Miami Dice - Meet Mr. Super-Smooth!

This guy totally radiates "cool."

Miami Dice is a Yahtzee-like game that you can play only at Gamesville. You have fifteen rounds to score as many points as you can! Each round lasts 15 seconds (eek!) and in that time you have to decide which dice to keep and reroll the rest! After the third roll you're stuck with whatever you have and you must "Claim" a category.

Oooooh!

There are a total of twelve categories to pick from. Unlike regular Yahtzee, you can score any category multiple times! The "Matches" column tells you how many times you've scored that particular category.

Every now and then Mr. Super-Smooth pops up and shoots your dice. I have no idea why, but it's pretty funny. ^_^

Super-Smooth!

Scoring

This part isn't exactly rocket surgery. All of the points are listed on the card!

Handy!

For the top six categories the score is the number of dice times 100. If you rolled four 1's it's 400 points. Roll four 3's and it's still 400 points. Simple! ^_^

Two things to remember about the top half.

1. If you make a match in all of the top six categories you get an extra 1,250 points!!
2. You can only make a match in the top half if you have two or more of the same dice.

Let's say you're on the final roll and you need 1's to finish the top half. You hold onto the first 1 you get, but you don't pick up another 1 on the rerolls. Unfortunately, this means that there won't even be an option to score in the 1's section, so you won't get the bonus. Blast! :(

The bottom half is a little different. Most of the categories have set values, but two of them completely depend on the dice!

Working from the top category (in the bottom half) and moving down, first we have a Full House. This is when you haves 3 of a kind and a pair. (If you saw the show Full House, think of the three guys + the Olsen twins.) This is always worth 400 points!

Now the 3 of a kind and 4 of a kind categories are a bit different. Here the dice really matter! For 3 of a kind Miami Dice adds up the face value of the dice and multiplies it by 15. In 4 of a kind it adds up the face value and multiplies it by 25!

Here's an example of a low roll and a high roll for the 3 of a kind category.

• A low roll with three 1's, a 2, and a 4. (1 x 3) + 2 + 4 = 9. Multiply 9 by 15 for a score of 135.
• A high roll with three 6's, a 2, and a 4. (6 x 3) + 2 + 4 = 24. Multiply 24 by 15 for a score of 360.

That's a huge difference!!

The next two categories are 4 and 5 in a row. This means that the dice need to be in sequential order. For example: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are the only options for five in a row. Don't leave these for the end rolls as they're very hard to "force" if you don't have the right dice. (More details on how to get a 5 in a row in the Tips & Tricks section.)

Lastly, the Kilo (5 of a kind.) This is worth the most points!! It doesn't matter if you have five 1's or five 6's, they're both worth 1,000 points.

Check out my luckiest game.

You scored THREE Kilos?!?!

Yup! Three Kilos in one game. It was awesome. ^_^

Additionally, completing the bottom half of the card is worth an extra 1,000 point bonus!

IMPORTANT: You do not have to score a Kilo to complete the bottom half!! It's in a section all its own. Woohoo!!


Lightning Strikes

Starting on round 11, Miami Dice moves into the lightning round. This runs for the last 4 rounds and it's an excellent time to catch up. Everything is worth double!!

2,000 points?! Daaaaaaaaaaang....

For that particular hand I rolled five 4's! Woohoo!!!

The only things that do not double are the bonuses. Those will still be 1,250 and 1,000 points, respectively.


Gamesville Rewards (GVs)

The one downside to Miami Dice is that only the top five players in each game actually win anything. :( But if you're in the top 5, yay!!! ^_^ Each person in the top five (t5) gets 250 GVs. The number one player gets an extra 1,000 GVs, making their total 1,250 GVs!

Even if you're an awesome Miami Dice player you probably won't get in the top 5 every time. Especially if I'm playing. ^_~

BOO-YAH!!

Seriously though, I'm pretty good at this game. (Land in the top 5 most of the time.) So pay attention to the next section. ^_^


Tips & Tricks

Each round is incredibly short (15 seconds!) so you need to have a game plan before you jump in. Have an idea of what you want to do, but be flexible at the same time.

Here are some tips to get you started. ^_^

#1. Work to get the bonus points. With most games the top player usually has around 10,000 points. Earning both bonuses adds 2,250 points to your score. That's a huge chunk!

In order to get both bonuses you need to be strategic when picking what category to score. Remember, you have 15 rounds each game and 12 categories. To earn both bonuses you'll need to score in 11 categories, so that means you have only 4 rounds to act as a cushion.

Start by looking for pairs. Hold a pair and try to turn it into a 3-4 of a kind on rerolls. Claim your score on the top half of the card.

