How to play Shalban Bouddha Bihar
- Choose 2, 3 or 4 explorers, pick a boy or a girl for each, give them names, and decide which ones are played by the computer. Then press Enter the tunnel.
- Take turns to press Roll dice. Your explorer walks forward that many chambers, climbing the staircases between floors.
- Land on the bottom of a ladder (green rooms) and your explorer climbs up to the room at the top. Land on the head of a snake (red rooms) and the serpent swallows you and carries you down to its tail.
- Roll a 6 and you get another turn. You need the exact number to land on Chamber 100, so a roll that is too high leaves you where you are.
- The first explorer to reach Chamber 100 walks through the glowing doorway and climbs back to the surface to win.
- Use Overview to see the whole tower at once, and the little map in the corner to see where every ladder and snake leads.
Controls
Mouse or touch: press the Roll dice button. Keyboard: Space or Enter to roll, O for the overview camera, M to mute sound.
Playing tips
- Snakes and ladders is mostly luck, so enjoy the ride: a single roll can change the whole game.
- Watch the numbers on the floor. Each ladder room shows the room it climbs to, and each snake room shows where it drops you.
- Near the end, think about which numbers you need. Only an exact roll finishes the game, and Chamber 98 and 95 hold snakes.
- Playing with friends? Set the speed to Fast for quicker turns, or leave it on Relaxed to enjoy the animations.
- Add a computer player to make up the numbers whenever you only have two or three people.
About the setting
The game is inspired by the Shalban Bouddha Bihar (also spelled Shalban Vihara or Salban Vihara), a ruined Buddhist monastery at Mainamati near Cumilla, Bangladesh, more than a thousand years old. Its red brick cells around a central courtyard and its terracotta decoration inspired the look of the chambers.
The story, the hidden tunnel and everything below ground are entirely imaginary. If you ever get the chance, the real ruins above ground are well worth a visit.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play snakes and ladders?
Players take turns rolling a dice and moving that many squares towards 100. Landing on the bottom of a ladder moves you up to its top, and landing on a snake's head sends you down to its tail. The first player to reach 100 wins.
Do I need an exact roll to win?
Yes. In this game you must roll the exact number needed to land on Chamber 100. If your roll is too high you stay where you are and try again on your next turn. Landing on the ladder that leads to 100 also wins.
How many people can play Shalban Bouddha Bihar?
Two to four players share one screen and take turns. Any player can be set to Computer, so you can play with a mix of friends and computer explorers.
Is the game free and does it work on a phone?
It is free, needs no download or signup, and runs in your browser with 3D graphics (WebGL). It works on most modern phones, tablets and computers; the controls are a single Roll button.
Is Shalban Bouddha Bihar a real place?
Yes. Shalban Vihara is a real historic monastery site at Mainamati near Cumilla in Bangladesh. The tunnel and chambers in this game are imaginary and were made up for the story.