A thirteen-box dice game you can play on your own

Five Dice in Games by Zaweba is a free thirteen-box dice game you can play on your own or against the computer. Each turn you roll five dice up to three times, keep the ones you want, and fill one box on your score card. It's an original game in the app, offline and without adverts, and there's a Solo mode for chasing a big score alone.

Dice games with a score card are some of the best for one player. The luck of the roll keeps it light, but choosing which box to fill, and when, gives you plenty to think about.

How Five Dice plays

Each turn you get up to three rolls of five dice. Between rolls, click dice to keep them, then roll the rest. When you're done, fill one empty box on the card. Hovering over a box shows what it would score, so you can compare before you choose.

The upper boxes add up separately, and if they reach 63 or more you earn a 35 bonus. Five alike scores 50. After thirteen rounds, the higher total wins. In Solo, there's no opponent: you simply chase a big score.

To play, click Roll, click dice to keep them and click a box on the card. Space rolls, and the keys 1 to 5 keep a die. Five Dice is on the Board games shelf.

Filling the card wisely

Aim for the upper bonus. The 35-point bonus for reaching 63 in the upper boxes is a big part of a good total. A useful way to think about it is that three of each number in the upper boxes adds up to exactly 63. If you're above that on some numbers, you can afford to be below on others.

Hover before you commit. Because the card shows what each box would score, use it. Sometimes the obvious box isn't the best one for this roll.

Don't chase five alike too hard. It's worth 50, and it's a thrill when it lands, but spending all three rolls on it when you have a decent result elsewhere can leave you with nothing.

Keep a box to throw away. Late in the game, a bad roll has to go somewhere. Having a low-value box still open lets you take a zero without hurting your total too much.

Think about which dice to keep. Two pairs, a run, or three of a kind each point towards different boxes. Decide what you're going for after the first roll, and keep the dice that fit.

Solo or against the computer

Against the computer, the higher total after thirteen rounds wins, so you can play a little safer when you're ahead. In Solo, it's just you and the score card, and your best total is the target. Games by Zaweba keeps your best score for each game and each mode separately, so your Solo record and your record against the computer don't get mixed up.

A good game for any break

A round of Five Dice takes just a few minutes, and Esc pauses it whenever you need. F1 explains the scoring again if you want to check a box. Scores, plays and wins are stored in a file on your own PC.

If you enjoy rolling dice, Tables (backgammon) and Race Home on the same shelf both use dice too, and Block Dominoes rewards similar counting and planning.