The Game of Life is also known simply as Life, is a board game discovered by Milton Bradley in 1860 as The Checkered Game for Life, the first ever and popular board game. The Game Of Life is a board game that simulates a person’s life from college to retirement, with jobs, marriage, and possible children along the way. This game was created by Milton Bradley in 1960 and has been updated several times to reflect changing times.
The game is played by 2 to 4 players, who spin a wheel and move their car-shaped tokens around the board. The players can choose different paths and make various choices that affect their income, expenses, and happiness. The player with the most money at the end of the game wins.
Components And Setup
- A game board with a numbered track and various spaces that represent life events, such as career, marriage, house, children, taxes, etc.
- A wheel spinner that determines how many spaces the players move each turn.
- Four car tokens that represent the players’ vehicles.
- People pegs and pet pegs that represent the players’ family members and pets.
- Cards that represent careers, salaries, houses, insurance, loans, stocks, etc.
- Money in different denominations represents the players’ wealth.
- A bank tray that holds the money and the cards.
- A guide book that explains the rules and the choices of the game.
To set up the game, you need to:
- Assemble the game board and the wheel spinner.
- Choose a car token and a matching color of people’s pegs and pet pegs.
- Place your car token on the start space and insert one person’s peg to represent yourself.
- Shuffle the cards and place them in the bank tray according to their types.
- Choose a banker who will manage the money and the cards during the game.
- Decide whether you want to start with a career or go to college.
The game of life Rules
The Game Of Life is a fun and engaging board game that simulates the major events and choices of a person’s life. The gameplay involves spinning the wheel and moving your car token along the life board, following the instructions on the spaces you land on.
You can draw an action card, pay the bank, buy a house deed, get a salary card, or face a surprise. You may also have to make important decisions, such as choosing a career path, getting married, having children, or adopting pets.
Some spaces are red, which means you have to stop and spin again. The game ends when all players reach the retirement space, where they pay off any loans and add up their money and life tiles. The player with the most money wins the game.
The Simple Rules:
- Spin the wheel and move your car token the number of spaces shown on the wheel.
- Follow the instructions on the space you land on. You may have to draw a card, pay or collect money, make a choice, or face a surprise.
- If you land on a Life space, you get to collect a Life tile, which has a secret value that will be revealed at the end of the game.
- If you land on a Stop space, you have to stop and make a decision, such as choosing a career, getting married, buying a house, etc. You also have to spin again and move to the next space of your chosen path.
- If you land on a Spin to Win space, you can bet some money on a number and spin the wheel. If the wheel lands on your number, you win 10 times the amount you bet. If not, you lose the money you bet.
- The game ends when all players reach the retirement space. Then, you have to pay off any loans you have and add up your money and Life tiles. The player with the most money wins the game.
The Game Of Life Board Spaces
The different types of spaces on The Game Of Life board are:
- Gold spaces: These are the most common spaces, and they usually have some directive you have to follow, such as changing your career, having a baby, paying debts, being awarded a tax rebate, or collecting Life tiles.
- Green spaces: These are your payday spaces, where you collect your salary from the bank.
- Blue spaces: These are optional spaces, where you can choose whether to follow the instruction or not, such as suing another player, buying stocks, or going on a family vacation.
- Orange spaces: These are career spaces, where you can change your career if you land on or pass over them. You can also collect money from other players who land on your career space, unless they have the same career as you.
- Pink spaces: These are family spaces, where you can get married, have children, or adopt pets. You also get to collect Life tiles for each family member you have.
- Red spaces: These are stop spaces, where you have to stop and make a decision, such as choosing a career, getting married, buying a house, etc. You also have to spin again and move to the next space of your chosen path.
- Purple spaces: These are Spin to Win spaces, where you can bet some money on a number and spin the wheel. If the wheel lands on your number, you win 10 times the amount you bet. If not, you lose the money you bet.
The Game Of Life Cards
The different types of cards in The Game Of Life are:
- Action cards: These are cards that you draw when you land on an action space. They usually have some event or situation that affects your life, such as winning a lottery, getting a promotion, or having a lawsuit. You have to follow the instructions on the card, which may involve paying or collecting money, spinning the wheel, or choosing an option.
- Career cards: These are cards that you get when you choose a career path or change your career. They show your job title, salary, and taxes. You also get to collect money from other players who land on your career space, unless they have the same career as you.
- House deeds: These are cards that you get when you buy a house. They show the name, value, and insurance cost of your house. You can sell your house at any time during the game, but you have to pay the bank the difference if the value has decreased. You also have to pay the bank if you land on a space that requires you to pay for repairs or renovations.
- Salary cards: These are cards that you get when you choose a career path or change your career. They show your annual salary, which you collect from the bank every time you land on or pass over a payday space.
- Pet cards: These are cards that you get when you adopt a pet. They show the name, type, and value of your pet. You also get to collect Life tiles for each pet you have.
What are Life tiles in The Game Of Life?
Life tiles are tokens that you collect when you land on a Life space or have a family member. They represent the achievements and experiences of your life, such as writing a book, climbing a mountain, or winning a Nobel Prize. Each Life tile has a secret value that ranges from $10,000 to $100,000. At the end of the game, you reveal the values of your Life tiles and add them to your money.
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FAQs
How long does it take to play The Game Of Life?
The Game Of Life takes about an hour to play, depending on the number of players and the pace of the game.
What is the objective of The Game Of Life?
The objective of The Game Of Life is to be the player with the most money at the end of the game. You can earn money by getting a job, buying a house, having a family, collecting Life tiles, and more.
How do you set up The Game Of Life?
To set up The Game Of Life, you need to assemble the game board, spinner, cards, pegs, and money according to the instructions. Each player chooses a car and a peg to represent themselves and places their car on the Start space. Each player also spins the spinner to decide whether to start on the Career path or the College path.
How do you play The Game Of Life?
To play The Game Of Life, you take turns spinning the spinner and moving your car along the path, following the instructions on the spaces you land on. You may have to draw an action card, pay the bank, buy a house deed, get a salary card, or face a surprise.
You may also have to make important decisions, such as choosing a career path, getting married, having children, or adopting pets. Some spaces are red, which means you have to stop and spin again. The game ends when all players reach the retirement space, where they pay off any loans and add up their money and Life tiles.
