While this game is not for a large group, this is an almost perfect entry for a small gathering. The components of the Milton Bradley edition were pretty good for a domestic game, with a large throwing area for the dice as well as a special holder for the several cards. The scoring cards were even double-sided, giving a nice mix of 23 different cards.

The gist of the game is this; A card in the holder shows various dice in six or seven scoring combinations. Some of these are as simple as a single die of a particular value, such as a '5' for a quick 10 points. Others are considerably more difficult to acheive, scoring as much as 100 points. Some combinations are in black, which force a player to lose points if completed.

Each player starts the game with a number of dice, varying with the number of players. The total dice in play will be around thirty or so. On a player's turn, five of those dice are rolled, or as many as are left if less than five. At least one die must be placed if possible, but bejond that placement is entirely optional. The player receives points for any row completed and has the option to re-throw any dice that were not placed, again with the stipulation that at least one must be placed if possible. Wen a player can not place a die or chooses not to roll, it moves on to the next player. After all rows on a card are filled, players take back their dice and another card is revealed. This goes on until a dozen cards have been scored.

What this creats is an interesting little game of multiple push-your-luck scenarios. One does not want to set up another player for a big score nor fall behind. One also must balance how many dice to place, since a player can find him or herself denuded of dice and scoring opportunities if the play comes back around the table.

This is not a heavy strategy game by any means. The choices are fairly simple and it lacks the elegance of games like Liar's Dice, but it is still an excellent game for parties or picnics. Recommended.

Sharp Shooters is a good game for a mixed group of players because it is one of the easiest games to learn and the decisions are fairly simple. In a group, people can get excited about whether you can roll that last 6 you need to collect big bucks or if you are going to get stuck playing that 3 and lose some bucks. It's nothing remarkable, but it is entertaining.