Ganz schön Clever Review - with Tom and Zee

[@AhJong0]

I really appreciated the comment made by someone who highlighted that the kennerspiel can be interpreted instead of the gamers game as the connoisseur game. I think that helps explain the complexity aspect of this nomination somewhat 🙂

[@Bada4ever]

Thanks for this video! I really hope you all do a Top 10 Roll n Write list, please. Keep up the excellent work. Love ya guys!!

[@susanscandles]

I heard a lot about this game but watched another video and confused so didn’t want. After watching your video, which was so clear, I want this now! You are so good at explaining games while showing how played. Besides WIP videos, always go to yours as well. Friend Sarah T whom you have met, she highly recommends and loves your videos. Totally agree! TY

[@rudedogflicks]

Weird perspective in the video. Zee looks shrunk by about 20%.

[@Lonerxxxpppp]

It's cause Tom has a body like an ogre!

[@RuNacken]

Haha I cannot un-see it! I believe this is how they filmed the hobbits next to Gandalf in Lord of the Rings.

[@LoboDerPraesi84]

We play this game all the time and really love it. It is not hard at all once you played some rounds and it never gets boring because you want to achieve a high score every time! Tip if you dont want to laminate, take some pencils and erase everything afterwards. If you write lightly you can use one sheet many times, extending the lifespan massively.

[@steveweber7142]

Well, zee took almost 10 minutes to explain 'a simple' roll and write game, so there's your reason why it's in the kennerspiel category. The jury feels that people who never play games would have a hard time to get to grips with the rules and scoring by themselves, if there would be no one around to teach them. And i kinda agree. Nice game, nice review.

[@superhans7624]

Steve Weber Kennerspiel shouldn’t be for people who never play games, me thinks

[@steveweber7142]

Super Hans you're right, it shouldn't ;) I was talking about why it doesn't fit in the 'spiel des jahres' category. It is too complex for people who never play games(spiel des jahres category), and that's why it's in the 'kennerspiel', for people who have experience with learning games by themselves without any help. Please read my original comment again ;)

[@Nain1982]

I'd have to agree with Super Hans. I mean, this categories should strictly focus on overall "gamer's games". So this is a harder roll and write than most, it still should not be something fit for this category. It seems that other deeper and more complex designs got cheated because of this technicality. Hopefully, that Heaven & Ale wins it, but I wont' be surprised if this one takes the award.

[@steveweber7142]

Nain1982 yes, you can be of that opinion...but that was not the point hans was trying to make ;D

[@superhans7624]

Steve Weber gotcha 👍🏻

[@RonnieLunn84]

There are so many roll and write games now and I enjoy them, you guys should do maybe a top 5 list, top 10 might be stretching it. Either way, I'd watch.

[@miistercrayon]

I must admit when I saw this game first I thought the real hook was the combos but the way you describe this suggests to me that tension between choosing how much you ditch for the thing you want. Maybe it’s the contrast that really boosts the game.

[@tiagomarques9822]

I think the best way of grokking the blue die is to separate the dice from the colored zones. First, based on the die you choose, you activate a certain zone, which is easy to remember: each die activates the zone of its own color except the white die, where you get to choose which zone to activate. THEN the activated zone tells you which value to get: each zone gets the number on the die of its color, except the blue zone, which gets the sum of the blue and white dice (there is even a reminder on the top left corner of that zone). Of course when you are trying to decide which zone to activate, it feels more complicated than this, but that is simply an added twist to this already twisted roll-and-write game. Really nice review of this nice game: it is going directly in my wannahaves list.

[@rabidpickle]

I feel the discussion should be more about it being nominated at all rather than which category. Out of all the great games last year, this is nominated? It looks fun, looks fine - and I understand it is a more German-centric award. But still....weird choice

[@NafmiSanicharvanHerwijnen]

you should check the article posted on bgg by eric martin. It gives a clear picture on the nominations process this year. A lot of games got dismissed due to poor rulebooks for instance.

[@jB_9014]

Still waiting for Zee's top roll and write games :D

[@colinwright27]

Only recently started to take notice of Roll & Write games as I'd always previously dismissed them as being a bit basic (without admittedly looking into them in more detail). Having just backed On Tour on Kickstarter I've now played Qwixx & Qwinto and I can see myself playing a lot more Roll & Writes in the future. Ganz Schon Clever looks really good.

[@spunx44]

I've got my copy ordered from Amazon.de! Check out Dice Stars

[@colinwright27]

Just watched a Dice Stars video. Think that's another one I'm going to have to buy!

[@GusG_]

Me 2. I started with castles of Burgundy Dice game and noch mal. I'm waiting for Welcome to to arrive.

[@EricKaun]

Don't forget Steamrollers and Fleet: The Dice Game and Welcome To...

[@RamonMercadoReyes]

Looks very interesting. Time table for US distribution?

[@repeataftermeme75]

Not sure if the game has made its way over yet but I would imagine the rules getting revamped a tad for those who are confused with the rules currently. I think roll and writes could have them but I also think it would force a change or major alteration to traditional roll and writes but the core function of the game would still be rolling and writing. Take an IP like Dragon Ball Z an anime animated cartoon based on its comic book or a non American term of comics is “manga”. The anime is all about fighting/evolving, and has story arch’s. So take the theme of the show and the different characters and apply it to the mechanics of a roll and write would be awesome. There be actual goals to achieve, character leveling, unlocking new moves. Still rolling dice just different kinds other than just pips, and it would actually have a theme with a story to it.

