Game: Snakes and Ladders

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Urtur — 2008-08-28T09:06:03+00:00

A 1925AD version of the game exposed in the Games Museum of Figueres (Catalonia, Spain).

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Toynan — 2008-08-16T14:32:58+00:00

Smurf board

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Toynan — 2008-08-16T14:30:31+00:00

Smurf snake & Ladders front of the box (french edition)

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ZackStack — 2008-07-21T18:13:37+00:00

Up the Ladder or Down the Chute? Either way we're having a good time!

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Toynan — 2008-07-16T00:18:29+00:00

A little kid

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Toynan — 2008-07-16T00:16:11+00:00

A little girl

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Toynan — 2008-07-13T12:06:07+00:00

A boy slidding

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Toynan — 2008-07-13T12:04:29+00:00

A child climbing the ladder

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Toynan — 2008-07-13T12:01:25+00:00

The Spinner

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Toynan — 2008-07-13T11:58:53+00:00

The Board

Thread: Re: ChipChuck plays Chutes & Ladders with his 4 yo and 3 yo daughters

Shade_Jon — 2008-05-01T17:46:20+00:00

Or, give each player two pawns and let them decide which one to move each time.

Yehuda

Thread: Re: ChipChuck plays Chutes & Ladders with his 4 yo and 3 yo daughters

peacmyer — 2008-05-01T17:10:18+00:00

Cool!

When they are ready, try this variant:

Use the aces through 6's from a deck of cards. Each player gets a hand of three to choose from each turn.

Thread: ChipChuck plays Chutes & Ladders with his 4 yo and 3 yo daughters

ChipChuck — 2008-05-01T14:20:24+00:00

Hello BGG friends,

I thought I'd take a few minutes to tell you all about my recent Dad & Daughters game. Kaighlee (my 4 year old) and Piper (my 3 year old) wanted to play a game with Daddy (that'd be me), so I said, "Thank you Lord for giving me Boardgamers!"

Kaighlee chose Chutes & Ladders over Hi Ho Cherry O and Candyland, so we got it down from the shelf. Any of you with kids know EXACTLY why we keep them on the shelves, hehe.

We opened it up and laid out the board. KK and Piper each chose one of the girl pawns, and KK informed me that I was indeed a boy and needed to pick a boy piece. After all that was settled, the game began. Kaighlee did quite well with the rules and operating the spinner. Each turn we took time to count out the number she had rolled and going up ladders or down chutes. Piper needed a little coaxing to actually spin the spinner as she mostly wanted to point it to THREE as she said, "I'm three!" But she didn't put up too much of a fight to spin it once we all agreed that she is three.

The chutes and ladders didn't cause too much trouble unless one of them landed in the middle of one. Then I had to explain that you have to be at the top or bottom to go up or down.

We lost Piper's counting after about 25 but I would count and she would repeate. KK was good up into the 70's.

Towards the end we got in that viscious loop of getting to the top row and falling down a chute, but eventually Piper landed on the ladder square that takes you to the top. We didn't let the game end there, KK's next move took her across the top to the win, and Daddy followed up a few moves later (I had hit a wicked chute that sent me back into the 60's).

All and all I think they had a good time. They've asked when we are gonna play another game and I'm gonna start having weekly Dad & Daughters games with them.

Thread: Re: User Review

psymann — 2008-03-26T23:22:42+00:00

Karlsen wrote:
The rules for our edition do not have bounce back, and we would not change it because, as you said, it would lengthen the game too much!

When you've played Alice in Wonderland, you soon realise what a short game Snakes and Ladders is ;-)

If anyone actually really likes snakes and ladders, and would love to play the hardcore version, then have a look at that.

Thread: Re: User Review

Karlsen — 2008-03-26T22:54:01+00:00

psymann wrote:
Karlsen wrote:
You must land on 100 square with an exact roll, if your roll takes you past 100 you forfeit your turn. This process of trying to land on 100 exactly can sometimes take quite a while.

