In this Sid Sackson classic, players must press their luck with dice and choose combinations tactically to close out three columns. The board has one column for each possible total of two six-sided dice, but the number of spaces in each column varies: the more probable a total, the more spaces in that column and the more rolls it takes to complete. On their turn, a player rolls four dice and arranges them in duos: 1 4 5 6 can become 1+4 and 5+6 for 5 & 11, 1+5 and 4+6 for 6 & 10, or 1+6 and 4+5 for 7 & 9. The player places or advances progress markers in the open column(s) associated with their chosen totals, then chooses whether to roll again or end their turn and replace the progress markers with markers of their color. A player can only advance three different columns in a turn and cannot advance a column which any player has closed out by reaching the end space; if a roll doesn’t result in any legal plays, the turn ends with that turn’s progress lost.
A predecessor from 1974, The Great Races, exists as a paper-and-pencil game.
Top 10 Mechanisms: Dice Games
Let's Play CAN'T STOP | Board Game Club
- easy to set up for demos and exhibitions
- humorous, approachable theme that translates well to casual players
- strong emphasis on rapid playtesting and feedback during events
- creative promo ideas and attractive promotional props (toilet rolls, banners, etc.) that draw attention
- production and material constraints (punch boards, stock management, branding) can be complex
- logistics of displaying and storing stock at a small booth
- dependency on artwork and branding to convey credibility before broader reception
- humor and social interaction centered on a toilet-themed game
- household/compact convention setup with a toilet-themed aesthetic
- quirky, playful, lighthearted
- decorum
- in the footsteps of Darwin
- Adam's game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-based actions — prototype phase used a deck of cards with icons guiding play; emphasis on quick setup and tactile components
- Positive player interaction — heavy emphasis on player interaction during demos and high-frequency playtesting throughout a convention day
- social interaction / event-based playtesting — heavy emphasis on player interaction during demos and high-frequency playtesting throughout a convention day
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the box is just going to be in a big No, encased in a big water balloon
- the game at the time was just a deck of cards that I bought online
- I would rather somebody have a nice warm feeling about the game and then buy the game and if they want their own warm feeling later that's fine
- it's toilet themed
- the hardest bit was getting play testing feedback during a period where people weren't keen on touching physical stuff
- the perfect day exhibiting at UKG would be jam-packed, lots of people visiting your store, buying your games, and lots of play testing
- because meeting those people at that expo at that moment, you're never going to repeat it again
- I want people to have the best experience they can with me while they are there
References (from this video)
- Pure push-your-luck excitement
- High tension moments
- Can be brutal with bad luck
- Not as deep as heavier strategy games
- Risk-reward on multiple tracks
- Push-your-luck race across dice columns
- Tense, fast-paced decision-making
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice rolling — Roll four dice to form two-die combinations and advance columns.
- progress on columns — Advance on up to three columns per turn.
- stop/continue decision — Choose to risk continuing or stop to secure progress.
- Track advancement — Advance on up to three columns per turn.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- One thing that's really nice about board games and one thing why I think board games are a really good investment is the fact that they can sit in a closet for literally like decades and then you can pull them out and you can just play them cuz the rules haven't changed
- Chess ain't going to be on this list
- We've had this game for 40 50 years and so these would be games that we love that are older games.
References (from this video)
- widely regarded as a quintessential push-your-luck game
- easy to teach and play with anyone
- can be punishing if luck is against you
- fast, risk-reward decision making
- push-your-luck dice game
- light and highly accessible
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push Your Luck — roll dice and press your luck to advance tracks without busting
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Cascadia is an excellent starter game for your collection.
- Just start small.
- Anybody can play it.
- I think it's a perfect starter game for your collection.
- Can't Stop is possibly objectively, in my opinion, the best push your luck game.
- Just One is a classic party game. Everybody can play this.
