Tossing a single dice into the air high enough to brush a bird’s wings, and having it land thunderously on a brand new plastic folding table or homemade piece of plywood, might be one of the best feelings in the world.
Don’t believe me?
The commonly known game Die, or Beer Die, or Dye, is so widely enjoyed, they have made companies and brands solely around this game.
Check out Dye is Life for an example!
Despite its renowned gameplay. It has created some subversions as well. The other game which is similarly designed, but maybe lesser known, is Snappa.
I am going to breakdown the differences between these 2 games. Despite their similarities, they have a lot of well known differences as well.
What is the difference between the two games? Die is an easy game to learn, where players throw a dice up in the air onto the opposing half of the table. When the dice hits the table, the opposing team will try to defend by catching the dice before it hits the ground. Snappa is basically the same game, but it is seated. Players must attempt to throw and defend, all while sitting a chair.
While seating may appear like the biggest difference, it is not. The biggest difference between the two games is the pace.
Die is so loved for college tailgates, family outings, and beach days, due to its slow pace. While it requires attention and some dynamic skill, you can actually kind of relax while playing.
Snappa on the other hand is much quicker. The throws are not as high, and the seats require some quick reflexes when trying to catch.
Which Game is Easier to Setup?
Both games are relatively simple setups. On the general list of materials you need 2 dice, 4 cups with water, and a table.
Die is the easier game to set up. You can play it anywhere in an outside setting as long as you have a table.
Snappa on the other hand does allow for indoor play, and is used in that setting more often, but it does require chairs. You need 4 chairs total in addition to the materials from Die.
Winner: Pretty obviously Die wins, it just requires less materials. But both are pretty simple setups when it comes down to it.
Which game is Faster Paced?
As mentioned earlier, the biggest difference between the games is the pace.
The games differ due to their purpose. One game is more heavily sided to be an offensive battle, while the other more commonly a defensive one.
Snappa is a game commonly played to 21 points. While Die is only played to 11. Snappa is the more offensive game because points are scored at a much higher rate than Die.
The reason for this difference is based on the type of throw. Because Snappa is played while seated and indoor, the throws are hitting the table much quicker than with a Die throw. Trying to make those quick catches while remaining seated can lead to some quick points.
Winner: Snappa is definitely the faster paced game. But the length of gameplay is relatively similar due to the point accumulation.
Which Game is Better To Learn Quickly?
But on a real note, both games are pretty easy to learn. You throw a dice and try to stop the opposing team from scoring, by catching their team's throws.
But each game uses similar rules as well. For instance you can’t reach over the table, if you make a throw into a cup it is 3 points, if it is not a high enough throw it doesn’t count, etc.
From personal experience I believe Snappa is easier to learn. Die has some extra rules, such as “Fifa” where you can actually subtract an opposing team’s points. The game is also typically more scrutinized from a rule perspective, due to it being so well known.
Winner: It is a really a “toss up” on this one, but I think Snappa takes the victory by a slight margin.
Which Game is Better?
Is there such thing as a better game?
Hard to say.
Both games offer so many enticing attributes that make each of them unique in their own way.
It does depend on your environment to an extent. So assuming you can play indoor or outdoor, everyone knows the rules, and you have all the necessary materials, I still think Die might be the better game.
Personally I like Snappa because players get to score more points, but Die is too much of a classic. Snappa will need have to push out a much needed rebranding, before it dethrones Die as the better game.
Winner: I think Die is still the winner here, but you really can’t go wrong with either.
Some Final Thoughts
Games are made to fit any environment that you are in. Whether you are at a tailgate, sitting around with some friends and family, or at a work event, there is a game for you out there, or waiting to made.
Snappa and Die are 2 great games that really any ages after 10 or so, can play.
Both are suited with easy setups, quick learning processes, and enough skill is needed for both games to make it competitive and fun!
If you love scoring points, and quickly, Snappa is your game. If you want to relax a little, and play some championship caliber defense, Die is for you.
After playing these games which one do you like better?
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About LowerShelf Games LowerShelf Games is a free game sharing website that provides a one stop shop for family/party game lovers. The site is a showcase for the numerous games that exist in this world. It provides a single platform for people to not only share games with common items they would find around their house, but also standardized instructions on how to play them.
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