Retrograde

Retrograde brings the 80s arcade rush to the tabletop, but with a roll‑and‑write twist that makes every session feel fresh. Up to four players (or a solo adventurer) race in real time: each round you roll dice as fast as you can and try to hit the combos shown on target cards. The first to complete a combo claims the card, spends the matching dice, and marks the ‘Droids’ on your sheet, taking them out of play. If you’re the last without a card, you only get two more rerolls before you’re stuck with whatever you rolled. Each card grants coins and power‑ups; blasting whole columns of Droids scores bonus points against bosses, while clearing rows unlocks the power‑ups you collected. The frantic pace demands speed and a keen eye, yet the components (dice, target cards, and sheets) keep the learning curve very low (weight 1.5). A solo mode lets you chase personal high scores, and the game’s family‑friendly vibe earned it the BostonFIG Fest 2022 Best Family Game award. In roughly 25‑35 minutes you’ll feel the joystick nostalgia while trying to rack up the highest score.