I started reading Brenda Romero’s Challenges for Game Designers as research for my upcoming book. The first challenge is to make a race-to-the-end game. I’m not going to do all of the challenges because the book really piles them on you, but I wanted to put down a quick one. This game derives from the history of snakes-and-ladders games as travelogues.

Swains and Lovers

This is a two-player game for you and your partner. Get two snakes-and-ladders boards and lay them opposite each other. You take one side and your partner takes the other. For each snake, write down a struggle you have on a piece of paper. For each ladder, write down something your partner does for you. Do not show them to your partner. Fold these papers so that they must be opened to be read and put them on the corresponding snakes and ladders. Now, exchange boards.

Play snakes-and-ladders normally. Whenever you go down a snake, read the associated piece of paper. This should be written by your partner. Read it in first person. When you reach a ladder, read the associated piece of paper, again with the perspective of your partner.

When you reach the end of the board, continue into your partner’s board. Ignore the snakes and ladders on your partner’s board. If your piece would cross the other player’s piece, stop it on the same tile as the other player’s piece.

When both pieces are on the same tile, bring them together for a little kiss. If you and your partner wish, you may both follow suit. The game ends here. Optionally, read the unopened papers now.