Boogie Dice (Hardware) review

Sound activated dice? Yep, that would be Boogie Dice, a powered pair of dice that you can incorporate into any game that uses standard 6-siders.

These dice can boogie

Boogie Dice might sound a little off, I grant you. But the idea behind them is most definitely neat… and yes, a little off.

I’ve never played a board game with powered dice before, in any capacity. Though I’m pretty sure that’s something that could be said for any number of our readers too. After all, most every board and tabletop game comes with standard, non-boogying dice.

And that distinct lack of boogie is where Breaking Games’ little gizmo comes in. While Boogie Dice aren’t necessary to enjoy your favorite tabletop experience, they do tend to liven things up.

Ease of setup

Boogie Dice come in two parts (though one is kind of a bonus). The first is the set of dice itself, which includes a charger/cradle/corral. The second is an app for your device of choice.

Apple and Android handsets are supported by the dice, so almost anyone should be able to get the full experience. If you don’t have either though, you’re still okay. You won’t be able to use the app, but again you don’t really need it to begin with. It enhances the Boogie Dice, but they’ll still function with their core use intact without it.

All of the above could not be simpler to use. So there’s no problem or weird learning curve to master, and therefor adding Boogie Dice to your fave game is just as easy as using standard die – and way more fun.

Utility

Basically, at their core Boogie Dice are self rolling dice. They don’t move on their own without your prompting though, so don’t worry. Doing that includes you making some kind of noise.

You can bang on the table, or clap your hands, though clapping is the means that Breaking Games recommends. Either of the above will do though, and get the dice moving. And lest you think that they’ll roll themselves right onto the floor, think again. The included charging station’s USB cord can simply be folded into a corral.

Once they are rolling though, you don’t have to do anything else. Just get them jumping and they’ll continue the roll for two seconds all by themselves. These are the settings fresh from the box, but they can be switched up via the mentioned app.

You can change the colors, set a timer for the roll, and even roll dice in correspondence with special ID’s. Note though that this does not work via bluetooth. Instead, an “ultrasonic sound” is played through the app that programs each individual die. The result is the same in that the dice get new instructions via the app.

After they’re set up, you just use ’em as you see fit in any game you like, as long as it supports six sided dice. There are a few simple games included in the app as well, if you’re in the mood to make the Boogie Dice the main attraction.

Proficiency

The Boogie Dice pretty much do what it is they say they do. They perform well too, and have a myriad of settings. That is not to say that they’re perfect though.

Trust me, you really want to use the USB cord corral. If you don’t the dice stand an excellent chance of flinging themselves off the table, especially if you set the vibration to high. Also, if they roll onto the smooth surface of an instruction manual or sheet, they won’t flip over all that well. Using the corral corrects all of this since you can select exactly the conditions of the roll.

Also, if you’re playing a game that includes lengthy turns or cards as well as dice, you also might want to set the BD’s to not fall asleep. Not that it’s too terrible, but it can be a little annoying to have to wake them to play.

And speaking of the settings, it might take a little doing to get them to agree to what you want them to do. I found the app worked well most of the time, though I had to do the inputs a few times over for several operations. It feels a little hit and miss honestly and I think I would have preferred a bluetooth connection.

Overall

Even with the app issues, the Boogie Dice were a ton of fun. It’s kind of hard to believe, but they actually do add another layer to board games. I don’t know if an adventure game like Warhammer Quest (or something similar) would benefit, but straight up board games definitely do benefit from a little more oomph with them.

Get a fun group together for your weekly/monthly board game night and you’re more than likely going to find Boogie Dice add a little more fun to your rolls.

A sample of Boogie Dice was provided by Breaking Games for review

Boogie Dice
Release date: Available now
Company: Breaking Games
MSRP: $49.99 USD