My grandmother taught me my first dice game, Yahtzee, at her kitchen table. I would then play it with my older cousins as well. When my family got together over the holidays, we spent several evenings playing dice games. We learned a game one of my sons learned as well as a game my daughter-in-law’s family played. Though the rules were fairly simple, we had an enjoyable time. There is something about dice games that really brings family and friends together. Maybe it’s the kinetics of rolling cubes. Maybe it’s the chance of each roll with everyone watching. No matter what makes dice games exciting, it is always fun to learn new games. Fortunately, the Johnson family wants to share their favorite family dice game with the world with SKUNK’D.
What Is SKUNK’D?
SKUNK’D is a dice-rolling game for one or more players, ages 8 and up, and takes about 10-25 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a pledge level of $25 for a copy of the game. There are also Deluxe and Founder’s editions of the game which include more features and upgrades for $50 and $100 respectively. SKUNK’D was designed and published by Hooked on Johnson Games LLC.
New to Kickstarter? Check out our crowdfunding primer.
SKUNK’D Components
Note: My review is based on a prototype copy, so it is subject to change and may not reflect final component quality.
Here is what you get with the game.
- 6 SKUNK’D Dice
- Game Instructions
- Stink Sheet
- 10 SKUNK’D Cards
- Game Pouch
The game comes with six custom black dice. On each die, the side with one pip has been replaced with the SKUNK’D icon.
The Stink Sheet is a card showing the scoring combinations. It provides a quick reference to remind players of the rules.
In addition to the Stink Sheet, the game includes ten SKUNK’D cards. Each contains either a slightly silly or devoid-of-reason rule which can be added to the basic rules for a game. The Single Cinco card has the rule that if a player rolls six 5s, one at a time, they score 3,000 points. The Stinky Super SKUNK’D card adds a rule that if a player has Super SKUNK’D which is rolling six dice at once with none of them scoring, they reset their score on the board to zero.
The cloth drawstring pouch is just big enough to hold all the dice, cards, and rules and easily fits into a pocket allowing you to take SKUNK’D wherever you go.
How to Play SKUNK’D
You can download a copy of the rulebook here.
The Goal
The goal of the game is to score the most points by the end of the game.
Setup
To set up the game, open the pouch and remove the dice, cards, and rules. Each player rolls six dice and the one with the most skunks goes first and sets the game rules. They can choose to use the basic rules or add one or more SKUNK’D cards with their additional rules. Place the chosen cards face up for all to see and you are ready to start the game.
Gameplay
The game of SKUNK’D has every player taking a turn by first rolling all six dice. After each roll, a player must put at least one scoring die into their den. They must have at least 500 points in their den in order to put their score on the board. They can then either end their turn and keep their score or continue rolling. Failing to roll any scoring dice on the first or subsequent rolls is a SKUNK’D and the player loses any points they have in their den and pass the dice to the next player. When a player rolls six scoring dice, meaning they have six dice that all score, score those dice as in the den and then roll all six dice again. This is referred to in the game as “…and rolling.” They then can continue to keep at least one scoring die in their den and can stop whenever they choose and put those points on the board and pass the dice to the next player.
Scoring
Skunks and Fives are scoring dice. A Skunk is worth 100 pts and a five is 50 pts. These can be put in your den individually. If you ever roll 3 or more twos, threes, fours, or sixes, these are called Megas and they can be put into your den. If you already have a Mega in your den, you can add additional dice of that same number to your den as well. There are other scoring combinations like carbuncles that allow you to score doubles of dice other than skunks and fives only if you can then pick up all six dice and continue rolling. Plus some combinations score high if you roll them in a single roll of all six dice.
Game End
When the first player’s score reaches or exceeds 10,000 points, overtime SKUNK’D begins. Play continues to the next player. If that player can get a higher score than the leader, they become the new leader. Otherwise, they are out of the game. Play continues until there is only one player left and they are the winner. Not only do they get to enjoy their victory, but they are also the first player in the next game and get to set the rules.
Why You Should Play SKUNK’D
I learned about SKUNK’D after having a great time playing dice games with my family recently, so I wanted to give it a try. I also had the opportunity to talk to Ken Johnson, the “Chief Johnson Officer” of the company, during a couple of phone calls. As soon as I received a copy of the game, I took it to my high school tabletop game club and let them go with it. They read the rules and started playing. It took a few turns of play and checking the rules to make sure they were scoring correctly and then they took off with the game. They had a lot of fun and were excited and loud with each roll of the dice. During our next club meetings, they invited other friends to try it and quickly gained converts.
While I was enjoying watching a group of teenagers play SKUNK’D, I had a lot of fun playing it with my family as well as with the solo rules. In the solo rules, you must have at least 1,000 pts in your den before you can add it to the board. If you fail to score on a roll, you lose one of your six skunk lives. Once you have lost all six lives, you then compare your final score to five scoring categories to see how well you did. I like how quickly this game gets started and how easy it is to teach. In fact, you can teach it as you play. The press your luck and risk vs. reward elements really add to the excitement. Every roll is a risk since you could easily end up with zero points for that turn. As other players get higher scores, it forces you to keep pushing to beat them, especially when you get into overtime SKUNK’D where if you do not take the lead, you are out of the game. The basic rules of the game are fun as witnessed by the tabletop game club. However, adding in the additional rules with the SKUNK’D cards adds even more fun. While the first player chooses any cards they want, you can really choose to use them however suits your fancy such as just randomly choosing a few. Most provide new ways to score extra points while some offer options for players which they can use one per game such as the Mulligan, which lets the player get a do-over. Since games don’t last very long, if you lose you can always play another game and keep the fun going.
Every time I have played or watched others play SKUNK’D, everyone has had a great time. We have a family vacation coming up and I am definitely bringing SKUNK’D along to play with everyone. If you are looking for a fun dice game that is quick to pick up and play and offers excitement, changing rules, and rewards taking chances, then I highly recommend SKUNK’D. Be warned, this game can get loud. I mean the players may get loud.
For more information or to make a pledge, visit the SKUNK’D Kickstarter page!
This review was sponsored by SKUNK’D.
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Disclosure: GeekDad received a copy of this game for review purposes.
