highest number wins.

alternative

The following game variant is available for advanced players:

• The diameters are also evaluated.
• Each row or column with no value is recorded as five.

Bottom line: Who gets their money's worth at Kris Kross?

Even when playing against others, everyone sticks to their own network. However, defeating family members or gaming partners is more satisfying than beating your personal best score. However, it is also suitable for solo play.

I couldn't find alternative platforms to order, so I recommend laminating or copying the scorecards.

The useful game is perfect for on-the-go and in-between. The easy entry and short play time provide short-term fun. After a few rounds, the game quickly becomes somewhat boring – although tactically interesting, it is also very sporty. The variant offered complements the rules of the game well.

Links to Chris Kross

Game Instructions (PDF)