Snakes and Ladders Rules
A hundred squares, ladders up, snakes down — on seven boards.
Snakes and Ladders is the race everyone already knows: a hundred squares, a ladder to climb, a snake to slide down, and no decision to make but whether to play another game. Seven boards to choose from — jungle, desert, ocean, arctic, space and candy beside the classic — each with its own ladders and snakes, and eight sets of pieces.
Ways to play Snakes and Ladders
Two to four at the board
Play Snakes and Ladders against the computer with one, two or three others at the board. Every seat is filled, so a game always starts.
Online with friends and family
Create a board, share the code, and play together on the same board. Online games count towards your rating and My Stats.
Picked up where you left it
Close the tab mid-game and come back to it — the game is kept in your browser, on the board you were playing.
No ads, ever
No advertising, no interruption, nothing to dismiss. The same promise as every Vanikar™ game.
🎯 Objective
Be the first to land exactly on square 100.
🎲 Snakes and Ladders setup
- Choose a board — Classic, Jungle, Desert, Ocean, Arctic, Space or Candy — and a set of pieces.
- Choose how many play, from two to four. Empty seats are taken by the computer, so a game always starts.
- Every piece begins off the board. You are the first seat and roll first.
- The hundred squares run back and forth up the rows: 1 to 10 left to right, 11 to 20 right to left, and so on.
▶ How to play Snakes and Ladders
- Roll the die and move your piece forward that many squares.
- Land exactly on the foot of a ladder and the piece climbs to its top.
- Land exactly on a snake’s head and the piece slides down to its tail.
- Passing over a ladder or a snake does nothing at all — only landing counts.
- A six rolls again. A six that wins the game does not.
- Square 100 must be reached exactly: a roll that would carry the piece past it leaves the piece where it stands.
- The computer’s seats roll after you, one at a time, and then the die comes back to you.
📖 Detailed guide
The seven boards
- Classic — the studio’s own arrangement, eight ladders and nine snakes, and the one to learn on.
- Jungle — the long game, with ladders that climb only a little and snakes that do not.
- Desert, Ocean and Arctic — each its own arrangement in its own colours, and each with a character of its own.
- Space — the board with the ninety-square snake. A game here can turn on one roll.
- Candy — eleven ladders to six snakes, which is the board to put in front of a five-year-old.
- A board can be changed between games; the arrangement of ladders and snakes belongs to the board, so changing it changes the game.
The rules that catch people out
- Exact finish: a roll past 100 does not move you. It is the rule that makes the last five squares take five minutes.
- A six rolls again, so a run of sixes is a run of turns — unless the six wins, which ends it.
- Only landing triggers a ladder or a snake. A piece that passes over a snake’s head is untouched.
- A ladder never starts on square 1 or 100, never stays inside one row, and never shares a square with another, so no piece is ever carried twice in a turn.
Pieces, and picking up where you left off
- Eight sets of pieces — counters, leaves, pyramids, fish, crystals, rockets, gumdrops and pawns.
- Every board brings its own set, but any pieces play on any board, and they can be changed at any time.
- The game is written down after every roll, so closing the tab mid-game and coming back carries on from the same square.
- A game is its dice: the same rolls replay the same game, which is how it is kept between visits.
🏁 How Snakes and Ladders is won
The first piece to land on square 100 wins, and the game ends there. Wins and games played count towards My Stats and the leaderboards, exactly as the card games do.
❓ Snakes and Ladders — frequently asked questions
How many players do you need for Snakes and Ladders?
Snakes and Ladders is played by 2–4. Seats you do not fill are taken by the computer, so a game always starts.
When can I play Snakes and Ladders?
Snakes and Ladders is in development. It will arrive in Board Games by Vanikar™ and is included in the same subscription as the card games, with nothing separate to buy.
Is Snakes and Ladders included in my subscription?
Yes. One Card Games by Vanikar™ subscription covers the card games, Chess & Checkers and the board games, and every game released after them.
Does Snakes and Ladders have ads?
No. No Vanikar™ game has ever carried advertising, and none ever will.
How many players can play Snakes and Ladders?
Two to four. Seats you do not fill are played by the computer, so a game always starts, and online you can share a code and fill them with friends and family instead.
Do I have to land on 100 exactly?
Yes. A roll that would carry your piece past 100 leaves it where it stands, and you wait for the exact number.
Does passing over a snake do anything?
No. Only landing on a snake’s head sends you down, and only landing on a ladder’s foot lifts you up. Passing over either is nothing at all.
Which board should I start on?
Classic. It is the studio’s own arrangement, eight ladders and nine snakes, and the fairest of the seven. Candy is the gentlest if you are playing with young children.