In the tile-laying game Castles of Mad King Ludwig, players are tasked with building an amazing, extravagant castle for King Ludwig II of Bavaria...one room at a time. You see, the King loves castles, having built Neuschwanstein (the castle that inspired the Disney theme park castles) and others, but now he's commissioned you to build the biggest, best castle ever — subject, of course, to his ever-changing whims. Each player acts as a building contractor who is adding rooms to the castle he's building while also selling his services to other players.
In the game, each player starts with a simple foyer. One player takes on the role of the Master Builder, and that player sets prices for a set of rooms that can be purchased by the other players, with him getting to pick from the leftovers after the other players have paid him for their rooms. When a room is added to a castle, the player who built it gains castle points based on the size and type of room constructed, as well as bonus points based on the location of the room. When a room is completed, with all entranceways leading to other rooms in the castle, the player receives one of seven special rewards.
After each purchasing round, a new player becomes the Master Builder who sets prices for a new set of rooms. After several rounds, the game ends, then additional points are awarded for achieving bonus goals, having the most popular rooms, and being the most responsive to the King's demands, which change each game. Whoever ends up with the most castle points wins.
- Players build their own castle, room by room according to the wishes of the Mad King
- Buy room tiles from other players, and price your own tiles to gain cash
- At the end of the game, castles tell a story and look like a floorplan from above
- 12 different sized and shaped rooms, including Dungeons, Throne Rooms, and more
- 1-4 players, Ages 13 and up
Awesome Gameplay Features
Build the castle of your dreams - one room at a time
In Castles of Mad King Ludwig, you and your fellow players will each build your own castle, using unique, colorful thematic rooms. Ludwig always changes the kinds of castles he'll give you the most points for , so each game will be different.
Every round, one player (the Master Builder) sets the prices for the rooms that are available, and the other players pay the Master Builder to build those rooms in their castles, trying to get the most points by spending the least amount of money.
Based on the real 19th Century castles of 'Mad' King Ludwig of Bavaria
Ludwig was thought to be crazy, because he spent his entire royal fortune on lavish castles, including Neuschwanstein (pictured here), which was the inspiration for the castles in the Disney theme parks.
What's in the Box
Over 75 unique rooms
Every castle you build will be unique, thanks to the different shaped and themed rooms that can be placed throughout the game. Most of them are based on actual rooms in the castles that King Ludwig built over 150 years ago.
Room and Bonus decks
The Room deck acts as a timer for the game, determining which rooms are avaialble to be purchased each round. The Bonus deck of cards gives each player secret bonuses for achieving certain objectives, and more can be earned during the game!
Gorgeous Wood Tokens
Bright, colorful score tokens make it easy to see who's winning, but the giant wooden castle-shaped Master Builder token commands respect from the other players at the table.
Room Tiles
Terrace Gardens
The Terrace Gardens is a place for King Ludwig to relax and enjoy the view. Ludwig built his castles so that they would have stunning views.
Queen's Bedroom
Having a dedicated room for the Queen (alas, Ludwig never married) is never a bad idea.
Venus Grotto
The Venus Grotto, which exists in Ludwig's real Linderhof Palace, is a man-made cave with colored underwater lights designed so Ludwig could enjoy Wagner operas in a unique setting.