When you're picking what to hold, keep looking at the card to see what categories you still need.

Okay. I'm looking.

I have a pair of 3's and a pair of 1's. I've already scored one match for the 3's in a the last hand, so this time I'm going to keep the 1's and see what I can get.

However, if you end up with 3-4 of a kind in fives or sixes, go ahead and score in the 3-4 of a kind sections in the bottom half of the card IF you haven't scored there yet. Why? Well as you recall, the 3-4 of a kind categories are the only ones where the face value of the dice actually matter. Here's a roll where I have four 1's.

Picking the 1's category earns 400 points, while picking the 4 of a kind category is only 200 points. That's a 200 point difference between the two categories! But look at this next roll.

Here I have four 5's. There's a 175 point difference between the 5's category and the 4 of a kind category.

Now let's say that I use the four 1's for the 4 of a kind (200 points) and I use the four 5's for the 5's category (400 points.) My total for those two rounds is now 600 points. Not bad.

What if I reversed it? If I put the four 1's in the 1's category (400 points) and the four 5's in the 4 of a kind category (575 points) my score is now 975 points. That's a 375 point difference!

The numbers will fluctuate a little, but you should always use 5's and 6's for the 3 of a kind and 4 of a kind categories.

#2. Getting 5 in a row isn't easy, but if you keep your eyes open it doesn't have to be so difficult. ^_^

Ideally you want to start with 2, 3, 4, and 5. Like this:

Okay. Now what?

When you start with dice 2-5, then you need to get either a 1 or a 6 to turn it into 5 in a row. Conversely if you have dice 1-4 only one die will turn it into 5 in a row. The same thing goes if you have dice 3-6.

This means that starting with dice 2-5 doubles your chances of turning it into 5 in a row! Keep an eye out for it!

#3. Kilos are fun, but you need to know when to use them.

That game where I won 3 Kilos? I didn't end up in first place because I forgot to make sure I picked up the bonuses. (Doh.) Remember, you only have four "extra" rounds to play with. I claimed the Kilos but I'd already used up 2 of my extra rounds. That meant I definitely couldn't finish one section, and I had zero wiggle room in regards to errors and mis-rolls. That isn't fun. =(

It's hard not to claim a Kilo when it pops up, but you need to look at where you are in the game.

Imagine this: You're in the 14th round and still need to score in the 5's category to get the top bonus. Low and behold you get a 5's Kilo! It's the lightning round so it's worth 2,000 points. Wow!!

You could:

1. Claim the Kilo for 2,000 points and hope to pick up 5's on the last round to get the bonus.
2. Claim the 5's and get the bonus for an instant 2,250 points. (1,000 from the lightning round + 1,250 bonus.) The last round is whatever you want.

Which is better? It's a tough call and you have seconds to decide. I seem to have terrible luck when it comes to getting the last category filled on the last roll, so I'd probably opt for #2. It's a little safer.

In a situation like that I can't tell you what to do. But since you have time now, go ahead and decide. If it comes up you'll already have a plan ready. ^_^

#4. Exceptions to the rules.

If you get a Full House or 5 in a row and you haven't scored those categories yet, go ahead and claim them. Those two categories are VERY hard to get on your own. If you can score them early on you'll have a much easier game.


Final Rating

I'll be honest. I didn't have high expectations for a game called Miami Dice, and Mr. Super-Smooth didn't boost my confidence any. *^_^*

Yo.

Once I started playing I was surprised by how fun and addictive this is! The rounds are so fast that you're constantly scheming and planning ahead. And I LOVE that you can score categories more than once.

So yeah, this is now my favorite dice game. ^_^ I wish more people could get GVs, but at the same time I don't really mind having to push to get into the top 5. It makes things challenging.

I'd say this one is 5 stars out of 5. What would you rate it? Do you have any tips you'd like to share?


Similar Games

It's worth noting that I found Miami Dice because another reader mentioned it after reading Para-Dice. I'm always open to suggestions, so if you've heard of another dice game that's free to play (and has prizes) please share! ^_^

Until then, if you like Miami Dice, give some of these games a whirl!

• Para-Dice at Slingo - Three different ways to play this single-play Yahtzee game.
• Yahtzee Party at Pogo - Work in a group to trigger the Yahtzee bonus!
• Double Trouble at GSNOodles - One Joker is fine. Two is better. Three is great! Four and you're dead!

Double Trouble - No, not the Olsen twins!

Double Trouble is a game of chance at GSN Oodles. You can play for Oodles three times a day, or practice (no Oodles) as many times as you want!

First you pick whether you want to do 10, 15, or 20 rolls. At any time you can cash out and keep your winnings. I'm not very lucky with this game, so I always pick 10 rolls. *^_^*

Now throw the dice!

