Overview
Beetle is a light dice-and-drawing game in which specific rolls allow players to add body parts to a beetle picture.
Objective
Be the first player to complete the agreed beetle drawing.
What You Need
- 1 die + paper
- 2 or more players
- A clear playing area
Setup
Agree on the body-part chart. A common chart uses 6 = body, 5 = head, 4 = wing, 3 = leg, 2 = antenna and 1 = eye.
How to Play
- Take turns rolling one die.
- If the result corresponds to a legal part you still need, draw it.
- The body normally comes before attached parts; the head before eyes or antennae.
- If no legal part can be added, the turn passes.
- First complete beetle wins.
Scoring / Winning
Beetle is usually won by completing the drawing rather than by points.
Worked Example
If your first roll is a 5 for head but your rules require the body first, you cannot draw anything. Later you roll a 6 and draw the body. A future 5 can then add the head, unlocking eyes and antennae.
Strategy Tips
- The game is mostly luck, so accurate tracking matters most.
- Use a printed outline or checklist for young players.
- For larger groups, give each table its own die to keep turns moving.
Common Mistakes
- Drawing a head, wing or leg before the required body exists.
- Drawing an eye or antenna before the head exists.
- Adding more copies of a part than the agreed beetle requires.
Variations & House Rules
Change the number-to-part chart, require a tail or spots, let a successful roll earn another turn, or play in teams.
FAQ
Does the drawing need to look good?
No. It only needs to show the required parts clearly.
Can we use a different chart?
Yes. Beetle has many family and classroom versions.
Score Card
Open the CS17 fillable Beetle Score Sheet to enter player names and scores on screen, then print it or save it as a PDF.