It takes even longer if you play it the way I've always played it. You still have to get the exact number, but if you get one that is too big, you "bounce back" off the 100 space. So, say you are on 98, and roll a 5. You would move 99, 100, 99, 98, 97. Which is a real pain in the bottom if there's a snake on square 97 which takes you back to 60-something ;-)

The rules for our edition do not have bounce back, and we would not change it because, as you said, it would lengthen the game too much!

Thread: Re: User Review

psymann — 2008-03-26T21:25:59+00:00

Karlsen wrote:
You must land on 100 square with an exact roll, if your roll takes you past 100 you forfeit your turn. This process of trying to land on 100 exactly can sometimes take quite a while.

It takes even longer if you play it the way I've always played it. You still have to get the exact number, but if you get one that is too big, you "bounce back" off the 100 space. So, say you are on 98, and roll a 5. You would move 99, 100, 99, 98, 97. Which is a real pain in the bottom if there's a snake on square 97 which takes you back to 60-something ;-)

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

psymann — 2008-03-26T21:18:05+00:00

I do agree that it's a mind-numbing game of lucky dice. But that doesn't mean all children will hate it. I used to happily play this with my brother and sister when we were all very little. It was like the first rung of the ladder of board games. We moved onto other roll-a-dice-and-move games, and slowly progressed from those onto games which were similar but started to involve thought - like Ludo.

Snakes and Ladders can get you interested in board games and wanting to play better ones in the same way Beggar-my-neighbour can get you interested in card games, and wanting to play better ones. I think it has its place.

The one other thing that may be useful to you as a parent is that I remember my brother, sister and I creating our own snakes and ladders games. We'd maybe use a rectangle of numbers up to 120, or a circle of numbers, or something. We'd have various snakes and ladders in different places. As a way of getting your children to do something constructive on bored rainy afternoons, designing your own snakes and ladders game is quite good since you can even play it when you've finished. I even remember once having a game where we linked all the versions we'd made together, covering probably 10 pieces of paper, and had the most mammoth game of snakes and ladders ever ;-)

I still wouldn't rate the game highly, but I do think it's appropriate for children at an age when they're ready to play "My First Boardgame", and be introduced to the concept of a board, dice, counters, taking turns, etc. And as someone else pointed out above, the fact that it's 100% based on luck means that the oldest child doesn't win every time.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Nogser — 2008-01-28T14:16:05+00:00

Sagrilarus wrote:
I agree. I hate the damn thing. But kids seem to love it, and you play it for the kids. It's a two-year-old thing.

Sag.

My 2 yr old thrashed me at Pass the Pigs last night so this one will stay at the bottom of the pile in my house.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Sagrilarus — 2008-01-28T13:55:34+00:00

Nogser wrote:
Sagrilarus wrote:
They pull it out, they play with the pieces, they learn how to take turns, they enjoy a win, they smile, and then they lose interest and move on, as all kids do in all things.

I understand that many other people have a different view of this game. However I don't think you need to play Snakes and Ladders to get these reactions. Apparently it takes an average of 45.2 roles (See link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders) which I think is way to long for a random outcome and the board layout is frustrating.

I agree. I hate the damn thing. But kids seem to love it, and you play it for the kids. It's a two-year-old thing.

Sag.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Nogser — 2008-01-28T11:27:38+00:00

Sagrilarus wrote:
They pull it out, they play with the pieces, they learn how to take turns, they enjoy a win, they smile, and then they lose interest and move on, as all kids do in all things.

I understand that many other people have a different view of this game. However I don't think you need to play Snakes and Ladders to get these reactions. Apparently it takes an average of 45.2 roles (See link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders) which I think is way to long for a random outcome and the board layout is frustrating.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

wmshub — 2008-01-26T06:51:39+00:00

I guess it depends on the kids.

My daughters have pulled the game out. Wanted to play. Gotten annoyed when they couldn't figure out which square their piece moves to next. Then usually gotten bored and wandered off before the game ended. Never learned a think about karmic balance.