Big money! Big money!

Each round you score the face value of the dice. The Joker counts as a one, and the GSN logo counts as a six. You want a few Jokers, but no more than 3!

• 1 Joker = no bonus
• 2 Jokers = double points each roll
• 3 Jokers = triple points each roll
• 4 Jokers = GAME OVER!

Having two Jokers is pretty nice. ^_^

Huzzah for double scores!

The downside is that you have a chance of rolling double Jokers, which makes for an instant fail

Dangit!

For some reason this seems to happen a lot. =( I hate it.

On the opposite end, if you roll double sixes (the GSN logo) you get 100 Oodles!!!

WOOHOOO!!

Whenever you roll doubles you MUST roll again! You can't cash out! And as I woefully discovered, if you roll 3 doubles in a row then it's game over. I guess you really can have too much of a good thing. :(

The only thing that can save you is if you roll doubles on your last turn. There's no forced roll when you're out of turns. ^_^

My luck is pretty sparse, so I always cash out once I get a third Joker. Every time I try to push it just "one more roll," I bust.


Final Rating

Double Trouble at GSN Oodles is an easy, quick game. I like both of those qualities. ^_^ The downside is that you can only play for Oodles 3 times a day. I'd be much happier if it was, oh, 10 times a day. But it's still fun!

3.5 stars for a fun, but no frills game. What would you rate it?


Similar Games

If you like Double Trouble, well... Okay, I haven't reviewed any other games like it yet. *^_^* Instead, here are a few games I like!

• Lottso Express! at Pogo - Bingo and scratchcards mixed together. Try to get a Mega Lottso!
• Kenoka at Slingo - What do you get when you combine Keno and Poker? Kenoka!
• Krazy Keno at BugleGames - Blink and you'll miss these Krazy-fast Keno games!

Para-Dice - One game. 3 ways to play!

Para-Dice is a single-player Slingo game. It's basically Yahtzee with a different name. ^_^ I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it turned out to be a lot of fun!


The Basics

Each game has 13 rounds. You have 5 dice and you get 3 rolls each round to create the best hand possible. "Keep" a die by clicking and dragging it to the side.

Points are pretty simple. There are thirteen categories and you mark one each round. The top half only scores the dice for that category. For example, if you ended up with a one and 4 sixes, marking the ones row would earn 1 point. On the other hand, if you marked the sixes row you'd earn 24 points!

If you get 63+ points from the top section alone then you'll pick up 35 bonus points!

The bottom section is a little more complicated.

• 3 of a Kind = Requires at least three identical dice. The face value of those dice plus the remaining two dice is your score. Aim for 3 fives or 3 sixes.
• 4 of a Kind = Requires at least four identical dice. The face value of those dice plus the remaining die is your score. Aim for 4 fives or 4 sixes.
• Full House = 25 points. You need three of a kind AND a pair of dice.
• Small Run = 30 points. Must have at least 4 dice in sequential order. Such as 1, 2, 3, 4.
• Large Run = 40 points. Must have all 5 dice in sequential order. Such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• All Five = All 5 dice are the same number. This is always 50 points, no matter what numbers are on the dice. 
• Chance = Face value of all dice.

If this is too confusing, here's a cheat sheet.

Okay, that's pretty handy. Thanks! ^_^

IMPORTANT: If you mark a category but don't meet the requirements, you'll score 0 points. You can't undo misclicks, so be careful!


Triple The Fun

Para-Dice has a few unique features. First off, you can play 1-4 columns at a time. The benefit of playing multiple columns is that the games last a lot longer, so you'll get fewer commercials.

Next, there are three different ways to play.

Ooooh!!

In normal play you pick which category you want to score in each round.

Since you have more control over your score, you should see the highest numbers in normal mode.

Nice!

Each point is worth 100 Slingo coins. ^_^

The next option is playing Top to Bottom. This means that you start at the top category and work your way down. Since you can't pick the best category to fit what you rolled, expect to score a lot of goose eggs.

Ouch.

On the upside, you'll earn more Slingo coins for your trouble!

Yay!!

Each point in top to bottom mode is worth 250 Slingo coins!

Lastly, you can play left to right. This just what it sounds like. ^_^ You play columns from left to right!

Once again, since you can't pick the best category for your rolls, expect to see a LOT of zeros.

That's not very good.

In my opinion, playing left to right is just as difficult as playing from top to bottom. (And gets kinda boring.) But for some reason each point is only worth 150 Slingo coins. Go figure.


Tips & Tricks

1. If you're using "normal" play, keep an eye out for any roll with at least 2 sixes or 2 fives. Try to build them into 3 or 4 of a kind to maximize your points.

