Review: Piña Coladice
Introduction & Overview
Bring out the glasses, because it’s time to mix some drinks! The ingredients are on the table: spices, bases, fruits, and veggies… Each one requires a unique dice combination. Players will roll them on their turn and strategically place their tokens to score valuable points… or whip up a piña colada that grants an instant victory!
This is the premise behind Piña Coladice, designed by Yann Dupont (Squelettos, Savana). First published in 2024 by IELLO in a French edition, with artwork by Crocotame (LUZ, Odin).
It is published in Spanish by Devir (the game is completely language-independent). It plays 2 to 4 players, with a recommended age of 8 and up, and an approximate duration of 10 to 20 minutes. The MSRP is €20. A copy of IELLO’s French edition was used as a review copy for this write-up.
Important: if you already know the game and/or are only interested in my opinion about it, you can go directly to the Opinion section. The Content and Mechanics sections are especially intended for those who do not know the game and prefer to get a general idea of how it works.
Components
Inside a two-piece cardboard box (lid and bottom), measuring 18×13×4 cm (a small rectangular box similar to Mino Dice), we find the following items:
- 5 Dice (plastic)
- 28 Cocktail Markers (7 in each color) (wooden)
- 25 Coasters (cardboard)
- 4 Score Coasters (cardboard)
- Happy Hour Variant Coaster (cardboard)
- Rulebook
How to Play
Piña Coladice is a dice game featuring a Yahtzee-style reroll mechanic. The game unfolds over a series of turns where each player rolls five dice, getting up to two rerolls in which they may cast any number of dice while keeping the values of the rest. After that, the player places one of their markers onto a coaster matching the pattern obtained in the roll, scoring the indicated victory points plus an additional victory point for each orthogonally adjacent coaster already marked by that same player. The game ends when a player runs out of markers (the highest score wins) or when a player forms a straight line of four coasters (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal), taking an instant victory regardless of anyone’s score.
Key Concepts
The core element of the game is the Dice. On each turn, players can make up to three rolls with these dice, keeping the values of any chosen dice between rolls.
The primary goal is to assemble specific combinations through these rolls. These target combinations are depicted on the Coasters that form the game board. Each coaster shows a designated pattern in its center based on background color: pairs or two-pairs on green, three-of-a-kinds on blue, and miscellaneous combinations on red (straights, intervals, full houses, four-of-a-kinds, etc.). These tiles are double-sided with the same combination: one side features a single space (with a hollow pip) and the other offers two spaces (with a filled pip), each displaying point values.
Once a player matches the combination shown on one of these coasters, they place one of their Cocktail Markers onto the highest available scoring space to claim those points. Extra points are awarded for every marker of their color on an adjacent coaster (orthogonally or diagonally). Placing all markers is one way to trigger the end of the game. Alternatively, players can claim an immediate win by placing markers in a line of four coasters.
Finally, every player receives a Score Coaster, using one of their cocktail pieces as a score tracker. Reaching or exceeding 20 points will also trigger the end of the game.
That is enough to get started.
Preparación de la Partida
- Shuffle the coaster deck and lay them out in the center of the table in a 4×4 grid. Depending on player count, certain coasters are flipped to their filled-pip side (at 2 players, none are flipped; at 3 players, the coasters along both diagonals are flipped; at 4 players, all of them are flipped).
- Set the five dice aside.
- Each player picks a color and takes 7 cocktail markers along with a score coaster. Place one cocktail marker next to the score coaster and keep the rest handy for the central display.
- Randomly choose a starting player, who places their cocktail marker on the space with value 1 on their score coaster. In clockwise order, the remaining players place their markers one point higher than the previous player.
We are ready to begin!
Game Flow
A game of Piña Coladice takes place over an indeterminate number of rounds where each player takes a turn, starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise.
On their turn, the active player rolls the dice. Following this initial roll, they may take up to two rerolls, choosing any dice to roll again (regardless of which ones were kept or rerolled earlier) if they are not satisfied with the result.
Once the player finishes rolling (either because they rolled an acceptable result or exhausted all three rolls), they may place one of their cocktail markers on a coaster that has at least one open space, isn’t already occupied by that player, and whose pattern is satisfied by the dice. The player scores the points indicated on the space plus one bonus point for each adjacent coaster (orthogonally or diagonally) holding one of their markers. Placing a marker is mandatory whenever legally possible.
The turn then passes to the player on the left.
Game End
The game ends if one of the following conditions is met:
- A player reaches or exceeds 20 points.
- A player places their sixth cocktail marker.
The current round is finished so that all players take an equal number of turns. After completing the final round, the player with the most points wins (ties are broken in favor of the last tied player to place a cocktail marker on a coaster).
Alternatively, the game ends immediately if a player forms a straight line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) of four coasters containing their markers, declaring them the winner on the spot.
Variants
Happy Hour Variant. If a player cannot place a cocktail marker after resolving their three rolls, they roll a single die and execute the effect mapped to that result on the Happy Hour coaster:
- Lose 3 points.
- Remove one of your cocktail markers from a coaster (it returns to your personal supply and can be played again later).
- All other players gain 1 victory point.
- Move an opponent’s cocktail marker to an open space on another coaster.
