Gameweave

Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders is a classic race for 2 to 4 players. Each player has one token. Roll a six-sided die to move along the numbered path from square 1 to the last square. Ladders shortcut you forward; snakes send you back.

Players

•
Red (Player 1) starts the first game. The first player rotates between games: Green opens the next, and so on in seat order.
•
Green (Player 2) plays next. Play proceeds in seat order.
•
Yellow (Player 3) and Blue (Player 4) join when three or four people play.
•
Unused colours are removed at setup.

Objective

Be the first player to land exactly on the last square.

Board size

Before the race starts, choose a square board:
Size
Grid
Last square
Small
6×6
36
Medium
8×8
64
Large
10×10
100
Large is the classic board. The path always winds the same way: square 1 is bottom-left, odd ranks from the bottom run left to right, even ranks run right to left, and the last square is top-left.

Setup

Each player’s token starts in the Start tray, just off the board (treated as square 0). A single six-sided die is shared. The opening player rolls first.

Gameplay

Each turn has two parts: roll, then move.

Rolling

Tap the die to throw it. The face is the number of squares your token will travel.

Moving

Tap the highlighted landing square to move your token.
•
From the start tray, a roll of N moves you onto square N (then any snake or ladder there).
•
From the board, your token follows the numbered path by that many squares.
•
Several tokens may share a square. There is no bumping or capturing.

Ladders

If you land exactly on the base of a ladder, you immediately climb to its top. Ladder bases are marked in green.
Small 6×6
Base
Top
1
18
4
14
9
31
21
34
Medium 8×8
Base
Top
1
38
4
14
9
31
21
42
28
55
36
44
47
62
Large 10×10
Base
Top
1
38
4
14
9
31
21
42
28
84
36
44
51
67
71
91
80
100

Snakes

If you land exactly on a snake’s head, you immediately slide to its tail. Snake heads are marked in red.
Small 6×6
Head
Tail
16
6
19
7
27
11
32
12
35
23
Medium 8×8
Head
Tail
16
6
46
25
49
11
53
32
56
8
59
19
61
39
Large 10×10
Head
Tail
16
6
47
26
49
11
56
53
62
19
64
60
87
24
93
73
95
75
98
78

Extra turn on a 6

If you roll a 6, you take another full turn after your token has moved (unless that move won the game).

Bouncing off the last square

You must finish on the last square by exact count. If a roll would carry you past it, you move forward to the last square and then bounce backward the remaining steps.
Example on the large board: you are on 98 and roll a 5. You step forward 2 to 100, then backward 3, and end on 97. If the bounced square is a snake or ladder, you take it.

Winning

The first player to reach the last square — by an exact roll, a bounce that lands there, or a ladder whose top is the last square — wins immediately.