2. Another tip for "normal" play is to try and spread out your scores in the top half. Remember, whenever you score 63 in the top section, you earn another 35 points! Create a "waste" column for your low scores.

3. Runs are tricky, but they're AWESOME for points! Look for starter sets like "234" or "345." Since those numbers are in the middle you have a good chance at turning them into at least a small run.

4. Maximize the Chance category. On the first roll keep all of the sixes and fives. On the 2nd roll keep the sixes, fives, and fours. Anything lower than that has a 50% chance to come out as a higher number on the final roll.

5. Rolling a Full House is tricky when you're playing top to bottom or left to right. You need a LOT of luck if you don't start out with at least one pair. But if you do end up pairless, roll everything again. Don't keep any of the dice. Odds are high that you'll get a pair on the 2nd roll. But if you keep a random die, you might not turn it into a pair.


Final Rating

The first time I played Para-Dice, I opted for "normal play" and I got pretty bored. Next I played "left to right," and that was definitely more interesting. But again, I got bored. (4 columns was too much for me.) Then I played "top to bottom," and man.. that was a hoot! I got a lot of laughs from trying to get the categories in the bottom half. ^_^

At the end, I must admit that I had a lot of fun with Para-Dice. I'm glad that I tried all three methods to see which one I liked best. Give it a shot!

4 out of 5 stars.


Similar Games

If you like Para-Dice, you might also be interested in some of these games.

• Yahtzee Party at Pogo - More dice fun, but here it's a PAR-TAY!
• Quick-Draw Poker at Gamesville - Play 7 hands of poker each round!
• Burger Buddies at Winster - Spin to get burger ingredients and make the best burger evah!

Yahtzee Party - Not recommended for pants.

Let's play!

Yahtzee Party is a Pogo game that is massively, crazily addictive. I started playing on a whim, then decided to get some screenshots for a review. Five hours later I managed to pry myself away.

If you haven't played Yahtzee in a while, here's how it works. You throw 5 dice and click on any that you want to keep. Roll the leftovers and again, decide what you want to keep. The last roll you're stuck with, and you *have* to pick a category to score.

The categories are listed on the left and are pretty simple. A small straight is a run of four numbers, like rolling a 1, 2, 3, and 4. A large straight is a run of all five dice, like 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. A Yahtzee is 5 of a kind and it's worth the most.

Now, Yahtzee Party is different because you're playing it with everyone in the room. (Max of 10 players.) Whenever anyone gets a Yahtzee, the Super Yahtzee meter rises. When it gets full the computer will throw dice to figure out what the group bonus is.


The activity modifier (the percentage) just says how long you've been in the room. If you joined right before the meter hit full, you will have a low activity modifier, and thus get fewer coins.

There are a few options in how to play this, so look at the room tabs before you dive in.

• Slow Rooms ~ You have 6 minutes to play the 13 rounds and bonus round.
  

• Fast Rooms ~ You have 4 minutes to play the 13 rounds and bonus round.
  

• Classic Mode ~ Plain Yahtzee rules. You need 225 points to earn a Jackpot spin.

• Wild Mode ~ Contains a blue die that acts as a wild. You need 250 points to earn a Jackpot spin.

I like playing wild-slow rooms. The extra time lets me chat with others and the wild means the group hits the Super Yahtzee more often. I tried fast rooms and they were quiet. No one had any time to chat!

Oooohhh... A wild!

Now, I mentioned a bonus round. ^_^ If you have any time left after the 13 rounds, you'll have the option of playing the bonus to score some extra tokens. You need to score three of a kind or better, and you only have 5 rounds to score instead of 13.

I'd like to order two more 3's, please. Thank you!

I LOVE the bonus round. ^_^ I usually get 1/3rd or more of my tokens from playing the bonus. It's well worth the time!

You'll also get bonus tokens if you manage to be one of the top players at the end of the game. If you're lucky and get 1st place, everyone will get to see your avatar. ^_^ Oh, and you'll get to award tokens to one of the bottom 2 players.

Took me four hours to win first place. *Sweats*

I've been in the basement (bottom ranks) many, many times. Those pity tokens help ease the pain, I tell ya.

Pogo's Yahtzee Party is a Progressive Jackpot game, with a max pot of $4,999. Remember, you have to score 225 in Classic and 250 in Wild mode to earn a Jackpot spin. You will most likely get tokens from your spin, but that's better than nothing.

Pogo does not post the odds of winning their Jackpot games. Assume that the odds are nightmareishly bad.

Final Rating:
Oh goodness... I'm wavering between a 4 and a 5. Hmm... new rank! 4.5 stars. ^_^