Yahtzee Variations & Similar Dice Games

Yahtzee variations share the same five-dice core but tweak the scorecard, the bonus, or the categories. If you love the original, these similar dice games extend its life for years: Triple Yahtzee stacks three boards, Yahtzee Jr. simplifies it for kids, and regional cousins like Yatzy and Yacht change the maths. Below is a clear comparison of the versions players ask about most.

Popular Yahtzee Variations

• Triple Yahtzee — three full scorecards on one sheet; you play three games at once and the challenge is balancing all three upper bonuses.
• Yahtzee Jr. — a kid-friendly version with simplified categories and themed art; same dice, gentler rules.
• Yahtzee Bonus / Millionaire — house-rule and licensed editions that add streak bonuses.
• Generala — the popular Latin-American cousin with its own "Generala Real" first-roll jackpot.

Yacht — The Game Yahtzee Came From

Before it was Yahtzee, the game was "The Yacht Game." Yacht keeps five dice but uses only seven categories: Yacht (50), Four of a Kind (sum), Full House (25), Little Straight (30), Big Straight (30), Choice (sum), and Sixes. Note both straights score 30 and there is no 13-box upper section — so the bonus maths differ from modern Yahtzee.

Yahtzee vs Yatzy: Key Rule Differences

Yatzy is the Scandinavian edition and the closest cousin. The five-dice loop is identical, but the upper-section bonus is typically +50 (not +35) in the Nordic rulebook once you reach 63. Category names and a few scoring conventions vary by local edition.

Which Variation Should You Try?

• Want more depth? Triple Yahtzee — three boards, three bonuses to manage.
• Playing with kids? Yahtzee Jr. removes the steep learning curve.
• Like the original maths but a different bonus? Yatzy.
• Curious about the roots? Yacht — the 7-category ancestor.