About Snakes and Ladders
Snakes and Ladders is the race game everyone learns first: roll the die, count the squares, climb a ladder when you are lucky and slide down a snake when you are not. Play with two to four players, against robots in the empty seats, passing one phone round, or online with friends who join by link or code. The board changes with the day.
How to play Snakes and Ladders
- Take turns rolling the die and moving your token that many squares along the numbered path from 1 to 100.
- Land at the foot of a ladder and climb to its top; land on a snake’s head and slide down to its tail. A six rolls again (at most three times).
- Landing on another player’s token sends it back to the start. By default you need the exact roll to reach 100; switch that off to finish with any roll.
- Tap the die (or press Space) to roll. Three board layouts take turns from day to day; results are saved on this device.
Tips & strategy
- There is no skill in the roll, but there is in the settings: with the exact-roll finish on, a player sitting on 97 can wait several turns, which keeps a race close.
- A six rolls again, up to three times in a row, so a run of sixes can carry a token halfway up the board in one turn.
- Landing on another token sends it back to the start. Count the squares ahead of you before you cheer a big roll.
- The three boards place their snakes and ladders differently: glance at the board before the first roll so you know which squares to hope for.
Snakes and Ladders: questions and answers
How many players can play?
Two, three or four, in any mix of people and robots. Online you can start with robots in the empty seats, or wait for friends to join with the code.
Do I need the exact roll to finish?
By default, yes: a roll that would take you past 100 is lost and your token stays put. Turn the exact finish off in the settings to win with any roll that reaches or passes 100.
Who rolls the die online?
The server does, with cryptographic random numbers, and every page shows the same roll. Against the robots on one device, your browser rolls it.
Is the robot any good?
There are no decisions in Snakes and Ladders, so the robot simply rolls when it is its turn; the levels are the same here.