These days, Marvel seems to be everywhere, and it’s not surprising that we’re seeing a flood of heroes and villains across various platforms, like the X-Men ’97 series and the Marvel Rivals video game. Even in the world of tabletop gaming, Marvel is crossing over with classics like Codenames and the legendary Magic: The Gathering. This Spring, yet another exciting Marvel collaboration is rolling out, pairing up the X-Men with the dice-rolling combat game, Dice Throne. Having played it myself, this new version retains the essence of the game we love, but with fresh characters and their unique abilities, it offers an intriguing twist that should delight fans seeking a novel superhero tabletop experience.
The X-Men version of Dice Throne originally launched on Kickstarter, and those backers, along with those ordering the Battle Chest from the website, will notice a few differences compared to the retail versions. Primarily, the differences lie in the quality of the game pieces and the organization, with the Kickstarter and Battle Chest versions featuring superior tokens and storage solutions, like customized trays for each hero. Two boxes are available for the retail version, each featuring a mix of four X-Men. One box highlights Cyclops, Gambit, Rogue, and Jean Grey. The other spotlights Iceman, Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine. Whichever you choose, you’ll be treated to a mix of fan-favorite characters. Each character is ranked by difficulty, from one to six, as displayed on the back of the box. For newcomers, the Wolverine and Storm box is ideal since all characters there have a difficulty of four or below. If you’re up for more of a challenge, Gambit and Jean Grey in their respective box are rated six, so consider your group’s experience level before deciding.
As you’d expect from Dice Throne, the essence of the gameplay remains familiar: players roll dice to trigger character abilities, which impact themselves, allies, or foes. Each character’s board features eight abilities, generally including a defensive move, a passive skill, and a host of offensive options. The ultimate ability, located centrally, is notably challenging to execute due to the game’s reliance on chance. Players are provided with character-specific dice, decks of cards, resource-tracking dials, and detailed character sheets. While grasping a character’s complete set of abilities might take a few attempts, the basic idea is to roll the dice and let that decide how your turn unfolds. Your deck can aid in manipulating your rolls, or even mess with your opponent’s, either weakening an attack or negating it completely. You’ll go head-to-head by rolling dice and chipping away at your opponents until their life reaches zero. The aim is straightforward, but the journey there is where strategy plays its part.
What keeps things fresh in Dice Throne is the array of characters to choose from, each offering a different experience. Take Wolverine, for instance. He’s pretty straightforward to play: the more hits he takes, the stronger he becomes, thanks to his increasing rage. On the other hand, Storm can supercharge her abilities, adding exciting twists to her moves and even borrowing dice from the competition to enhance her chances of rolling those poker-style straights needed for some attacks.
At the higher difficulty spectrum, we’ve got Jean Grey, who transitions between her usual self and the Dark Phoenix. This affects her passives; one turn she’s drawing cards and gathering resources, while the next she’s skipping phases to unleash more damage as the Phoenix. Managing this switch, especially under opponent interference, poses a serious challenge. Gambit is another tough cookie, kinetically charging his cards to deploy their effects later. It calls for strategic forethought and careful timing, showcasing another layer of complexity. Each character reflects their comic book roots in style and strategy, making it essential to understand them for smooth gameplay.
While Dice Throne can comfortably be played one-on-one, the game also supports other formats like a free-for-all King of the Hill or team plays, handy especially with uneven player numbers. Remember that since everything happens turn by turn, larger games can drag on if players are hesitant or new to the mechanics. Starting with 1v1 matches can be a great warm-up before diving into larger battles. If you’re no stranger to trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, you’ll likely feel right at home here. The dice mechanics aside, the card use reflects a familiar strategic process, with structured turns comprising an upkeep phase, income phase, main phase, and dice rolls, plus opportunities to play cards at specific junctories.
I’ve glimpsed Dice Throne in the past, but never gave it much attention browsing through game aisles. While dice games can spark some excitement, preferences often guide our interests. As a Marvel and superhero enthusiast, though, this version of Dice Throne has truly piqued my interest. It’s fun, it embraces the Marvel universe, and it’s definitely worth adding to the board game collection. If you and your friends are fans of the Marvel characters and their riveting adventures, X-Men Dice Throne could easily become a staple for your game nights.