Terrible for adults. Terrible for children. A truly, truly, awful game, and a failure at what it's designed for.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Sagrilarus — 2008-01-26T04:12:06+00:00

    . . . and yet the very youngest of children enjoy the game. They pull it out, they play with the pieces, they learn how to take turns, they enjoy a win, they smile, and then they lose interest and move on, as all kids do in all things.

    An awful game.

    Damn near perfect at what it's designed for.

    Huh.

             Sag.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Nogser — 2008-01-25T11:28:20+00:00

My 3 boys if you are interested are 6.5, just turned 5 and 2 weeks shy of 3. They do sometimes pick snakes & ladders but their attention soon wanders away from the game.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

KrisVerbeeck — 2008-01-25T11:06:16+00:00

Nogser wrote:
I fully appreciate that there is a contrary view to mine of this game. I have decided to review all the games I play with my 3 boys and this comes out the worst by far of those that I own. It was naturally enough a present. I'm firmly of the belief of playing childrens games with children but I've tucked this one out of view in the hope of never having to play it again.

Good idea.
If you boys rate this game a two there is no reason to hide it however.
Or are you afraid they may choose it ??

Let your boys decide what game they want to play. Children at a young age can be very direct why they like a game or not. Just ask them some simple questions.

Like Karlsen said early three can be too young and when you are older you may want to play this with your younger brother /sister.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Karlsen — 2008-01-25T10:43:29+00:00

Nogser wrote:
I have decided to review all the games I play with my 3 boys and this comes out the worst by far of those that I own. How old are your boys? I think the prime age group for this is four to five.

Ironically, Daughter the Younger (four) actually requested to play this today and Daughter the Elder (nine) joined in for a game, but she hasn't really requested it for a few years now.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

jellynut — 2008-01-25T10:38:02+00:00

If you have to play this game (i.e. you are with young children in a place where there are no other games), then here's two simple variants.

1. Instead of one dice roll two dice, and choose which value you want to use. The game finishes much quicker. A small degree of planning can be used. To add in a handicapping system - the younger children can roll three dice and choose which value they want.

2. Each player gets 5 action points at the start. Each AP can be used to add or subtract one from the dice roll. It adds a little bit of decison making, and a little bit of AP management. If the children still like the idea of rolling dice and moving, you are then ready to move on to Formula Dé

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Nogser — 2008-01-25T10:26:50+00:00

I fully appreciate that there is a contrary view to mine of this game. I have decided to review all the games I play with my 3 boys and this comes out the worst by far of those that I own. It was naturally enough a present. I'm firmly of the belief of playing childrens games with children but I've tucked this one out of view in the hope of never having to play it again.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Karlsen — 2008-01-25T00:43:00+00:00

Nogser wrote:

Raising future gamers:

1) This one is no help to you a very poor game that drags on and on with no metal involvement will not encourage any child to play any other games
It probably depends on the child, but I would disagree. It doesn't drag on that long (even with the having to roll the exact number to land on 100) and with Daughter the Elder it certainly didn't discourage her from playing other games. Agreed that there is fundamentally no game present, but this is what puts a small child on an even keel with their parents and thus they can beat their parents at it. This is quite important to them.
Nogser wrote:
2) Some people suggest that it helps the little ones with their numbers and waiting for their turn but I have to disagree, the return for time spent is very poor Again we will have to agree to disagree. Unlike something like Ludo and a few other children's games I could mention, this is not a very long game. In our experience it was very good at teaching an understanding of numbers of up to 100. She already had turn taking down hat from previous experience with Tummy Ache
Nogser wrote:
3) The moral of this game, the difficulty of achieving Nirvana and the benefit of good deeds is lost on anyone who is young enough not to say no to this gameEntirely optional to use this "feature" of the game, however we found in the four to five age group it added to the game.

A longer version of my comments on Snakes and Ladders can be found here.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

wmshub — 2008-01-24T22:29:48+00:00

I agree, this game sucks.

When the child is very young, following which square is next is very difficult because of the way the path winds around, and most boards have nothing but the numbers as a guide to which square comes next.

