Climbing a slippery slope (Hamleys Snakes and Ladders)

Member Name: EggMan

Product:	Hamleys Snakes and Ladders
Date:	19/07/09 (123 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great family game, easy to play and setup

Disadvantages: none

Such a simplistic concept, a board, cover it in 100 squares, put number 1 through to 100 in the squares starting bottom left moving across, up, across up etc till you hit 100 in the top left square. Randomly place some ladders of varying length so the ladders span from different squares, then randomly place some snakes again so they span from different squares, but make this all wiggly. Get some playing pieces and a dice and you have snakes and ladders.

Hamley's are renouned for making good quality toys and games. This particular game we, well my son, received as a gift one christmas. The board is a very good quality solid wooden board, which it would need to be if kids are playing with it. The squares are nice a brightly coloured, blue, yellow, red, green and white squares all over. Simplistic drawings of ladders and some colourful snakes are also included on the board. The game also includes 6 coloured counters which are shaped like little men and a die. Overall the quality of the board is excellent, all edges are smooth and the playing surface is quality and does not scratch easily.

Aim of the game:

Starting at square 1, the aim of the game is to throw the die and move around the board until you get to square 100, the winner is the first one to reach it. As you move, land at the bottom of a ladder and you can climb up it to the top. This has the benefit in that you move further forward during play. Land on a snakes head however and unfortunately you slide down the snake to the bottom of its tail. So frustrating if you keep doing this as some snakes can be very long. Moving on a snake moves you back in play. The winner is the first one to reach square 100.

Verdict:

Snakes and ladders is an all time kids favourite. Such a easy game to play, very simple rules and good all round fun and entertainment. With being such a simple game it comes in many forms and prices. Magnetic ones can be small in size and cost around £1.99, wooden kits come in around £7.99. This particular kit comes in at approxiamtely £15.

Snakes and ladders is such a simple game you can actually make your own snakes and ladders kit:

A square piece of card, draw 100 squares on it, number the squares, draw ladders and snakes and you have a basic board. More cardboard, cut some discs out and colour to produce your playing pieces to move around the board, then either find a spare die from somewhere, or more discs numbered 1 - 6 and draw them out of a tub this becomes your die. TIP: Don't do as my son did, make a board but have a snakes head on square 100, the eternal game of snakes and ladders, I am still playing that particular game 5 years on and we are no nearer a winner lol.

Summary: Kids favourite which will be around for years to come.