- Flip a coaster to its opposite side. Any cocktail markers on it are returned to their owners’ supplies.
- Score 4 points immediately.
Personal Opinion
Those who have followed me for a long time will already know that pineapple is my favorite fruit. Yes, I am one of those “heretics” who loves pineapple on pizza. One of its greatest spin-offs is the piña colada, also among my all-time favorite drinks. That is why, when this game was first announced, I could not resist grabbing a copy—even though the first edition faced a few ups and downs, including several delays.
Fortunately, the ship finally reached port, my copy arrived, and I was able to get it to the table. Now it is time to dissect its mechanics and emerging dynamics to see if it delivers an experience strong enough to earn a spot on shelves worldwide, or if it is merely another generic dice-chucker that cannot rival the genre’s heavyweights (some of which we will touch upon below).
Piña Coladice brings players into the lively world of dice rolling, where each roll shapes your strategic route to victory. At its core, the game borrows the familiar Yahtzee formula: players aim for specific combinations, rerolling up to two times and locking in preferred dice along the way. The excitement stems from push-your-luck uncertainty and tactical choices about which dice to hold and which to recast.
Where Piña Coladice diverges is in introducing a spatial element to target selection. Combinations are laid out across a 4×4 grid of cardboard coasters. Hitting one of these patterns lets the active player claim it with one of their charming cocktail tokens, scoring the points printed on the spot. Furthermore, players score bonus points if the claimed coaster borders other coasters they already occupy, layering positional play right onto the dice rolls.
This spatial incentive rewards thoughtful foresight, pushing players to weigh not just which patterns they can make, but where they sit geographically to optimize scoring. The stakes are raised further by the sudden-death victory condition: align four coasters in an unbroken line of your color, and you win instantly, regardless of the scoreboard. This rule injects a sharp risk-reward tension into every turn, forcing everyone to balance points against shutting down sudden breakaways.
This dynamic sparks fun table talk as players scramble to convince whoever is rolling to target a specific coaster to block a runaway leader. If the roller ignores the plea, someone might connect four in a row, ending the game on the spot and leaving everyone else staring in disbelief. That social banter adds another layer of fun, where table talk and negotiation become just as vital as the roll itself.
As a result, turns feel punchy and engaging. Each roll poses meaningful decisions, like deciding which dice to hold or which coaster to claim when multiple options open up. Players are encouraged to anticipate moves, read their opponents’ intentions, and adapt to a board state that shifts whenever a cocktail drops. This steady stream of small tactical choices keeps everyone invested throughout.
Even so, it is worth remembering that Piña Coladice is still very much a dice game where luck plays a prominent role. You can map out a flawless strategy, but if the dice refuse to cooperate, all you can do is take the blow in stride and avoid wasted turns. After all, the design is fundamentally a race: banking points and placing a token every turn—even on low-scoring tiles—is often far safer than tunnel-visioning on a high-risk combo for an instant win.
For this reason, Piña Coladice provides a genuinely pleasant social experience. It bridges skill levels nicely, pairing an accessible entry point for novices (rolling dice) with tactical depth for seasoned hobbyists looking to hate-draft or block high-value spots. That dual appeal makes it an easy fit for both casual family sessions and competitive warm-ups.
Even with its clever ideas, Piña Coladice doesn’t quite match the sheer brilliance of classic dice designs by our beloved doctor, Reiner Knizia, such as Pickomino (here is its tocho-review), Sushi Bar (here is its tocho-review), or High Score (here is its tocho-review). While the spatial grid gives the game its distinct identity, that very board structure limits the wild, climactic swings and edge-of-your-seat drama found in Knizia’s gems.
This constraint also impacts player count scaling, as the game shines brightest with higher counts. Drop down in numbers and the tension softens noticeably, turning into a relatively muted duel at two players. Blocking pressure and table politics largely evaporate, handing more sway to raw dice variance over positional tactics.
As a light dice filler, Piña Coladice hits the table without friction. It is snappy, brisk, and breezy enough to warrant back-to-back plays. The generous supply of coasters allows for varied board setups across plays, providing welcome replayability. On top of that, the included Happy Hour variant feels practically essential, penalizing busted turns and discouraging overly defensive stall tactics.
Looking at the components, production values are solid. The translucent dice carry a distinct frosted texture that feels great in hand. Using low-density, beer-mat style cardboard for the coasters adds an authentic tabletop touch, while the distinct wooden cocktail shapes for each player are a delightful detail. Everything fits neatly into a functional insert, and the rules are concise and crystal-clear.
Visually, Crocotame’s art style has a whimsical, quirky charm. The box cover is vibrant and eye-catching, even if the connection between a toucan and the cocktail theme remains a mystery (feel free to enlighten me in the comments). The coasters also boast personality, which is impressive given they are ultimately just square tiles with dice patterns.
And let’s wrap this up. Piña Coladice is a light dice filler that channels classic Yahtzee rerolls into an engaging spatial puzzle. Players roll and reroll to claim spots on a central grid, optimizing adjacency points while hunting for an immediate four-in-a-row victory. While it does not scale seamlessly to two players and variance remains high, it delivers breezy, accessible fun that hits its mark. For all these reasons, I give it a…
