Dice Miner Review - with Tom Vasel

[@michaeljay6578]

Loved this game as a light option and it's a ton of fun to be rolling all these dice. Also, the fact that you keep your dice between rounds and the presence of the magic dice means you get burned by not having any 1s way less than it seems like you might.

[@JasonAnarchyGames]

I've been playing this with my six year old and having a blast.

[@rorudomex]

I actually really like this game. Just got it the other day so, I think if I played it more, I might feel the same way about the luck factor and the scoring clunkiness. In my experience, the sharing a beer mechanic and the mountain mechanic is what makes it really interesting to me. Beer since you get to draft twice and can pick from the "side" of the mountain not just the top and mountain because the draft choices fluctuate based on the shape of the mountain too since you normally only draft from the mountain's "peaks" which leads to interesting spacial decisions when drafting. I also love the deluxe components with a light game; just brings the game to life more for my playgroup. Works great as a light little filler with a bit of spectacle.

[@JonLeitheusser]

This game doesn't appeal to Tom for the reasons he says, but it's absolutely worth picking up as a nice, easy filler with some good decision points. The ONLY drawback is the randomness of the way the mountain is set up (which is mitigated by your ability to remove dice from the mountain) and the randomness of rolling the dice, which is a "negative" of any game with dice. "D&D is good, but sometimes I roll poorly and miss," is not a weakness of a game, it's part of the challenge.

[@ledbetter10]

This is a really fun game. Taking it for what it is, the luck factor shouldn’t surprise anyone putting this on their table.

[@AdKoolaid]

I love how box size is a common complaint from dice tower people. Not all of us have 500+ games to store lol

[@ip4501]

When you roll the dice in the magic phase, you arent allowed to roll any hazard dice like you did.

[@SilentTypeDx]

Love that "CRUNCHY" slam at the end!

[@seniscram7958]

Boooo. Love this game. So fun. Such nice components. A fair amount of luck.... but its a blast.

[@mikemcfarren981]

I feel like maybe Tom didn't play this correctly? The luck involved can be reigned in by drafting magic for re-rolls to keep re-rolling a pesky die that won't roll your way. And then by taking chests so that you can keep that die you really need for your engine to run each scoring round. As for taking the best die on the mountain, you can send a beer to another player which allows you to take 2 dice, instead of 1, AND you can take from any of the outside dice available, instead of just the peaks

[@mikemcfarren981]

I usually agree with Tom on reviews but this game is so much fun, I feel he missed something here or had a bias from the start... Alan Moon - designer of Ticket to Ride said this was one of his favorite games

[@twiceasnicedice7337]

I enjoyed it as a light filler

[@Sl1vers]

Swing and a it with everyone I've played with as a filler .. every one of the roughly 10 games of 2 or 3 player games has been surprisingly close and very fun. Keeping it in the collection and definitely recommend trying if you ahve the chance

[@steelman774]

It’s no tidely-winks but I’ve played games with more fiddler scoring (we’re lookin at oh Dragons Gold). I KS’d it and am looking forward to it, but I got the regular edition because I thought these clear deluxe dice were harder to see. As far as “taking the best dice for you” reminds me of No Thanks where in this game if you get a pick axe then you’ll start taking cave ins for the table. Fingers crossed that it’ll get to the table. If not… I’ve got plenty of other neat looking games on my Shelf’O’Shame. 😉

[@russwallace]

My wife and I enjoy this game as a light game. Yea, if you don’t like random, you won’t like this one. We enjoy some random now and then. Really nice production though. Ripe for expansions if they think it through. Having a dice that allows you to steal, would make this a lot more fun. I think I might try a house rule with the crates!

[@revimfadli4666]

Would it still be fun for those who like when randomness tests skill instead of invalidating it?

[@russwallace]

@@revimfadli4666 Not sure, I think it depends on your expectations. The dice are probabilistic, but you have a low sample size when you start. Through the rounds, the average outcome is better as your previous decisions have a stronger influence, but the variability is so high the average results are obscured. I think this a little deep for a KZbin comment section.

[@oneysnyder2116]

Seems like a cool concept that might just need tweaked.

[@clayton_games]

Is there such a thing as a dice-focused game not heavily determined by luck?

