Are you looking for a quick-paced game that fills in downtime nicely and doesn’t have a lot of complex rules to learn? Do you need a game to play with someone who isn’t quite reading yet, but wants to play games? You might want to consider Pass the Pandas, a dice game for up to five players.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Pass the Pandas to review for free. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and those of my children who tested the game with me. This blog post may contain affiliate links. Should you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I will receive a small percentage of that sale at no additional cost to you.
About Pass the Pandas
Pass the Pandas (2014) is a dice game meant for 2-5 players ages 6 and above. It takes an average of ten minutes to play the game. It was designed by Ken Gruhl and Quentin Weir, illustrated by Peter Campofiori, and published by Ultra Pro.
The publisher’s game description says:
Be the first to get rid of all of your dice in Pass the Pandas by rolling pandas, bamboo, or water drops. A player who rolls pandas on her turn is able to pass those dice to other players. A roll of bamboo must be matched (or exceeded!) by the next player. A roll of water allows her to discard those dice. A blank roll does nothing to help her, and she must keep blank dice to roll again on her next turn. Pandas!
Ultra PRO
Gameplay is just about how it sounds in the game description from the publisher. Dice are divided between the players (2 and 3 players get 6 dice each, 4 players get 5 dice each, and 5 players get 4 dice each), the instructions have a table for the number of dice each player gets based on the number of players there are. The object of the game is to get rid of all one’s dice. Pandas go to other players, if bamboo is rolled, the next player must match or exceed the number showing, or they acquire the bamboo. Water rolls allow players to discard the dice, and blank rolls do nothing.
The gameplay proceeds clockwise, with each player rolling all of their dice and then acting upon the rules for which sides of the dice are showing. In all, it’s a simple game to learn, and even young players can be up and running with the game very quickly.
Pass the Pandas Game Review
Pass the Pandas is largely a game of luck. Because it relies upon luck, it’s a good game to play with younger kids as they can learn good gaming etiquette when they win or lose. It’s been treated as a game that is great for new gamers to learn how to game. Benson Wolfe in his review wrote, “Despite its simplicity, the game offers several opportunities to learn how to game appropriately.” This observation is quite accurate. I tested the game with my 6 year old who often has a hard time losing. It was a hit with him.
Another boon to this game is how quick it is to learn and play. As a work-at-home homeschooling mom, sometimes the window for me to participate in games is quite narrow (and my kids love to play with me – why shouldn’t they, I’m a delight!). This game lets me jump in and play a few rounds with them in half an hour.
The game is also a light game, so it’s a good one to have on hand for when there’s a lot going on, particularly if you have kiddos who get overwhelmed easily by lots of rules. I would say that even though the box recommends the game for ages 6+ that it’s a good entry to gaming for any child who can sit and follow the rules of the game. For my kiddos, that has been when they were three, around the same time we started playing Chutes and Ladders and Candyland.
The game has a lot of replay potential – at least as much as other games in our collection that my kids enjoy. Since first playing it, we’ve played it several more times. :
Similar Games
Ultra PRO has a few similar dice-elimination games available. Dracarys Dice is a dragon-themed version of this game. Instead of pandas and bamboo, the dice are decorated with dragons and knights. The dragons and knights do battle, and players try to become the first to be rid of all their dice. We have this game on our wishlist.
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My is another Ultra PRO game involving dice rolling and elimination. The difference between this and Pass the Panda is that there is a scoring mechanism added to the game, which adds some excitement as the pool of dice managed by players shrinks.
Ideas for Gameschooling
While this game isn’t necessarily one for gameschooling with, it’s a fun game to have on hand when a brain break is needed. It might be fun to have on hand when studying the animal kingdom and for kiddos who would really like to deep-dive into pandas and their habitats. We keep quick games like this close for when we need brain breaks or if I need to occupy those I’m not directly teaching.
Where to Purchase Pass the Pandas
Pass the Pandas Deluxe is currently available from Amazon for $24.95.
Here is our BoardgameGeek collection of board games. If there’s a game in our collection you’d love to see reviewed, please comment below.
