Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Roots is a game of inventing words. Players combine Prefix and Suffix cards to create new words, competing for the best connection to a Subject card.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Voting
Players collectively approve, reject, or select an outcome through votes.
Hand Management
Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Storytelling
Create or extend a narrative in response to prompts or game events.
Read the full game description
Roots is a game of inventing words. Players combine Prefix and Suffix cards to create new words, competing for the best connection to a Subject card. Whoever delivers the best explanation for their word captures that Subject card, gaining a potential piece of their secret Win condition. But stay sharp: players can manipulate each other's progress with various Power cards, undermining opponents while advancing themselves. The result is narrative warfare in which the most creative, best spoken, and craftiest thrive.