References (from this video)
- classic 15 minute push your luck game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Remember it's only a game
- I am very much one of these people that if you go after my family or friends there will be hell to pay
- Five out of ten is average, it's a game that I would still play if you put it on the table
- I do really like closed drafting in games
- I love the way that you plan for this sort of stuff
- Power Grid is the worst contender for this, auctions in this just refuse to freaking end
- I want to see it more - the typewriter mechanic
- Area control is just kind of meh
- It's just so many of these games are just like oh we need to make a quick buck
References (from this video)
- nostalgic Sid Sackson classic
- quick rounds, easy to teach
- strong tension and decision-making via risk-reward
- pacing allows lively party-game feel
- high variance due to dice luck
- can be frustrating if unlucky on critical turns
- pushing luck / risk management
- abstract race for control of three columns using dice-based actions
- competitive push-your-luck game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice rolling — four dice are rolled each turn; players select two results to advance on columns
- push-your-luck — players must decide how aggressively to advance; a bad turn can cost progress
- race to three columns — first player to gain control of all three columns wins
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a Sid Saxon classic
- open world engine building
- it's the cutest thing
- I don't see Connect Four at all
- it's a brain burner
- it's work replacement too
- it's hot for a reason
References (from this video)
- easy to learn
- anyone can understand the rules
- simple dice rolling and pairing
- fun racing mechanic
- not complicated
- racing
- luck-based
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I think I would wait yeah September maybe a little bit after September because I know people gonna rush in there and get everything
- gateways don't grow old for me no they don't I like Gateway games I like simple games sometimes
- I can just go on and do other games so I love the Gateway Games
- we don't need no more bad boys you know they gonna come
- if this is your mindset that I'm gonna come to these big conventions and take things no no we don't need no more bad boys
- I have Discerning tastes
- we are advertising Buffalo but they're doing it right
- I was blown away by it
- It's a Wonderful game it is a wonderful game
References (from this video)
- Tense, quick decisions
- Tightly designed solo and multi-player variants
- Paced pace can be stressful for some players
- Mitigated luck can frustrate some groups
- risk, dice, push-your-luck
- A fast-track gambling-on-risk vibe, quick decisions under time pressure
- bold, adrenaline-driven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice rolling / push-your-luck — players roll dice and decide how far to advance on independent tracks, hoping not to bust
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Flamecraft as a human just let me describe them and you'll know what I mean
- Fage now Mage is that fancy foodie friend who brings a curated cheeseboard to literally every Gathering
- I nailed it
References (from this video)
- Classic, highly accessible filler
- Easy to learn, quick to play
- High tension and laughs
- Some players dislike heavy luck in decisions
- push-your-luck dice track racing
- up-the-track race from 2 to 12 on each line
- classic, accessible
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- push-your-luck — Roll dice to advance tracks; bust sends you back to the bottom unless you stop and bank progress.
- Risk Assessment — Choose when to stop or push your luck to reach the top of three tracks.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- We've talked about this one a ton. This is the filler game we pull out the most.
- Sea Salt and Paper is addictive and a very, very good production.
- It's super quick. It's super simple. So, you could teach this to anyone.
- Castle Party is awesome. I love that freaking game.
- My Shelfie is essentially like Gamers Connect 4.
- My ideal game day is a big one, a bunch of fillers, and then maybe one more big game.
- Captain Flip is awesome. I love that freaking game.
- The video is chaos.
- We would love to know in the comments below what are some filler games that you love.
References (from this video)
- Extremely simple rules
- Quick gameplay
- High replayability
- Climbing/Risk
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- 170,000 logged plays... almost 500 times each day - how can this be the most played game
- the news must be fake in 365 days
- by the mission 35 you're like are we even playing the same game
- you have to go fast but the faster you go the closer the corner gets
- took something classic trick taking games been around for hundreds of years and made it into something more modern
- a lot of people play solo and if you play game solo it's much easier to get the gaming group together
- what's on the board stays on the board
References (from this video)
- strong push-your-luck appeal
- clear win condition; intuitive for players new to euros
- timeless arcade-like tension
- can be punishing if luck is against you
- timeless, visceral decision-making
- push-your-luck street-rail racing; classic dice-driven risk
- simple, immediate
- Torres
- Medina
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice rolling — Four dice are rolled to form sets that move tracks up or down.
- dice rolling / set-building — Four dice are rolled to form sets that move tracks up or down.
- risk management — Players choose to advance tracks or bank progress, risking loss on future rolls.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- my top 10 board games that are pure and trendproof
- these games have a timeless quality to them where it almost feels like they could have been played 100 years ago as well as still be played like 100 years in the future
- these games are not necessarily in order of what is more timeless and what isn't because I obviously feel like they either fit that category or they don't
- they all fit that category of feeling trendproof
- these are evergreen games that will weather the storm and stand the test of time
- Push your luck games have a timeless feel to them because… staying in one more round or dropping out and keeping what you've got is kind of a real visceral emotion
References (from this video)
- Highly addictive push-your-luck mechanism
- Energetic group dynamics with banter
- Short, tense turns that build to a dramatic finish
- Can be chaotic and punishing when players bust near victory
- Long potentially punishing sessions if players refuse to stop
- Push-your-luck, risk management with a racing-like track mechanic
- Casual group playing around a table, in a board game club setting
- lighthearted, chaotic, energetic
- The Mind
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- banking strategy — Convert temporary trackers into banked pieces to prevent others from using those numbers.
