gamegrene.com

Risk'n'Roll 2000 from Parker Brothers dubs itself "The Dice Game of the New Millennium". Your goal is to roll 2000 points by scoring pairs, trios, straights and so on. Winning the game is incredibly easy as 1's or 5's also count as points.

Because of this, it's very rare to go "belly up" (if you don't score on a subsequent roll, you lose all points currently showing on that roll). Parker Brothers also decided to add cards into the mix - each turn, you pick a card that can subtract from other players points, save your points if you go belly up, etc.

These cards and the "risk" of rolling out add to the "win one turn" ability. Roll 2 trios, 3 pair, or a straight and get 500 points. You then roll again at the risk of losing them all. Oop, look at that, you rolled another one of those combinations (which you can do very easily - the rules allow you to roll as long as you keep getting points). Thus, you get another 500 points, making your score 1000. And because you picked the "Double Time" card from the deck, you've doubled your points to 2000, and you've won the game.

What's even worse is you can roll an unassisted game winner by getting six of a kind, for 2000 points. Oh yes, you have to roll again and risk it all, but if you get a 1 or a 5, you can stop, keep your 2000 AND take the points gained from that 1 or 5 AND any additional points gained by your drawn card. The game is simply too easy and ends much too quickly.

And that's where Magic: The Gathering come in.

Get a deck you're fond of and use them instead of the prepackaged cards. Rules follow:

• You must pay the complete mana cost of the drawn card to roll on your turn, at the rate of 100 points per mana. Your score CAN go into the negatives to pay for the cost. Neglecting to pay the mana cost forfeits your turn and subtracts 100 points from your score. If a land or 0 mana card appears, you roll for free (this land / 0 mana rule is optional).

• When mana or an "X" determines the amount of damage, life, or total cost spent, you may use 100 points per 1 mana as an equivalent. If you drew a "Fireball" card, for example, you could spend 300 of your points to subtract 200 from any one opponent. You may not spend more points then you have. Effects of the card are only applicable when you don't go "belly up" (further increases or decreases in score only apply if you score points - you'd still lose the initial "casting cost".)

• Cards that mention gaining or losing life when they "come into play" come into effect after choosing to pay for the card and take your turn - you or your opponent gain or lose the amount indicated from your score, at the rate of 100 points per 1 life. This rule is applicable whether you go "belly up" or not.

• Much like Magic: The Gathering uses target opponent or opponents to indicate 1 or more players, you must follow the same rulings. If the damage only affects creatures, it is ignored - only cards that affect the opponent are of our concern.

• If a card has the ability "Haste", you may keep your score if you go "belly up".

• If you draw a creature card, the creature's damage is subtracted from target opponent's score at the rate of 100 points per 1 damage. This rule is only applicable when you don't go "belly up".

• Any card that makes changes to a creature's attack and defense also make changes to your scores. The "attack" rating is the current player's modifier, and the "defense" is the opponent to your right. Plus modifiers are added to the player or opponent's score, and minus signs are subtracted.

• If a card becomes more powerful when you pump mana into its special ability, you may spend as many points as you want (100 points per 1 mana) to increase its power. Increased creature abilities still fall under the previous rule when it comes to increasing or decreasing your own or opponents score. You may not spend more points then you have. This rule is only applicable when you don't go "belly up".

If you run across a special ability not explained within the above rules, make up a ruling and jot it down below. Same if you find some hole in the logic. Granted, no one plays Risk'n'Roll 2000, so this was probably a moot point, but the above rules can easily be applied to other games.