When the child is older, there are *MUCH MUCH MUCH* better games to practice the numbers 1..100 with. Rat-a-tat cat, for example, requires somebody to keep a running tally of points; having a kindergartener do this (with help as needed from parents) is better practice with these numbers, and a heck of a lot more fun.

And to top it all off, the game can run on for way too long.

Of all the traditional children's games (this, candyland, hi-ho cherry-o, etc.), this is the only one that I really strongly recommend *AGAINST* getting.

Thread: Re: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

KrisVerbeeck — 2008-01-24T20:13:05+00:00

This game basicly learnt me to count to a 100 and do sums and subtractions.

So I wouldn't say it is a bad game. There is some anxiety in it. You learn how to look forward. You know that if you throw a three you get on a ladder earning you the three + 28 spots (so 31) but if you trow a five you land on a snake and go down 17 spots or in total you loose 12.
The next turn your good or bad throw is something else. So constant maths in a game kids can play.

There are games that are more fun to play with children but Snakes and ladders is a good teaching tool for math.

edited spelling mistake

Thread: Snakes & Ladders - A parents review

Nogser — 2008-01-24T18:12:21+00:00

The aim of this review is to give a perspective of what is in the game for the kids and what’s in it for you playing with them.

Overview: The ubiquitous game of childhood. A simple race (or should I say marathon slog) to the finish on a numbered board with some helpful ladders and nasty snakes to help and impede your progress.

Components: There must be thousands of varieties of this game varying in quality but in essence you get 1 numbered board usually 1-100, some player tokens and 1 D6.

Age Appropriateness: In my humble opinion this game is inappropriate for any age. All you need to play is an ability to remember not eat the pieces. (Although it may be a blessing for the other players if you did)

The Game: Race to the finish spot, number 100, if you land on a snake head slide to the end of its tail and if you land at the bottom of a ladder climb to the top. Wait for your next turn.

The Game play: Roll, move, pass. Repeat ad nauseam until someone hopefully finishes. Try to stay awake. Early hopefulness of your kids will slowly turn sour and you’ll end up trying to keep them at it because you are trying to teach them to finish what they started.

What’s in it for them? Nothing should really be used as a punishment duty.

What’s in it for you? Mind numbing boredom!

Raising future gamers:

1) This one is no help to you a very poor game that drags on and on with no metal involvement will not encourage any child to play any other games
2) Some people suggest that it helps the little ones with their numbers and waiting for their turn but I have to disagree, the return for time spent is very poor
3) The moral of this game, the difficulty of achieving Nirvana and the benefit of good deeds is lost on anyone who is young enough not to say no to this game

Summary

Overall I despise this game but you probably guessed this by now. There are so many better things to do with you kids than play this.

It is difficult to rate children’s games but funnily enough I don’t have a problem with this one a clear 2.

Thread: Re: My daughter saves my sanity

timstellmach — 2008-01-15T04:33:52+00:00

Yeah, I've had much the same experience. If you were to try to design a game to never end this would be a pretty good start. It's basically an insanely awful idea.

Thread: Re: My daughter saves my sanity

Nogser — 2008-01-11T13:10:13+00:00

I had to endure playing the game out to see who finished 2nd and 3rd last year.

Thread: Re: S&L from "Ultimate Board Games Collection" for PSP

icheyne — 2008-01-08T16:41:49+00:00

Looks suspiciously like a blog post to me...

Thread: Re: S&L from "Ultimate Board Games Collection" for PSP

JuggaJoe — 2008-01-08T14:56:20+00:00

I've been playing ClubHouse Games on my Nintendo DS for a couple of weeks now... A lot of board game options on that one, but probably without all the shine of your PSP title. No Snakes and Ladders though.

Thread: S&L from "Ultimate Board Games Collection" for PSP

alfredhw — 2008-01-08T00:47:03+00:00

So, I have a PSP. I like board games. I saw a copy of a game called "Ultimate Board Games Collection" for the PSP, and said "sold." It has some nice games, some of which exploit the possibilities of electronic play better than others--I quite like the "colors" version of Yahtzee, where along with rolling for number the die also "rolls" for color--so you have two things to track (you can get a "painted house" of three blues and two reds, for instance, and score that).