- Dice rolling — Roll four dice and form two pairs to advance tokens.
- locking and banking — Players lock in numbers onto temporary tracks and later bank them to permanent tokens.
- progress to victory — First player to claim three tracks wins the game.
- risk management — Choose when to stop and bank progress; busts erase progress.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's simply too addictive
- You can't stop
- Ten and four are like the prime ones
- Banking is important
- The angels love Sullivan, we need to kill him
References (from this video)
- Playing all the time
- Simple
- Love it
- Push your luck
- Racing
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push Your Luck — Simple push your luck game
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- We love trick taking games
- This game is so much freaking fun
- I adore GMT games, they are becoming one of my favorite game publishers
- If you remember Vast Crystal Caverns is in my top five games of all time
- We bloody love it
- We can't stop playing
- It's a blimp game not a train game
- That's just work
- I don't think I want to play it
- I'll get it eventually
References (from this video)
- Paces quickly, easy to teach
- High energy and quick rounds are great for social play
- Can be luck-dominated if players aren’t comfortable with risk
- May be less appealing for those who dislike push-your-luck mechanics
- Short, chaotic bursts of risk vs. reward
- Abstract risk-taking in a dice-driven push-your-luck framework
- Lighthearted but tense bidding/advancement mechanic
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-driven push-your-luck tracks — Players roll dice to advance on tracks; risk of collapsing tracks creates tension and decisions.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I’m cautiously excited if that makes sense.
- Stone Age is a great recommendation because it really helps explore worker placement without an overload of rules.
- Cheez-its are the number one around here.
- Rivet Heads is being published by New Mill Games, which is a publisher with a small team.
- Tiny Epic Galaxies is my favorite Tiny Epic game after trying most of them.
- I ended up stopping formal reviews because they were taking the joy out of the hobby for me.
- Dominant Species Marine tweaks the worker placement, making it a bit lighter on overhead but still chaotic.
References (from this video)
- Universal appeal and quick teach
- Pure, relentless tension and habit-forming excitement
- Pure pusher luck with no complex rules
- Can feel gambling-like; not for everyone
- Elimination can occur quickly in longer sessions
- Greed, risk, and quitting at the right moment
- Push-your-luck dice game
- Direct, high-tension, human-psychology-centered
- other push-your-luck dice games
- modern luck-driven abstracts
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push Your Luck — Players roll dice to advance on multiple tracks; choosing when to stop to avoid busting.
- push-your-luck dice — Players roll dice to advance on multiple tracks; choosing when to stop to avoid busting.
- risk management — Decision-making around continuing to roll vs. stopping to lock in progress.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Code Names did something that sounds impossible. It made a party game that's actually legitimately good.
- Dune eroded everything around it to pure theme. It succeeded through the devotion to its fiction and the corresponding chaos that comes from that.
- Diplomacy is all about perfect information and imperfect trust.
References (from this video)
- Classic game from 1980
- Multiple versions and reprints
- Available on Board Game Arena
- Very fast to play
- Great introductory game
- 300+ plays recorded on BGA
- Can take longer with more players
- Limited to certain player counts for balance
- climbing
- racing
- push your luck
- Can't Stop Express
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- When the leaves won't, Vegas will. That's the official slogan of Dice Tower West
- Heliocentrism
- This game is broken and it can just go off the rails, but that's the fun
- Pocket Galactic
- I would love to watch this one and not play it
- Card counting is a valid strategy in Happy Salmon
- This is like crypto on speed
- Dead on, pun intended
- You would be surprised to see just how much strategery would come out
References (from this video)
- accessible to a wide audience
- can be luck-driven
- press-your-luck style race
- family/social
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Press Your Luck — risk management on multiple tracks
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Google it. Please Google nuthatch right now.
- This is the greatest game ever.
- This is such boy energy right now.
- I achieved Nirvana. On that day.
- What kind of bird is that? A nuthatch maybe.