[@play-it-or-not]

yes, Castles of Burgundy !

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

@@play-it-or-not Yeah, b/c you can mitigate the rolls (somewhat, +1/-1) by use of your worker tokens. A neat element. Good call.

[@F4R207]

Looks like an interesting concept but with lackluster mechanisms for the manipulation and scoring of the dice. I wouldn't mind a more developed second edition of the game as the concept and presentation are interesting.

[@BillyViBritannia]

I think this appeals to the gambling side of people since ive heard many people say they love it who also love slots and similar gambling mechanisms... Not my cup of tea though.

[@bricelory9534]

None of the scoring options look at all interesting. With things like Sushi Go Party, they range from super simple to more interesting (get exactly 2. If you get a 3rd, it is all negated, etc.). These are either get as many as you can or simply rely on key single dice to matter to the point it seems like it's only good to go for those hazards if you have the buffer one already. It just doesn't really have anything new either.

[@LEGnewTube]

Looks like a lot of fun, but I think the randomness turns me off. Even as you were explaining the rules I was thinking, "This is going to be entirely luck based".

[@jphilly8113]

Swing and a miss. Glad I watched before purchasing.

[@garryknox1614]

I agree. I so wanted this to be a great game, sad face.

[@mikemcfarren981]

@@garryknox1614 Did you get to play it? Tom scared me away too until I actually played it and then I was hooked. For me, this was the most opposite I've ever been from a DT review

[@KidJV]

this is actually a good game. tom is wrong

[@nosrednadnomyar86]

I was eyeing this on KS for awhile. Chose not to get it because the idea of filling the mountain just didnt seem fluid, and that is the gimmick of the game. Thank you for the review as always.

[@jeremiahpeterson4970]

I feel like a expection or 2 could go a long way for this game to help give it some more meat.

[@Bynx08]

This one seems rough. Like Tom said, too much luck. I also think scoring would take forever and bring the game to a screeching halt. I'll stick with Sushi Go Party as my "go to" light drafting game. Great review

[@steelman774]

Sushi Go can have some pretty extensive scoring, but I like that about it. I kinda wish I’d seen this first but I did the KS thing last year so I’m hoping that I can get 4-5 plays out of it and call it a mild success. 🤞🤞

[@mdemy8]

I have played this game more than a dozen times and the scoring is far from fiddly. Tom is the only reviewer so far that doesn't like this game(out of about 10 others). This is a fun light dice drafting game that is easier to score the Sushi Go Dice.

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

Not sure I come down with Tom on this one. I admit I've yet to play it, but think it might be a top-tier filler.

[@ashrael37]

I passed on this KS for the exact reasons that you mentioned. It really looks like a gimmick with a game tossed on.

[@TheDarkever]

Too bad, the theme and dice looked really nice. But after thinking about it, the scoring system is very simple and even luck mitigation is based on luck. Too bad, at first glance it looked great!

[@revimfadli4666]

Sounds like selling can openers in cans

[@roosterchains]

A rare miss from DT

[@MrDaveydtd]

Man that scoring looks rough

[@lordpenquin]

Really? It's not that difficult. I think that dislike was overblown. It's easy to figure out.

[@MrDaveydtd]

@@lordpenquin I didn't say it looked difficult but it looks like more of a chore the deeper the game goes.

[@williamsimkulet7832]

Too bad; this actually looks like fun. The mountain, I think, is an essential piece though, and if the normal game doesn't have it, I'd be super disappointed. As for the box (and extra mountain spaces); I think it's clear this is aiming at expansions, which could be fun. If I can find a version w/ the mountain for a fair price; I might be onboard. That said, I do wish scoring was easier, and could be done w/ a normal sheet of paper; rather than ornate nonsense.

[@lordpenquin]

The retail version has a cardboard mountain.

[@williamsimkulet7832]

@@lordpenquin:( Not worth it w/o the mountain.

[@fightingkitchen7960]

I don't have the game but I actually like the look of the retail version's mountain more, it's more colorful and not gray like the deluxe version.

[@homelessjoe]

Ehh, not for me.

[@tomasxfranco]

"put in 20 die". *Dice

[@MassEffectFan113]

I really need to stop backing crappy games.