Sugoroku
Japanese form of backgammon and the game similar to Snakes and Ladders.
Sugoroku plays identically to backgammon (it even has the same starting position), except for the following differences:
- Doubles are not special. Even if you roll doubles, each die still only counts once.
- There is no "bearing off". The goal is to move all of your men to within the last six spaces of the board.
- There is no doubling cube: it was invented in 20s America.
- It is unfair to use the 'prime' technique (making 6 contiguous zones through which the opponent player is unable to travel)
History
The game is thought to have been introduced from China (where it was known as Shuang-lu) into Japan in the sixth century. 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 continously appeared until early Edo era. In early Edo-era, a new and quick gambling game called Hanchou (半丁) appeared and using sugoroku for gambling quickly dwindled.
This variant of the backgammon family has died out in most other countries, but it is still popular in Japan, partially due to a boost caused by the inclusion of a free Sugoroku board with the first issue of the newspaper Kingu (in 1925) which sold 740,000 copies.
A simpler sugoroku, with the similar rules as Snakes and Ladders appeared as early as late 13th century and helped by the cheap and elaborate wooden block printing technology of Edo period, it became a popular game. Thousands of variations of boards were made with pictures and themes from religion, political, actors, and even adult material. In Meiji and later period, this variation of game remained popular often included as a game in kid-oriented magazines.
In 1968, Takara introduced Jinsei Game (人生ゲーム) as a Japanese version of The Game of Life and this became an instant hit by using a roulette instead of dice and by offering alternative goals beside quickly reaching the goal. This game was periodically updated introducing many timely topics and sold over 10 million sets to date.
Sugoroku also became games in Famicom and other video games. The most famous title is a comical Momotarō Dentetsu (桃太郎電鉄) or Momoden. Mixing ideas of sugoroku with Monopoly, the goal is to buy local companies and shops travelling all over Japan using trains, ships, and airplanes and becoming richest person while avoiding traps and Bimbōgami (貧乏神), lit. the god of poverty. This game is in its 12th version with numerous updates.
Sources
- Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 1, No. 3/4. (November 1936), p. 434.
- Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 43, No. 4. (Winter, 1988), pp. 468.
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