Labyrinth from Ravensburger is a brilliant board game that combines strategic forward-thinking with fun interactive play. It comes in many different themes including Pokemon, Disney, and Harry Potter, and it’s always a hit with my family when we open it up for game night. I’ve learned quite a few strategies for Labyrinth over the years that make the game more fun and boost my win rate. These Labyrinth strategies are sure to improve your game and help you win more often.
In general, the best Labyrinth strategies are to give yourself maximum flexibility, utilize the ‘teleportation’ rule, and visualize the effects of potential moves. You should also carefully consider which tiles to stop on based on your current goal and try to hinder the progress of your opponents.
Labyrinth is very fun but it can also be extremely frustrating when your opponents thwart your carefully laid plans. However, if you understand the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ behind the tips and strategies outlined below you’ll start to win more games and have more fun while doing it.
Switch sides with the teleportation rule
Labyrinth often requires you to move a long way over the board and it’s usually not clear what the fastest method is. When the treasure you’re hunting is clear on the other side of the board it’s often best to make use of the ‘teleportation’ rule.
You can do this by first ending your turn on one side of the board on a pushable row of tiles. Then on your next turn (barring interference from other players) you can push that row and yourself off of the board. According to the rules, you then place yourself in that same row on the opposite side of the board. This tactic is very powerful and can help you move great distances much faster than more conventional means.
With this in mind, you should also be on the lookout for your opponents placing themselves along the edge of the board. This can be an indication that they are hoping to ‘teleport’ on their next move so it might be wise to push that row in the opposite direction, thwarting their plans.
Give yourself flexibility with triple junctions
Labyrinth is all about flexibility and options. It’s very difficult to anticipate what the maze will look like on your next turn, so it’s best to set yourself up by leaving yourself with as many options as possible. Triple junction tiles offer the most opportunities to find desirable paths because they simply have more exits.
Triple junction tiles serve as both corner and straight tiles so, all else being equal, they are the best choice to stop on.
Block the leading player from returning home
When a player has found all of their treasures and they’re out of cards they then have to return to their starting square to win the game. I have found that many people aren’t aware of this rule, but it adds an extra bit of fun and strategy to the game.
CHECK IT OUT: Labyrinth comes in lots of fun themed variations, including Pokemon, Harry Potter, and Disney Villains!
Once a player has found all of their treasures all of the other players should make it a priority to prevent them from reaching their ‘home’ square. Unlike the rest of the game where players aren’t sure where their opponents are trying to get to, it is obvious to all players where the winning player is trying to go. This makes blocking and preventing that player from reaching their objective much easier, giving you a chance to make a comeback and win the game.
Consider moving your treasure, not your piece
Most players seem to focus on creating a path near their piece to advance toward their treasure goal. However, half of the treasures (12 out of 24) in Labyrinth are on mobile tiles, meaning they can be pushed around and manipulated.
Sometimes it can be more effective to bring a treasure closer to you or to build a long path that connects to your treasure, so don’t just focus on the tiles around your playing piece. Remember that if your treasure tile is on the edge of the board you can also push it off during your turn. The next player will have to use it on their turn, placing it in a new location that could be more easily accessible to you.
Stop on static tiles to avoid being pushed
If you are getting very close to your goal treasure but you can’t quite reach it on your current turn then you don’t want to risk being shoved around in the maze by your opponents. In these cases, it is usually best to try to stop on a static tile that can’t be moved.
These static tiles have the added advantage of being triple junctions, giving you a lot of options and mobility on your next turn. The only exception to this is the corner tiles where players begin the game.
Take time to visualize all reasonable moves
Don’t rush your moves in Labyrinth! Visualizing the consequences of potential moves takes time, skill, and practice. Sometimes it can be easy to miss your best possible move because the resulting path isn’t so obvious or easy to see.
There is no time limit in the rules, so as long as the other players don’t get upset with you it’s okay to take a little time to analyze the board. Look at every possible move that could have an impact on your desired path and only make your move once you’ve found the best outcome for yourself.
Stop on pushable tiles when far from your goal
It’s pretty common to feel lost in Labyrinth when you have no clear way to advance toward your next treasure goal. Sometimes it feels like reaching your treasure is impossible! In situations like these, sometimes it’s best just to play the odds and wait for your situation to improve.
You can place your piece on mobile tiles in the middle of the board that are more likely to be pushed by other players, potentially improving your options. It’s even better if you can stand on a mobile triple junction tile that is more likely to connect to neighboring tiles.
Focus on offense with 3 or 4 players
When playing with many other players there is a lot of disruption and movement between turns. It becomes very hard to realize any plans or to predict what the board will look like the next time you get to make a move.
The fact that 2 or 3 moves will be made between any given player’s turns means that a good deal of ‘defense’ is being played, whether intentional or not. This means that you should focus on yourself and make whatever progress you can at the time instead of trying to disrupt your opponents.
Learn to live with incremental progress
It is pretty rare in Labyrinth to be able to create a path to your next treasure in one turn. Sometimes the stars (and tiles) align and you have a clear path all the way there, but this is usually a result of luck, not skill.
Instead of trying to map out the perfect long corridor that likely doesn’t even exist, take what progress you can. Make solid moves that advance you toward your goal and stop on squares that leave you with the most flexibility.
Stop on the row that you just pushed
In Labyrinth, once a row is pushed it cannot be pushed in the reverse direction on the next player’s turn. You can exploit this rule to your advantage, especially in two-player games. If you are close to your goal treasure that lies in an adjacent row you can push the same row several times to eventually reach your goal and your opponent can’t reverse the effect.
If you notice an opponent trying to utilize this strategy you might want to prevent it by cross-cutting the row when possible. Push your opponent off the row they’re advancing by pushing the row perpendicular to it.
In the example above, I’m playing as Blue in a two-player game. I’m trying to reach the ‘Map’ treasure and I just pushed the second column ‘up’ (see the green arrow). According to the rules, my opponent can’t push the row back on their turn, so on my next turn I am planning to push that same column ‘up’ to reach my goal treasure.
However, my opponent can still prevent me from reaching the ‘Map’ treasure. If they have guessed my strategy then they can push the row we’re currently standing on to the left or to the right, preventing me from using the ‘consecutive push strategy’ to my advantage.
Create effective corridors, not long ones
It can be tempting to create nice long corridors that lead all over the maze. They’re aesthetically pleasing and it feels like you’re making progress. While this is often true, keep in mind that your opponents can also use these long corridors and that it doesn’t matter how long a path is if it doesn’t eventually lead you closer to your goal.
It is often better to create a shorter path that gets you closer to your target treasure than it is to make a long path that gives all players more mobility.
Take note of visible treasure cards
Once a player has found a treasure, he or she has to turn it face up so that all other players can see it. Similarly, when playing with kids they often use special rules that allow them to have several (or even all) of their cards turned face up throughout the entire game.
You should make use of this information to make more informed decisions about where your opponents are trying to go. If they are clearly moving towards a corner of the board and only one of those treasures is unaccounted for then you can be sure that’s the treasure they’re looking for. You can use this knowledge to prevent them from building a path to their target.
Remember the best path isn’t a straight line
When mapping out paths in your head before making a move it’s easy to only look for the most direct path to your treasure. This is a common trap to fall into because the most direct path is much easier to visualize.
When you’re visualizing the effects of a potential move make sure that you’re keeping track of all of the branching corridors it will create. Sometimes a winding path to your treasure will appear when you least expect it!
Thanks for reading! If I missed something or you have your own opinions, please drop a comment below.
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