References (from this video)
- classic push your luck game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Formula D is really the epitome of roll and move games in the modern era
- Settlers of Catan which was perhaps the most significant euro game that really sparked this whole new wave of modern board games
- Yahtzee has become a mechanic in its own right
- epitomises dice games really and how far they've come
- this is a bit of a tricky one to learn, it's well worth the effort
- ridiculously more fun than it should be
- playing with children it's fantastical
- absolutely brilliant
- this is my top 10 different ways to use dice in wooden board games
References (from this video)
- Classic push-your-luck appeal
- Simple to teach, quick to play
- Can be repetitive for some players
- Theme is light
- Luck-driven ascent on a track
- Abstract push-your-luck game
- Minimal theme, high player interaction
- Can't Stop is frequently contrasted with other push-your-luck titles like Can't Stop in a different edition
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push Your Luck — Roll dice to advance on tracks; risk busting if you push too far
- roll-and-move — Deterministic complication through dice-driven movement on multiple tracks
- Roll/Spin to Move — Deterministic complication through dice-driven movement on multiple tracks
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- you can't stop
- the more people are into it, the better it is
- it's a Dice Tower essential
- a masquerade of classic and modern designs
References (from this video)
- Unclear winter connection mentioned in short list
- Risk-taking and climbing
- Press-your-luck climbing
- Push-your-luck mechanics
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push Your Luck — Players decide whether to continue climbing or stop before losing progress
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's almost like a cozy kind of game cuz you can play it solo if you want
- heat is something that we all need in the winter because if you don't have heat guess what you freeze to death
- when I see a train I think winter every time
- it might be the weirdest racing game we've ever played
- winter was such a thing it was a Vibe
- the snowsuits were on point
- winter I would I would have been doing two things all winter I was either on the pond skating playing hockey or I was um at my neighbors like my grandparents Hill sledding sledding all winter that's all I did
- Jeff I just wish winter would end but it is endless
- you wear a mask when it's cold outside protect your face that's good advice
References (from this video)
- compact, tense decisions
- clear sense of progress and risk with each roll
- great for competitive play against rivals
- can be punishing if you misjudge risk
- may feel repetitive once familiar with routes
- risk-taking and push-your-luck
- abstract mountain-climbing race
- procedural, mechanically driven ascent
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice rolling — players roll dice to advance along multiple paths toward the summit
- dice-rolling push-your-luck — players roll dice to advance along multiple paths toward the summit
- Network/route building — choose which mountains to climb, balancing risk vs reward
- route selection / branching paths — choose which mountains to climb, balancing risk vs reward
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's free it doesn't need a fancy computer
- it's a race to get to the top of three parts and when someone finishes one that path is closed
- perudo is an old classic that still holds up
- it's a game of survival
- it's like traversing an IKEA where there's only one of everything
- six nymph is fast chaotic fun
- it's every man or woman for themselves at each other's throats
- Cult Express is a rollicking fun not to be taken seriously
References (from this video)
- easy to teach, quick rounds
- high tension and player interaction
- can be frustrating for risk-averse players
- dice-driven risk-reward
- push-your-luck cruise through risk zones
- light and tense
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- press-your-luck — roll dice and advance on multiple tracks with the risk of busting
- risk management — decide when to push luck or stop to secure progress
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- find your people find your community
- the Discord is amazing
- it's a tornado at Pax
- we've doubled the amount of people we've played with
- this year focusing on doing what you love and surrounding yourself with your people
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Don't crush them when you are teaching a board game.
- I could teach you from memory.
- it's easy peasy lemon squeezies.
References (from this video)
- quick to learn
- works well at two players
- older design; some players prefer newer takes
- risk vs. reward on climbing to the top
- Abstract ladder-climbing game
- classic abstract strategy
- Liar's Dice
- Roll-and-write ladder abstractions
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Push-your-luck ladder climbing — Roll dice to advance ladders but risk losing progress
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is the epitome of an incredible party game
- we opened up space so let's talk about another game that is really hard to explain
- it's a hard game to explain, but I highly recommend Soul Forge
- you could win the gen con exclusive bigfoot roll and smash and a lanyard
- I love reconnecting with friends and meeting people in person after two years
- this is a rolling-right that scales incredibly well
References (from this video)
- Classic push-your-luck design
- Simple rules
- Too abstract for some
- Not appealing to all players
- Number climbing
- Abstract
- Abstract
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice rolling — Roll dice to advance on numbered tracks
- Push Your Luck — Continue rolling dice or stop with safe score
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the reason I wanted to talk about this topic was one was because I've just picked up the quacks of qward Lindbergh expansion the herb witches which is a really good expansion just to add some more of the same really more variety to that game which was my favorite game of last year
- so push your luck or press your luck games as they tend to be called in America
- it's looking at the odds and trying to make a mathematical decision is it worth me taking this risk or is it not and of course the presence of other people around the table changes that because it's not just about the maths it's also about knowing the psychology of those other people
- I love all the messin about you doing captain carcass you turn over one card it allows you to do something else and then you can use this special power to do something else
- the pushier luck stuff is strong in throne that's where the fun in the game is it's recognizing how many does to throw
- I love this honour of games I wish there were more of them
- thank you very much for watching I hope this was interesting for you if you enjoyed it please watch some of my other videos on BoardGameGeek I'm Adam 78 on YouTube I'm Adams Borg in wales on twitter i'm at board game wales