Anyway, late one night I decided to poke around and I found a Snakes and Ladders implementation in the "Family Favorites" section. I was kind of intrigued. I've actually never played the game; my parents never got me a copy, and I have no kids myself. On the other hand, it's managed to acquire a certain following among the college-age set. There's a place here in State College (and other college towns) called Cereality, where you can indulge your inner toddler by curling up in front of a TV showing cartoons with a bowl of cereal, playing kids games. They have Cootie, Candyland, and--of course--Chutes and Ladders (that being the US name, so as to prevent kids from being scared of snakes). The whole atmosphere of the place gives me the jibblies, personally. But what is the attraction?

So, anyway, I fired up the PSP version of Snakes and Ladders. I chose to play against three AI opponents on a board with three snakes and four ladders, and--this is the advantage of playing the electronic version--set it so the snakes and ladders would sometimes move.

S&L is listed here on BGG as a "roll and move" game, but that's not quite accurate for the PSP version, at least. Here, it's more of a "spin and move" game. You have an electronic spinner. You hold down the x button and a "power bar" fills up. You let go somewhere along the line, and that spins the spinner with a corresponding amount of force. Thus, it is possible to slightly control what happens to you. I mean, it's not easy, but it is possible. There's the usual (?) 1-6 spaces on the spinner, and also a "snake" and "ladder" space; land on those, and the snakes/ladders move around semi-randomly. (I say "semi" because they don't land on the same space, etc. There's some algorithm.) My sense, watching it work, is that the effect would be especially impressive if the player was extremely, extremely baked--possibly another way to attract the college crowd?

Anyway, I jumped out to a large lead thanks to my skill (cough) in spinning sixes, which along with scooting you along at a good clip also gives you an extra spin. However, I managed to miss the good ladders that send you up several rows. My less-skilled opponents, however, spun less-excellent numbers, and tended to fall back.

Then: Disaster! The evil Blue AI spun the snake (not a frat euphemism), and the snake's mouth landed directly where I was--around space thirty (of a hundred), and sent me back to space five! Horrors! I cursed the fates, and decided to conserve my energy.

That was about five minutes in. There's a lot of button-pushing, considering. When it's your turn, you first have to push a button to acknowledge that you know it's your turn. Then you push a button to spin the spinner. Then you push a button to acknowledge that you spun the spinner, and wish to move forward the requisite number of spaces. Presumably the idea is that doing this keeps you occupied and involved with the game. Meanwhile, there's music playing in the background (you can choose from five completely different, completely insipid soundtracks) and some kind of image flying by in the background. I had, for some unknown, unknowable reason, various Halloween images. Halloween's festive, I suppose.

So around and around we go. After fifteen minutes--something like thirty rounds--the farthest-ahead AI was at about square fifty. With the snakes moving around and all, it was easy to find oneself skittering backwards. Meanwhile, for the human player (hi!), tedium was setting in, but I was determined to finish. The secret: Get really, really into it.

One AI moved way, way ahead--missing all the snakes, until it hit square ninety-two or so--almost to the end. The end of the game was in sight. My spin--Snake! It sends a snake's head three squares ahead of the leading AI, and glory be--it lands right on it and it goes back behind me, in last place! There was nothing to do but yell "HELL YES! Wheel of Fortune, bitches!" Good sportsmanship, honestly, is entirely inappropriate for Snakes and Ladders, in my scholarly opinion.

Another fifteen minutes shot by, and finally I hit a ladder and got to the top row ("Bottom rail on top now! WOOOOOOO!!!"). A couple of rounds later, and I hit square 100 ahead of my unworthy adversaries, and was rewarded by a small cartoon of a house in my player color (yellow). And all it took was nearly forty minutes and something like ninety spins of the wheel!

