How it plays
Eleven routes numbered 2 to 12 lead up a mountain in the Franjos edition reviewed; the middle ones are long, the outer ones short. The active player rolls four dice, forms two pairs and places up to three climbers on the routes of these sums. Once all three are placed, only their routes count. Players either keep rolling or secure their progress by setting up a camp. If a roll does not let any climber advance, they all fall, and the turn was for nothing. Whoever conquers three routes first wins.
What it can help develop
Can’t Stop is weighing risks made tangible: is the progress worth the risk of another roll? Children notice that 6, 7 or 8 come up much more often with two dice than 2 or 12, often at first as a gut feeling, later as a conscious thought. If the climbers are on rare routes, every roll becomes more dangerous; stopping in time instead of saying “one more time” calls for impulse control. Along the way, players add numbers up and choose between three ways of pairing the dice.
Especially suitable for
- School-age children from age 7 who enjoy taking risks
- Mixed groups with grandparents and grandchildren
- Children who need to practise stopping
Less suitable for
- Children who find lost turns hard to cope with
- Players looking for strategy with no luck of the dice at all
Our verdict
Can’t Stop is a worthwhile choice for families with school-age children from age 7 who like to take risks, and for groups spanning several generations. Its strength lies in the appeal of rolling again, which can teach along the way when stopping is wiser. Its limitations are the high luck factor and the often bitter fall for anyone whose mood is spoiled by a failed turn.
Getting started
- Before the first game, show on the board that the length of a route matches how often its sum comes up. The long routes in the middle come up often, the short ones at the edges rarely.
- With children who find setbacks hard to take, explain beforehand that a fall only costs the current turn and that progress already secured is kept.
In detail
Variants and player count
The recommended age depends on the edition: the Spiel des Jahres jury lists the original Parker edition from age 10, while the Franjos editions are recommended from age 7. According to Wikipedia, the routes in the first edition by Parker Brothers (1980) are 3 to 13 spaces long, depending on the probability of the sum. The Franjos edition comes with 40 marking pieces in four colours. The 2020 edition has a larger board and larger wooden discs, and the climbers and dice are also made of wood.
What reviewers say
The 2020 Franjos edition received the Generationenspiel seal from the association Spielecafé der Generationen in March 2022. On jungundaltspielt.de, the accessible rules and the large, easy-to-handle pieces are praised, but the game is considered very luck-heavy there. Reich der Spiele describes the 2011 Franjos edition as quick to explain and points out the wooden figures. Writing about the same edition, Spiele-Akademie speaks of an addictive quality. At the same time, Spiele-Akademie notes that the element of luck must never be ignored.
How it compares
Pickomino and No Thanks! share all three skill areas with Can’t Stop: impulse control, numbers and arithmetic as well as logic and planning. Pickomino (from age 8, 2 to 7 people, 20 to 30 minutes) suits mixed groups of up to seven, including with grandparents. In a two-player game, stealing hardly has any effect in Pickomino. No Thanks! (from age 8, 3 to 7 people, about 20 minutes) is shorter than Can’t Stop and is for at least three people. Can’t Stop suits families who want to practise stopping at the right time. Players who are looking for tactics rather than luck, or who cope badly with losses, are less well served by Can’t Stop.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What age is Can’t Stop suitable for?
Can’t Stop is recommended from age 7, and the rules are quick to explain. A child is usually ready when they stay calm after a failed turn and enjoy taking a chance. The game is less suitable for children who find setbacks hard to take.
How long does a game take and how many people can play?
A game takes about 30 minutes. The game is for 2 to 4 people, who play against each other, and the winner is whoever is first to complete three routes. This also suits mixed groups in which young and old roll the dice together.
What skills can Can’t Stop help develop?
It can help develop impulse control, numbers and arithmetic as well as logic and planning. For example, children sense that the middle sums 6, 7 and 8 come up considerably more often than the outer sums 2 and 12, and they practise securing their progress in time.
Does it all come down to the luck of the dice?
The luck factor is high, as several reviews emphasise. Players still have a say, though: which of the three possible pairings they choose, which routes they place their climbers on and when they secure their progress.