[@hotdoggie3642]

The surface reminds me of those used in magic videos. I kept waiting on zee to break out the magic tricks.

[@fargonews]

What's the best roll and write for u guys? I love Burgundy Dice, and I'm interested in Saint Malo and No Siesta

[@martinlarouche4418]

Tiago Miranda saint malo i had and got rid off. It's interesting, but it's multiplayer solitaire at it's finest. There's barely any interaction. My personale best roll n write is Roll Through the Ages: the iron age. Especially with the mediterannean expansion that comes in it (if the box has the sticker on it and the higher msrp).

[@myoman1977]

Nach mal is my fav

[@agentvazquez5855]

Where can we get this game?

[@bricelory9534]

I really like this table surface for videos!

[@69robtaylor]

I hope this will be available at UKGE

[@xshadowscreamx]

on the purple track where your number must be higher than the last one, how do you get higher than 6?

[@elissa7470]

U start over again

[@MichaelJones-yp8gj]

Are there English rules included or is there an English download of the rules? This looks great but I don’t speak German

[@RuNacken]

Great back-and-forth discussion. You guys are the Siskel & Ebert of boardgames together.

[@jamesbrazeal3847]

Zee what's your thoughts on solo vs multiplayer. Best player count? 1-5?

[@manonfire4jc]

I played twice yesterday for the first time. Once solo and once at 2 players. I really enjoyed the game. Cheers.

[@pierreo9271]

If there is someone who played this one and DICE STARS, which one you prefer and why ?

[@letartean]

150 games of this later, still love this game.

[@natelinhart114]

Never played a roll n write other than Yahtzee.. Really want to try one still.

[@nerzenjaeger]

Loosely: „Pretty Darn Clever“

[@clairvoyantmole8668]

Were does the "darn" come from? I think "Pretty clever" is closer.

[@evertstanley9220]

Wonderful review, fellows. I'm intrigued. I only wish it was easier to get stateside.

[@MeepleOverboard]

You can play the solitaire game on the app version or for free on the BrettSpielt website to try it out. Warning, the app is very addictive, and I've been playing games of it whenever I've got a spare few minutes here and there.

[@jeremysnyder8848]

Strangely enough, this video convinced me that this game does deserve to be in the Kennerspiel category. Although the concept is simple, the game is complex.

[@danvenables4935]

Just started playing this one the app and it really make me think...thats pretty clever!

[@susanscandles]

Great review guys.

[@troynewhoff9542]

Feels like a beefed up Noch Mal! (Which is a good thing!)

[@nahailyenvanakkor]

This feels like it could've been co-designed by Knizia (e.g. the way the dice are drafted and the how foxes work). Anyway, really addictive game!

[@RealStevieWonderBrooks]

Knizia has said that he likes this game (although he rarely has time to play the games of other designers)

[@Jayke1978]

looking back at this, this review was far off :) especially when talking about the colors... orange is the most difficult one, as you want the orange points ... blue is necessary .... max score atm 306...

[@mauriandlaw]

When you know how to play the game Purple becomes the strongest color ..hands down.

[@Jon-G]

For a game they both seem to like, they don't seem very excited about it. They both seem like this review was a chore.

[@emilsandberg5830]

Cool game by Roland Wright.

[@TeChNoWC7]

Also, Imhotep easily is simpler than this looks.

[@chriswinston1223]

You stole the Table Top music! LOL.

[@TeChNoWC7]

Why wouldn't you look at the other player's sheets?? I hate playing with people who advocate not playing a game optimally

[@republikadugave420]

Doppelt so clever is 100x better

[@afrenyo]

The guy in the black shirt with the straw hat is not clear in the rules, when it comes to the passive players' turn, yet asserts authority as if he did, and that is misleading. He paints a picture of a 'take that' opportunity, which is greatly minimized by the very fact that anybody can use any dice (same as the others if he/she wishes) at that time, and even the active player's!, should those on the plate not be useful . . . Make no mistake, I certainly appreciate him and his buddy taking time to _try_ to introduce this game, but it is always disappointing when 'gamer' talking heads propagate the wrong rules.

[@martind2520]

The only time you can use the active player's dice as a passive player is if you use a "+1" action or you are completely _unable_ to use the dice on the platter.

[@melvinj.124]

I usually like roll-and-write games and even heavy ones but this game is sooo booring

[@ReadyAimFire_]

So many awesome games and they nominated this? Im kinda disappointed. Significance of this "prestigious" reward is debatable. They nominated german games for the sake of it, while many better games are on the market.

[@kevinbhieey9188]

They nominated German games because it's a German game award. Here are their requirements: ~Rules and any additional texts relevant for game play must be available in German. ~The game must have been published in the current year or in the previous year. Broadly unchanged new editions or anniversary editions of existing games are excluded. ~The game must be available at retail at the time of the award selection in May. The jury will not consider prototypes, mock-ups, or short runs. ~The game must be distributed and sold in German-speaking countries. ~The game must be playable as a standalone game. Expansions to existing games will not be considered. The jury does not wish to receive any games which do not meet these basic requirements. Many American games don't make it to the German market, or they take a long time to get there. For example, BGG lists Rising Sun as only having been sold so far in English and Polish versions, with the French version not planned until Mar 2019. Western Legends only has English and French versions. Also, that selection timeframe is important. They select in May, so 2018 refers to the award and not when the game was actually released. Even then, the game must be available in May. If something was printed and was out of stores before then too bad, so sad. And, really, the only reason I bothered with all that is because this is finally available on Amazon, so I figured people might come check out this video again.