There and Back Again, designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Office Dog, is a charming and refreshingly straightforward roll-and-write adventure that invites players to journey through Middle-earth one quest at a time.
With eight unique adventures tucked into each player’s personal dry-erase booklet, There and Back Again offers an adventure-based, replayable experience that’s as accessible for children as it is satisfying for adults. Having played several sessions with my kids, I can confidently say this is one of the most family-friendly adventure games in recent memory—light, thematic, and beautifully produced.
Each game of There and Back Again revolves around a single quest, with all players opening their booklets to the same page. These quests are self-contained puzzles, each with its own map, scoring conditions, and thematic flourishes. The first adventure, for example, tasks players with connecting the thirteen dwarves (plus Gandalf) to Bag End using a series of drawn lines. Feed the dwarves with bread, and you’ll earn bonus points. It’s simple stuff at the start, but it works really well.
Gameplay is driven by five custom adventure dice, rolled each round by the first player. Dice are drafted around the table: the first player picks one, then each other player picks one, and finally the first player picks a second. This means the first player always ends up with two dice, while others may get one or two depending on where they sit. The game balances this by then giving the player who drew less the right to roll and choose first in the next round. It’s a clever balancing mechanism that ensures turn order rotates naturally and that no one feels stuck with the leftovers for too long.
Three of the dice feature “line” faces — patterns that correspond to the grid on each adventure map. When you take one of these dice, you use the included dry-erase marker to draw the matching line on your board. These lines are the backbone of your journey, connecting characters, locations, and objectives. The other two dice feature icons — bread, swords, and hats — that trigger special effects depending on the quest. In the first adventure, bread feeds dwarves, hats grant bonuses that the player can choose, and swords are worth points depending on your total. Later quests introduce new uses for these icons, adding variety without overcomplicating the rules.
What struck me most during our first few plays was how well the game balances simplicity with engagement. The rules are easy to teach — my youngest grasped the core loop within minutes — but the decisions are meaningful. Do you take a line that fits your current path, or grab a bread icon to feed a dwarf you haven’t reached yet? Do you spend a hat to draw an extra line now, or save it for a more critical moment? These choices are small but satisfying, and they give each round a rapid rhythm of planning and adaptation.
The component quality is excellent. Each player receives an adventure booklet with eight quests, printed on dry-erase pages that feel durable and smooth. The included markers are fine-tipped and erase cleanly, and the dice themselves are chunky and well-engraved. The iconography is clear, the maps are attractively illustrated, and the overall presentation is polished without being overproduced. It’s the kind of game that feels good to handle—tactile, colourful, and inviting.
From a thematic standpoint, There and Back Again does a lovely job of capturing the spirit of Tolkien’s world without leaning too heavily on lore. You won’t find dense narrative text or character cards, but the maps and objectives evoke key moments from Bilbo’s journey in a way that’s playful and accessible. Connecting dwarves to Bag End, navigating Mirkwood, or approaching the Lonely Mountain all feel like gentle nods to the source material rather than deep dives. For families or casual fans, this is ideal — it’s recognisably Hobbit-themed without requiring encyclopaedic knowledge.
Later adventures introduce marginally more complexity, but the core loop remains consistent. New quests might include branching paths, more intricate scoring conditions, or additional icons to manage, but the game never loses its footing. It’s still about drafting dice, drawing lines, and making small, satisfying choices. This consistency makes it easy to play multiple quests in a single sitting, and the modular nature of the booklets means you can pick up where you left off or replay favourites without fuss.
One of the game’s strengths is how well it scales. It plays smoothly at two, three, or four players, with minimal downtime and no need for shared components. Because each player works on their own board, turns are quick and simultaneous once dice are drafted. This makes it ideal for family play, especially with younger children who might struggle with longer or more complex games.
If I had one minor critique, it’s that the game’s simplicity may limit its long-term appeal for more seasoned gamers. The eight quests offer variety, but they’re not radically different in structure, and the tactical depth is modest. That said, this isn’t a game that’s trying to be a brain-burner. It’s designed to be light, thematic, and replayable—and in that regard, it succeeds admirably.
There and Back Again is a delightful roll-and-write that combines elegant design with high-quality production and a warm, family-friendly theme. It’s easy to teach, quick to play, and satisfying to revisit, with just enough variety across its eight quests to keep things fresh. Whether you’re introducing younger players to the hobby or simply looking for a relaxing, thematic filler, this is a journey worth taking — one line at a time.
There and Back Again is available from 24th October 2025, from Zatu Games.
