This is a prototype version of the game and may not represent the final quality or look of the game. You can find more information about the upcoming Kickstarter here.
Goalkeepers Dice Game comes from first time designer Phil Brown. A father of two from New Zealand. He found that when playing games with his two sons, he did not have the right game to play with them. He wanted a game that offered a competitive experience, that worked with all ages so there is was no advantage to his older son, that used dice to create a nice balance between strategy and luck, and that rewarded players rather than punished them. For him, it did not exist, so he went out and made it!
Phil had played other dice games that punished players, removing dice as they play. He wanted a game that rewards players and focuses on the positives of winning rounds, and winning games, rather than trying to avoid losing things. He wanted players to focus on winning things.
From this, Goalkeepers was born! A dice chucking game that focuses on a number of rounds, that two to five players can play. Goalkeepers offers simple rules, fast an fun gameplay, all with a football/soccer theme. I think it could well be a winner for many.
The game works by deciding how many rounds you want to play. Any number between three and seven is recommended. But the choice is yours. How long do you want to play? Then decide the dice setup based on player count: six each for two or three players, five in a four-player game, and four each with six players. Give each player their dice and then place the score markers into a central area.
You are now ready to begin. Players will take turns to roll all of their dice. If you roll any TEAM dice (the ones with a football shirt/jersey on), they are placed to the side by your playing area. If you rolled a GOAL dice (the ones with the football on), these are also placed to the side. If you roll a PENALTY dice (the ones with the red card on), you must pass these to other players. You can choose who, and split up however you please. They then get extra dice to roll on their turn. Finally, any dice showing the SHOOT OUT symbol are placed into a group in front of you. When the second player has finished rolling their dice, the shoot out challenge begins. Here the first and second player compare any SHOOT OUT dice they rolled. The player with the most can either take one GOAL dice or two TEAM dice from the loser.
Play continues like this until one player uses all their dice, either in the form of GOALS or by losing dice to other players. All players then compare their total number of GOAL dice, and the player with the most takes three points. The player with the second highest gains two, and the player in third takes one. There is also a bonus point of one for the player who ended the round. Play the agreed amount of rounds and see who wins. If there is a tie, play one extra round with all tied players with three dice each.
The games are fast and frantic and feel to me exactly how I want a dice-chucking game to feel. I have some control over where I place my red cards, and whether I take the TEAM dice or GOAL when I win a SHOOTOUT. But obviously, there is still a lot of luck involved. It's mainly dice after all. But this, remember was the point. A game that offers a level playing field for all ages, all skill sets.
I like the simplicity of this game with just a few dice. It suits me down to the ground. Pop them in a small bag and take them with you anywhere. Simple rules you can teach in a few minutes and games that last as long as you want, but can be over in 5 minutes if you are pushed for time. Perfect.
This game is going to head to Kickstarter soon. The game deserves to be made and I hope it can find the support it deserves. It has a lovely origin and a solid design, which has created a fun game I for one will enjoy for many years to come. I sincerely hope many others get to do the same.
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