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Can't Stop

Can't Stop is a classic push-your-luck game where players roll dice to advance on tracks, trying to reach the top before their opponents. Risky decisions and strategic choices make for a thrilling race to the finish.

6.91 / 10
BGG Rating
9+
age
1980
published year
2 - 4
player count
2 - 4
Recommended player count
30 mins
play time

How Complex is Can't Stop?

1.15 / 5

Can't Stop is easy to learn and play, with simple rules and mechanics that can be grasped quickly by players of all skill levels.

How much Luck is involved in the gameplay of Can't Stop?

4 / 5

Luck plays a significant role in Can't Stop, as players rely on dice rolls to advance. However, strategic choices and risk management can mitigate the impact of luck, making it a balanced game.

How much Player Interaction does Can't Stop offer?

3 / 5

Can't Stop has limited direct player interaction, as each player focuses on their progress. However, players can compete for the same tracks, creating some level of interaction.

How much Replayability does Can't Stop offer?

3 / 5

Can't Stop offers moderate replayability due to the random nature of dice rolls. However, the game mechanics remain the same, which may limit long-term appeal.

Why you should play Can't Stop

Easy to Learn

Can't Stop is a simple game to learn and play, making it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels.

Quick Gameplay

The game can be played in under an hour, making it an excellent option for a short game night or as a filler game between longer games.

Strategic Depth

Despite its simplicity, Can't Stop offers a surprising amount of strategic depth, as players must balance risk and reward to advance their game pieces.

Social Interaction

Can't Stop is a social game that encourages players to interact with each other, making it an excellent option for parties or gatherings.

Family-Friendly

Can't Stop is a family-friendly game that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, making it a great option for family game nights.

Why you should avoid Can't Stop

Luck-Based

Can't Stop relies heavily on luck, as players must roll the correct numbers to advance their game pieces. This can be frustrating for players who prefer games with more skill-based mechanics.

Limited Player Interaction

While Can't Stop is a social game, there is little player interaction beyond rolling the dice and making decisions based on the results. This may not appeal to players who prefer games with more direct player-to-player interaction.

Lack of Theme

Can't Stop is a purely abstract game with no actual theme or narrative, which may not appeal to players who prefer games with solid themes or immersive storytelling.

Repetitive Gameplay

While Can't Stop offers a surprising amount of strategic depth, the gameplay can become repetitive over time, as players do the same thing each turn.

Limited Strategy

While some strategy is involved in Can't Stop, the game is ultimately quite simple and may not offer enough depth for players who prefer more complex or strategic games.

Where to find the Rules of Can't Stop

Check the rules of Can't Stop in a PDF file.

You can also find the community-driven rules summary, player aid, etc., in the Can't Stop files section on the BoardGameGeek website. You need an account on BGG to download files.

Strategies for Can't Stop

Choose the best possible pair

You will roll four dice in Can't Stop. You need to pick two dice pairs from 3 possible pairs. Let's say you roll a 3-4-2-6. The possible pairs are,

  1. 3-4 & 2-6 → 7 & 8
  2. 3-2 & 4-6 → 5 & 10
  3. 3-6 & 2-4 → 9 & 6

During your turn, carefully evaluate all three possibilities and pick the one that will benefit you the most. You can learn more about which pair to pick in the following three points.

Know the probability of rolling a number

Can't Stop is a game about balancing risk-reward. You may have to take the minimum risk to reap the maximum reward. Probability can help you know the minimum risk you can take.

Can't stop odds explains the probability of rolling a number and the minimum number of rolls you can make before exceeding the minimum risk. On the page, you will see numbers like this,

4 6 10 88% 7 - This means there's a 88% chance that you can make a dice pair of 4, 6 or 10, and you can roll the dice seven times before the expected loss exceeds the gain.

Take risks

After all, Can't Stop is a push-your-luck game. You often need to take risks to win or prevent others from winning. For example, let's say your opponent is two steps away from winning column 7, and you have already rolled six times during your turn to reach one step below that opponent.

In this case, you should keep rolling to win that column before your friend. The reason is 7 is the number that has the maximum probability of getting rolled. If you don't push your luck this turn, your friend will probably win the column during the next turn.

Know when to stop

To make much progress in Can't Stop, you must know when to stop rolling. This is as important as taking risks. If you push too far, you will bust and lose all your progress.

Let's say, by chance, you progress two steps in the 12th track in one round. Your other white markers are in 2 & 10. Here, you must refrain from pushing your luck to win column 12. You must be happy about your progress and stop, as rolling one more 12 is difficult, and the odds are not in your favour.

Mechanics

Dice Rolling
Push Your Luck
Race

Categories

Dice
Racing