Game Expansion Review: ‘Fluxx Dice’ from Looney Labs

Fluxx Dice from Looney Labs adds another level to a game already famous for its randomness. Fluxx has been called “the game of ever-changing rules,” and it certainly does just that in a plethora of different editions.

Many explore new universes, such as action-packed science fiction, whether close to home in Martian Fluxx or beyond the galaxy in Star Fluxx. Adventures come on the high seas in Pirate Fluxx and over the rainbow in Oz Fluxx. The unspeakable horrors of Cthulhu Fluxx bring darkness to the game with its many Creeper cards.

For gamers of all ages, there are the inspiring Eco Fluxx, the down-home Holiday Fluxx, and the kid-friendly Family Fluxx. In addition, several favorite cartoons – Regular Show, Cartoon Network, Adventure Time, Batman – have joined the Fluxx world. And those are just the beginning.

With so many variations, people may wonder what the next direction of alteration could be, but the answer is clear: change the game itself.

All Fluxx games come with the same base set of rules. Games start with each player taking turns drawing one card and playing one card. Many of these cards change the rules, adding more draws, more plays, and sometimes wackier possibilities, like bonus draws for speaking in accents. Players collect Keepers until they have the correct set matching the Goal card in play, but they need to watch out for Creepers that may block them from winning.

The two Fluxx Dice change that. The black die gives the number of cards to be drawn in a turn, from one to six. Meanwhile, the white die tells players how many cards to play for the round. It could be one to four, it could be all of them, or it could be all but one, making players give great thought to what card they want to hold.

At the beginning of each turn, players roll the dice to see how many of each action they will perform for the round. One might think the best way is to roll all high numbers, but no one knows what will happen with the cards that are drawn, and a player could very well get stuck playing through a bunch of Goals he or she would rather save for later in the game.

In addition to the dice, the Fluxx Dice pack comes with bonus cards to further change up the game of ever-changing rules. There is a new Meta Rule that puts the Dice Override New Rule in effect over “Draw One, Play One,” making the inclusion of the dice so airtight a lawyer would give an approving nod, while allowing players to even discard the dice and turn the game once more on its head.

Other new cards include a special “Roll For It!” Action for rolling and gaining more cards, a Keeper for higher numbers, and a Creeper that only allows for one play.

Fluxx Dice is an expansion pack compatible with any version of Fluxx. While not a standalone game, there is certainly a Fluxx edition for everyone, and the Fluxx Dice are able to be applied to any set. It is a perfect addition to games for players who want even more change-ups in each round, truly creating a game where no one can know what will happen next.

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