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Sugoroku
Sugoroku (雙六 or 双六) (literally 'double six') refers to two different forms of a Japanese board game: e-sugoroku (絵双六, 'picture-sugoroku') which is similar to Western snakes and ladders, and ban-sugoroku (盤双六, 'board-sugoroku') which is similar to western tables games like backgammon. With ban-sugoroku being obsolete, today the word sugoroku almost always means e-sugoroku.
The simpler e-sugoroku, with rules similar to snakes and ladders[clarification needed], appeared as early as late 13th century and was made popular due to the cheap and elaborate wooden block printing technology of the Edo period. Thousands of variations of boards were made with pictures and themes from religion, political, actors, and even adult material. In the Meiji and later periods, this variation of the game remained popular and was often included in child-oriented magazines. With ban-sugoroku being obsolete, today the word sugoroku almost always means e-sugoroku.
Ban-sugoroku is played in a similar way to western tables games. It has the same starting position as backgammon, but the aim and rules of play are different. For example:
The game is thought to have been introduced from China (where it was known as Shuanglu [雙陸/双陆]) into Japan in the sixth century. The original chinese game is in turn based on the Persian Nard, which is thought to be the ancestor or an old form of backgammon.
It is known that in the centuries following the game's introduction into Japan it was made illegal several times, most prominently in 689 and 754. This is because the simple and luck-based nature of sugoroku made it an ideal gambling game. This version of sugoroku and records of playing for gambling continuously appeared until early Edo era. In early Edo-era, a new and quick gambling game called Chō-han (丁半) appeared and using sugoroku for gambling quickly dwindled.
This variant of the tables family has died out in Japan and most other countries, while the Western style modern backgammon (with doubling-cube) still has some avid players.
Many e-sugoroku-based video games were released, including: Kiteretsu Daihyakka: Chōjikū Sugoroku, Sugoroku Ginga Senki, Battle Hunter, Ganbare Goemon: Mononoke Sugoroku, Culdcept, Dokodemo Hamster 4: Doki Doki Sugoroku Daibouken!, Hello Kitty: Minna de Sugoroku, Gotouchi Hello Kitty Sugoroku Monogatari, Yu-Gi-Oh! Sugoroku's Board Game, Family Pirate Party, Hidamari Sketch: Doko Demo Sugoroku x 365, and PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit.
The Mario Party series can be seen with heavy influences from sugoroku, especially e-sugoroku. Developer Hudson Soft has also produced the Momotaro Dentetsu series of games, which are more directly inspired by sugoroku.
Hub AI
Sugoroku AI simulator
(@Sugoroku_simulator)
Sugoroku
Sugoroku (雙六 or 双六) (literally 'double six') refers to two different forms of a Japanese board game: e-sugoroku (絵双六, 'picture-sugoroku') which is similar to Western snakes and ladders, and ban-sugoroku (盤双六, 'board-sugoroku') which is similar to western tables games like backgammon. With ban-sugoroku being obsolete, today the word sugoroku almost always means e-sugoroku.
The simpler e-sugoroku, with rules similar to snakes and ladders[clarification needed], appeared as early as late 13th century and was made popular due to the cheap and elaborate wooden block printing technology of the Edo period. Thousands of variations of boards were made with pictures and themes from religion, political, actors, and even adult material. In the Meiji and later periods, this variation of the game remained popular and was often included in child-oriented magazines. With ban-sugoroku being obsolete, today the word sugoroku almost always means e-sugoroku.
Ban-sugoroku is played in a similar way to western tables games. It has the same starting position as backgammon, but the aim and rules of play are different. For example:
The game is thought to have been introduced from China (where it was known as Shuanglu [雙陸/双陆]) into Japan in the sixth century. The original chinese game is in turn based on the Persian Nard, which is thought to be the ancestor or an old form of backgammon.
It is known that in the centuries following the game's introduction into Japan it was made illegal several times, most prominently in 689 and 754. This is because the simple and luck-based nature of sugoroku made it an ideal gambling game. This version of sugoroku and records of playing for gambling continuously appeared until early Edo era. In early Edo-era, a new and quick gambling game called Chō-han (丁半) appeared and using sugoroku for gambling quickly dwindled.
This variant of the tables family has died out in Japan and most other countries, while the Western style modern backgammon (with doubling-cube) still has some avid players.
Many e-sugoroku-based video games were released, including: Kiteretsu Daihyakka: Chōjikū Sugoroku, Sugoroku Ginga Senki, Battle Hunter, Ganbare Goemon: Mononoke Sugoroku, Culdcept, Dokodemo Hamster 4: Doki Doki Sugoroku Daibouken!, Hello Kitty: Minna de Sugoroku, Gotouchi Hello Kitty Sugoroku Monogatari, Yu-Gi-Oh! Sugoroku's Board Game, Family Pirate Party, Hidamari Sketch: Doko Demo Sugoroku x 365, and PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit.
The Mario Party series can be seen with heavy influences from sugoroku, especially e-sugoroku. Developer Hudson Soft has also produced the Momotaro Dentetsu series of games, which are more directly inspired by sugoroku.