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About Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Castles of Mad King Ludwig is Ted Alspach's tile-laying game about building the strangest castle you can for a king with odd tastes. Each round one player is the master builder and sets the prices of the rooms on offer, knowing everyone else will pay them for what they buy. You then fit the rooms into your castle for points based on size, neighbours and the king's current demands.
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Is Castles of Mad King Ludwig Right for You?
Best for
Castles of Mad King Ludwig is for groups who like tile-laying puzzles and a bit of table talk. The master builder role gives every round a small game of bluff about prices, and the finished castles are a pleasure to look at. It plays well at three and four, and there is a simple solo mode.
Maybe skip it if…
Scoring is fiddly, with adjacency bonuses, favours and bonus cards all tracked at once. Players who dislike analysis paralysis should be wary of the placement puzzle at four.
How to Play Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Setup
Give each player a foyer and starting money. Deal secret bonus cards, reveal the king's favour tiles and set up the room stacks by size.
On Your Turn
- The master builder draws new rooms and places them on the price board, choosing which room costs what.
- Each other player buys one room, paying the master builder, or passes and takes money. The master builder buys last and pays the bank.
- Place the room so its doorways connect. Score it, plus bonuses or penalties from adjacent rooms, and take a reward if it is now completed.
How to Win
After the round in which the last room card is drawn, score the king's favours and bonus cards. Most points wins.
💡 Strategy Tips
As master builder, price the room you want cheaply and the rooms your neighbours want expensively. Their money becomes yours.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Pricing your own favourite room too high. The master builder buys last and pays the bank, so an expensive room you want is money down the drain.
- Ignoring the king's favours. They are public, they are worth a lot at the end, and several players often compete for the same ones.
- Leaving doorways open everywhere. Completed rooms give rewards, and a castle full of loose ends earns none.
- Forgetting to take money when broke. Passing gives you cash, and it is often better than buying a poor room.
Advanced Strategy
- As master builder, price rooms for what others will pay, not what the rooms are worth. You profit from their purchases.
- Build towards two or three king's favours and let the others go. Spreading thin scores nothing.
- Downstairs rooms need stairs to reach them. Plan access before you buy.
- Bonus cards reward specific room types. Take extra ones when a completion reward offers them, since they compound late.
Variants & House Rules
Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets
An expansion that adds secret passages and new rooms to build around.
Second edition
Bezier Games' second edition updates the art and components. The core game is the same.
Solo mode
Included in the base box as a high-score challenge. Fine for learning, but the game really needs the price-setting.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
Castles of Mad King Ludwig pairs a satisfying spatial puzzle with a price-setting mechanism that makes every round interactive. The castles you end up with are funny, and the scoring rewards careful planning. It is a strong mid-weight family game that holds up well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take?
About ninety minutes at four, and less with fewer players. A first game runs a little long while people learn the scoring.
Is it good at two?
It works, with the master builder role alternating. Price-setting is less interesting with only one buyer, so three or four is better.
Is there a sequel?
Palace of Mad King Ludwig is a separate game by the same designer with a different mechanism. It is not a replacement for Castles.