I can see, now, why it has something of an appeal for the college hipster. It has a great many life lessons to offer:

--What happens to you is determined wholly by chance
--Life's rewards do not justify the time or effort required to gain them
--Whatever good happens to you can be taken away suddenly
--Good things often happen to people for no reason
--Planning for the future is hopeless

I can imagine emo kids putting on their black footy pajamas and playing this in darkened dorm rooms while listening to Dashboard Confessional and complaining about their parents. As a vector for angst and despair, I think S&L really is tapping into a new youth culture. Now, instead of being creeped out when I walk by Cereality by the commodified neoinfantilism, I am instead creeped out by the commodified neoinfantilism combined with the commodified existential crises.

Thanks, Ultimate Board Games Collection for PSP!

Thread: Re: My daughter saves my sanity

swaits — 2008-01-04T23:11:18+00:00

I've had exactly the same experience you describe playing this once with my grandson.

Thread: My daughter saves my sanity

m_hamburg — 2008-01-04T17:09:15+00:00

WARNING: You may find this session report to be a dull read and a complete waste of your time. If that is the case, I have accurately characterized the game.

I remember playing Chutes and Ladders as a child, but it’s a game that I’ve managed to avoid buying for my own kids so I haven't played it in at least 30 years. I had rated it a 3 on BGG, because I didn't really remember it being that bad. Then my four-year-old daughter found a copy at my parents house and convinced my dad and I to play with her.

My daughter started and spun a four. I was next and started out strong, spinning a one, which let me take a ladder up several levels. Hey, maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad. My dad spun a six, so I started hoping that the game would at least be quick. Then, two turns later, disaster struck for me and I went down a chute. I was now down with my daughter and my dad in the second row.

We spun the spinner. We moved. My daughter got a ladder. She went up. My dad hit a chute. He went down. I went sideways, then down. My daughter went down. Then up. Then sideways. Then all the way down. This pattern continued for about fifteen minutes, with none of us advancing beyond square 30 or so. At this point I had been going sideways and up enough to be in the lead. I was also slowly starting to go insane.

Then my daughter declared “This game is boring, I want to do something fun. Daddy is ahead, so let’s just say he won even though we’re not going to finish because it’s just so boring.”

This one is now a solid 1 for me.

Thread: Strategic Chutes and Ladders

virx61 — 2007-12-31T17:53:57+00:00

I'm not sure where I originally hear the idea for this variant.

Six-card hand variant.
Leave the spinner in the box. Instead each player gets a hand of six cards from a standard playing card deck numbered 1-6. Only one deck is required since Chutes and Ladders is a four-player game. On each player's turn the player will choose one card out of their hand and treat that as their spin. However, this card is now placed in their discard pile and they can't use it again. Once all of a player's cards have been used in this way, the player must grab their hand out of their discard pile and may use all of them again.

This variant has worked wonders for my interest in playing bacause I actually have to think of which cards to use in order to win. Our playing group has even constructed personalized hands out of index cards drawn on with coloring tools. The variant is probably best for a slightly older youngest player but I'm sure it helps develop decision-making and strategy for the younger players and it is less frustrating for those that get bad spins over and over (me.)

If variability becomes an issue (for example, if anyone figures out they can win in a small amount of moves using a specific pattern of cards) then introduce some extra rules allowing players to interfere with each other.

Bumping variant.
Any player that lands on a square occupied by another player will "bump" the player one square foreward. If the player landed on the square by sliding down a chute, the other player is bumped one square backward.

This will most likely allow players to "mess up" each other's card patterns by at least on space at the start of the game, the advantage going to the 2nd+ players, and with player's focusing a little more on bumping each other it will be harder to keep from getting into a position where their last card(s) will land them on a chute. I haven't had to try this rule yet. Some experimenting may have to be done with whether to allow this "bumping" to cause the bumped player to climb a ladder or fall down a chute.

Thread: Third times the charm, the girls chute down Daddy and Mommy

Siegeman — 2007-11-19T05:16:18+00:00

My daughters, Julianna (8) and Gracie (6) pulled out my ancient copy of Chutes and Ladders from the game room tonight, insisting I teach them how to play. After covering the basics of the rules and how to use the spinner, we were off. In the first two games, Daddy had incredible luck and managed to win both, but undaunted, the girls pressed for a third and deciding game.

