A dice race for the whole family: climb ladders, avoid snakes and be first to the last field on a 100 or 50 square board.
Snakes and Ladders is a race to the top of a numbered board, and the die decides almost everything. On your turn you roll, your token walks forward on its own, and then you find out whether you landed on a lucky ladder or a nasty snake. Nobody needs to know any strategy, which is why it works so well for younger players and mixed groups.
This version draws the board in plain black and white. It offers two board sizes, room for up to four players and computer opponents for anyone who wants to fill a seat.
Setting up a game
Before the first roll you pick a few options. Choose the 100-field board or the smaller 50-field one, then the number of players and how many the computer should run. Decide who goes first, which shape your token uses and which finish rule applies. The Menu button shows this setup again at any time.
You can also tell the computer to take its turns by itself after a short pause, or to wait until someone taps Continue. Waiting is the default, so nobody misses a move.
How a turn plays out
Every token begins off the board and comes on with its first roll. The path zigzags, running left to right along one row and right to left along the next, starting in the bottom left corner. Tap Roll and your token moves the number shown.
- Stop at the foot of a ladder and you climb to its top.
- Stop on the head of a snake and you slide down to its tail.
- A status line names each ladder or snake you hit.
- A short table under the board lists recent moves, with the player, the roll and both fields.
Reaching the finish
There are two ways to end. With the first rule, any roll that would carry you past the last field still counts as finishing. With the second, you need the exact number, and rolling more than you need means your token stays put. The exact rule makes the final row much more tense, since a player far behind can catch up while the leader waits.
Who it suits
This is a natural pick for families, classrooms and young kids who are just learning to count. The 50-field board keeps games short enough to hold a small child’s attention. Shapes are easier to follow than colors, so letting each child choose a token helps. Reading the move table together after a long slide is a nice way to practice counting.
Controls
| Action | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Roll the die | Click "Roll" | Tap "Roll" |
| Let a computer player take its turn | Click "Continue" | Tap "Continue" |
| Set up the next game | Choose board, finish rule, players, computers and who starts, then click "New game" | Choose board, finish rule, players, computers and who starts, then tap "New game" |
| Show the setup again during a game | Click "Menu" | Tap "Menu" |
Snakes and Ladders FAQ
How many people can play at once?
Two to four players can share one game. Any of them can be handed to the computer, from none up to three, so a single person can still play against computer opponents. Each player gets a different shape: circle, square, triangle or star.
Does the game remember a match if I reload the page?
Yes. The game in progress is kept in your browser, so a reload brings it back. It stays on that device and browser, so it will not follow you to another computer.
Can I play it on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It works with a mouse or a touchscreen, and the board is laid out for a tall screen. Every action is a single tap on a button, such as Roll, Continue or New game, so small children can handle it on a tablet.
How long does one game take?
It depends on the board and on luck. The 50-field board, with five rows, four ladders and four snakes, ends much sooner than the 100-field board with eight of each. The exact finish rule can stretch the last few turns.
