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Fairy tales play a major role in the well-known children’s game Sagaland. This award-winning dice game requires not only luck but also a good memory. Sagaland is suitable for 2 to 6 players aged 6 and up.
Game setup and objective: This is what Sagaland is all about
In the game Sagaland, you search for magical objects hidden in the forest of Sagaland on behalf of the king. These could be Sleeping Beauty’s spindle, the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood, or Rapunzel’s tower. The first player to show the king three specific items becomes his successor and wins the game. Sagaland is quick to set up:
- Lay out the game board and place the game pieces in the village. Each player chooses a color.
- Place all 13 trees on the tree symbols next to the light blue spaces. The magical items are hidden under the trees, so you should mix them up beforehand so that no one knows where the items are at the start of the game.
- The 13 cards are shuffled and placed face down in the castle courtyard. The top card is turned over. The item shown on it is the one you must search for first.
Sagaland rules – how the game works
Players take turns. They roll both dice, but move both numbers independently of each other. For example, if a player rolls a 1 and a 3, they can move 4 spaces in one direction. However, they can also move 3 spaces forward and 1 space back, and vice versa.
- If a player lands on a space with the first or second die that already has another piece on it, that piece must be moved back to the village. Kicking out a fellow player can be helpful, especially if they are on their way to the castle or already in the castle.
- If a player lands on a light blue square with the first or second die, they may look at the corresponding tree. They must make sure that no other player can see what is hidden under the tree. Even if the item is not the one you are currently looking for, you should memorize it well.
- Special case of doubles: If a player rolls the same number with both dice, for example a 3 and a 3, they have several options. They can either use the numbers to move on the board or they can cast a spell.
- If they decide to cast a spell, they can place their playing piece either on the horseshoe space near the castle or on any light blue space. Alternatively, they can cast away the top card. The stack is then reshuffled and a new card is revealed.
- As soon as a player has found the item shown on the top card, they can make their way to the castle. Along the way, they can look at other trees or take detours so that the other players cannot guess under which tree the item is hidden. The player must land exactly on the square with the key in the castle. If they reach the square with one of the two dice, the number on the second die is disregarded.
- The player then takes the tree under which they suspect the item is hidden and looks at it. If it is , they may take the card.
The tree is returned to its place and the next card is revealed. The playing piece remains in the castle and it is the next player’s turn.
- However, if it is the wrong tree, the player must move their piece back to the village and does not receive a card. The tree is returned to its place without the other players being able to see the underside. It is then the next player’s turn.
- As long as a player is not eliminated or has guessed the wrong tree, they can remain in the castle and make another guess each round. As soon as a player has received three cards, the game ends and they win.
- Tip: There is also a junior version of the game Sagaland.