Mommy took the early lead, hitting a ladder that catapulted her up to square 84, but couldn't avoid the chutes. Meanwhile, Gracie and Julianna began hitting ladder after ladder, working their way ever closer to the top. Daddy hit a ladder to jump into the lead briefly, but soon slid away. Gracie hit a rough patch of chutes, but her sister Julianna deftly stepped through the minefield and managed to make it to square 100, securing victory for the children and sending them into a frenzy of victory dancing.

Overall, a fun night of family gaming.

Thread: Variant?

BrenoK — 2007-10-13T19:16:13+00:00

Thread: Re: User Review

desertfox2004 — 2007-07-11T04:06:06+00:00

Ah, I must admit to getting a bit...misty-eyed, seeing this old relic from Potterama brought back to life one more time. Another one of the old crusty originals geeks who has left BGG and wandered off into oblivion. Of course, he was a pain in the butt too, but a really amusing pain in the butt!

Thread: Re: User Review

waza — 2007-07-11T03:55:30+00:00

I understand the frustration with this, and also the benefits others have stated of playing limited games with very small children.

But I must object that this quote is really not relevant:

potterama wrote:
Strategy:
“The only winning move is not to play.” – Joshua/W.O.P.R, “War Games” (1983).

The point of the quote is no one can win. In this game someone wins the game, all be it by random chance. Now one could argue that totaly random is even worse than no winner, but it is not the same thing. Would you rather enter a lottery where a random ticket is drawn, or no prize is given at all?

Thread: Re: Pretty awesome T-Shirt Design

voynix — 2007-06-18T23:47:59+00:00

Hey now that is pretty cool. Thanks for the link

Thread: Pretty awesome T-Shirt Design

dccircuit — 2007-06-18T17:53:12+00:00

I don't have anything to do with "Threadless" T-shirts, but this design for a Snakes and Ladders T-Shirt is pretty wonderful:

http://www.threadless.com/product/893/Snakes_Ladders

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

hobitti — 2007-05-19T05:40:08+00:00

As it was suggested I asked to relocate this thread. Maybe this place suits it better.

Anyway the morality issue troubles me still. If you look at the image below, it portrays driving without hands as the worst thing you can do. Well the actions presented are quite lame. But I'd say that the worst act presented here should be about hurting others. Children hurt each other a lot. Well they probably hurt themselves more.

The question I make is that shouldn't the punishments and rewards be presented in an actual order of vices?

This game can probably teach a lot of things: numbers and counting, game etiquette and moral issues... The morality part remains to be disturbing to me. I have to keep looking for a better board or do it myself. Using cards instead of the dice should prove to be beneficial.

Maybe even the number cards should presented as deeds. The better the act the further you'd get. And then there would be yes or no question cards as suggested by James Davis. Maybe there should be three cards that are given to the hand of player and one that is hidden. Then you'd have to play two of those cards at the time. And once you used the cards you'd get 2 to replenish your hand. The amount and ratio of visible/hidden cards could be used to handicap the adult player sufficiently.

Maybe I should try this variant out.

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Thread: Re: Snakes and Ladders Board design

geekant6 — 2007-05-11T11:42:29+00:00

Thanks for input. I'd spotted these when searching but couldn't get great clarity when I zoomed
Kind Regards
Geekant6

Thread: Re: Snakes and Ladders Board design

geekant6 — 2007-05-11T11:40:54+00:00

This board is exactly the type I've been looking for but in the Snakes and Ladders format.
This board pic is a fantastic resource
Thanks
Geekant6

Thread: Re: Snakes and Ladders Board design

geekant6 — 2007-05-11T11:38:30+00:00

Thanks bookgnome
I have been looking for an board image similar to one owned by an aunt. I have fond memories of the game and its playing environment as well as the quirky square advice tags. Thanks for the Amazon tip
Regards
Geekant6

Thread: Re: Snakes and Ladders Board design

geekant6 — 2007-05-11T11:34:09+00:00

Thanks George,
I think I might need to combine this info with the tiny thumbnails and I'll get something close to my aunts old board. I appreciate the help.
Regards
Geekant6

Thread: Re: 1st Chutes and Ladders game

Octavian — 2007-05-09T16:56:03+00:00

Thanks for the info. For future reference, please use the Submit Corrections link on the game's page to request the change or addition of any information on the game's page.

