The History of Spice
Enginuity founder Andy Daniel invented "the" Spicy Dice over 25 years ago. We say "the" because the dice and game are distinct. "The" Spicy Dice were used in a number of games from various publishers over the years, most recently Spicy Farkel published by Legendary Games (by the equally legendary team of Charles & Mary Potter, who sold hundreds of thousands of games crisscrossing the country in their van and whose tiny booth at Toy Fair had lines like a Starbucks at 7 a.m.) and now published by Imagination Entertainment. Enginuity itself published a board book of 6 games to play with the Spicy Dice, which included 4 complete sets in different colors – first use of the name Spicy Dice. Then, 2 years ago, Enginuity released the game now known as Spicy Dice – a game very different from any of the earlier games which used "the" Spicy Dice.
At its core the Spicy Dice concept is simple: a set of 6 dice with a single face with red (spicy) dots instead of white, and it’s a different face on each die. What do the red spots do? It depends on what game you are playing. (So far, in every game that used them, red spots were "good", but maybe someday…)
For the game of Spicy Dice, it’s also simple: when you roll a red number, you can "flip" it to any number you like, or keep it for double score or other bonuses, but you must decide right after you roll it.
Spicy Dice is a classic roll-and-write category game. 10 simple categories, 1 through 6, RUN, SET, SUM, and RED. Score 1 category per turn. Take a roll, keep some dice, re-roll. Sound like a game you played as a kid? It probably should. Let’s just say that if you played Yahtzee or Kismet (I did) you’ll learn Spicy Dice fast. And if you liked them as a kid (I did!) you’ll love Spicy Dice. But the differences make for a much more engaging game.
There are 6 dice rather than 5, but that’s not the big deal. The red spots change everything. Say you’re trying for 5s. Every die has TWO of them, the 5, and red spot that you can flip. Every die, that is, except the red 5, which only has a single 5 – but it’s the red one with special powers!
Also unique is the "3 rolls per turn rule". "Unique", in that there is no such rule in Spicy Dice. You have 10 boxes to fill, and 30 rolls to fill them. Kind of sounds like 3 per turn, except YOU decide how many rolls to use for each turn. When you’re going for that high-scoring 6 of a kind, called a "Pepper", that 4th roll comes in handy. So does the 5th. Heck, the 10th if you want it… but don’t run out or you stop scoring.
Better to use less than 30 rolls and collect a Bonus for the unused rolls. Peppers can be scored in any box. They’re worth more in their "home" box but can be scored anywhere. Your six 6s are worth 75 points in the "6" box, but if it’s full (or even if it’s not) you can score it for 50 in the lowly "1" box.
Enginuity is known for high quality, but as Enginuity president Andy Daniel points out, "We’re a small publisher and can’t compete with the big guys on price – so we compete on quality." The dice in Spicy Dice, for example, are 100% pearlized acrylic with rounded edges and corners (most game dice are urea). Each game includes a silkscreened cloth drawstring pouch which can hold everything dice, scorepad, and rules – just "Grab It and Go". And Spicy Dice includes a unique "cheat sheet" which folds out from the scorepad, with arrows pointing to each scoring box with quick reminders about how to score that box.
Retailer Support
Enginuity created an in-store Demo Kit for retailers. It’s not a "demo copy", it’s a rolling tray with pictorial rules, a set of dice, and a scorepad. It’s free on request with the first order. The https://spicydice.com website has videos, images, a store locator, and a bunch of customer goodies. There are 4 dice colors available, and the 12-piece POP has 3 units of each color.
Spicy Dice is licensed in Europe, where it’s called Chili Dice. Amigo Spiele publishes it in Germany, Gigamic in France, and 999 Games in the Netherlands.
Gotta Get It?
If you’re not currently a Faire customer, it’s hard to ignore the deal. 24 pieces, no cost at all. You must use http://enginuitygames.faire.com to get this deal. There’s another Enginuity game there called Tylz!, the deal can be used mix-and-match.
Already a Faire member? You can still get the In-store Demo Kit for free if you order through https://spicydice.com. Either way, email info@spicydice.com to request the Demo Kit right after you order because they ship in one box. You can get the Faire deal in Canada, just use the link.
You can also purchase through Alliance (U.S.) and Lion Rampant (Canada and U.S.) at https://www.lionrampantimports.com/spicy-dice-eng1111 for Europe, contact our European partners.
You can also order at https://spicydice.com – use the “Submit a Wholesale Order” button. You can email info@spicydice.com or 1-888-618-GAME(4263).
Questions? Like to be a distributor? Email info@spicydice.com or visit us at Toy Fair, GAMA Expo, or ASTRA Marketplace.
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