Bezier Games, Inc.

Castles of Mad King Ludwig

Castles of Mad King Ludwig - Main image
$43.37 $69.95 In stock

Category: Game

In this 1-4 player tile-laying game, players are tasked with building an amazingly 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, bestest castle ever — subject, of course, to his ever-changing whims. Each player acts as a building contractor who is adding rooms to the castle they're building while also selling their 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.  The Master Builder will then pick from the leftovers after the other players have paid the Master Builder 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 accommodating to the King's demands, which change each game. Whoever ends up with the most castle points wins!

BoardGameGeek Page

Castles of Mad King Ludwig Rulebook

TUTORIAL:

Castles of Mad King Ludwig App

Customer Reviews (5.0 / 5 · 5 reviews)

John Q. ★★★★★

The room-tile bidding adds such a fun layer of strategy, and seeing the castle sprawl out differently each game keeps it fresh even after several plays. The 1-4 player range works well for both solo puzzling and a tense game night with friends.

Carter ★★★★★

The pricing mechanic where you pay the player next to you for tiles adds such a delicious layer of negotiation to the building. My group spent a whole evening laughing and scheming over who got the fancy dining hall, and the 1-4 player range makes it perfect for both quiet nights and full game days.

Ruby I. ★★★★★

The tile-laying gameplay really shines at four players, especially when everyone’s trying to undercut each other with room prices. I’ve played it three nights in a row and the castle-building never gets old, even if the rulebook takes a read-through to get straight.