Thanks again!

-MMM

Thread: 1st Chutes and Ladders game

MBFan1981 — 2007-05-09T15:28:00+00:00

According to Hasbro's official website, the "Chutes and Ladders" board game (by Milton Bradley) was first introduced in 1943. Please add this information in the near future.

Thank you,

Benjamin (MBFan1981)

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

dralius — 2007-05-07T15:14:06+00:00

As a group exercise at last years www.Protosiel.org meeting we broke into teams of 5 or 6 and worked on redesigning snakes and ladders for a more advanced audience while still leaving it recognizably based on snakes-n-ladders. This included theme changes and the inclusion of meaningful decision making. Several good ideas were devised to improve game play and the themes ranged from playing your darn Rock N Roll music loudly to aggravate your parents to a nice movie tie in with “Snakes n Ladders on a Plane”.

Having devised this exercise I was quite pleased to see how creative our designers were with this. I think it shows that a boring traditional game could be updated into game you would want to play.

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

meowsqueak — 2007-05-07T11:16:18+00:00

I participated in an interesting version of Snakes & Ladders a few days ago which had this interesting mechanic where not only would one rise up ladders and descend via snakes, but one would also consume copious amounts of tequila according to the random roll of the die. Silly, silly game. I can't remember who won. I'm wondering how to log it on BGG.

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

wharekumera — 2007-05-07T09:38:18+00:00

General Snafu wrote:
...or be penalised for wrong answers.

You mean like electric shocks? That'd be cool. Or perhaps to stay in the candy theme, those playing would have a sugar injection to double their blood-sugar levels. It would do wonders for diabetes awareness.

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

General Snafu — 2007-05-07T09:34:02+00:00

I've thought of doing something similar with Candyland. I would integrate trivia cards which would allow one to advance upon answering questions correctly or be penalised for wrong answers.

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

HeinzGuderian — 2007-05-07T08:31:36+00:00

wharekumera wrote:
hobitti wrote:

Is it possible to construct Advanced S&L?

You mean to say, ASL?

4.48 Ladders:
A Good Order Squad (or its equivalent) can move along an ADJACENT Ladder for 4 MP provided it is stacked with an unbroken, unpinned Leader and remains Infantry (i.e. not PRC) througout the turn. Conscript Personnel can do so, but must become CX in the process. Ladder movement can't occur when using Assault Move, nor allows to place SMOKE.

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

jamesdavis — 2007-05-07T07:30:48+00:00

Karlsen wrote:
jamesdavis wrote:
maybe to solve that problem have a deck of good and a deal of bad, and the kids dont know which is which.

Could work, but given the target audience for Snakes & Ladders (i.e. five years old or less) I think the better option is teaching awareness or right and wrong and consequences of actions instead of getting them to make a choice in the matter. On one of Robert Winston's documentaries (possibly The Human Body, but it may have been another one of his) he showed clinical trials that proved that most children think only in terms of yes and no for right and wrong deeds until they are are approximately ten years old. No grey area at all.

I think I have said my piece now, so will go and see in if the latest instalment of the excellent series of Starship Troopers session reports has been posted.

I didnt know this, so another solution would be to have a single card that has a simple situation and then a yes or no question.

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

jamesdavis — 2007-05-07T07:29:38+00:00

ed95005 wrote:
hobitti wrote:
Is it possible to construct Advanced S&L?
Why bother?

why bother improving other games? If it wasnt for other people improving on former designs we wouldnt have the games we do today, would we?

Thread: Re: Advanced Snakes & Ladders

ed95005 — 2007-05-07T07:12:50+00:00

hobitti wrote:
Is it possible to construct Advanced S&L?
Why bother?