Labyrinth board game: the moving maze explained
Also known as: Das verrückte Labyrinth, The aMAZEing Labyrinth
Labyrinth board game explained: push a tile to shift the maze, open a path and collect your secret treasures before the other players. Rules, tips and review.
- Type
- Board game
- Players
- 2–4
- Age
- Ages 7+
- First released
- 1986
- Designed by
- Max J. Kobbert
- Publisher
- Ravensburger
Labyrinth is a family board game with a maze that changes shape on every turn. The board is a grid of square path tiles, some fixed and many loose. Before moving, each player pushes one spare tile into the edge of the board, which slides an entire row or column and changes which paths connect. Players each have a secret stack of treasure cards and race to reach those treasures one by one, then return to their starting corner. It was designed by Max J. Kobbert and first published by Ravensburger in 1986. The idea is simple to understand at a glance, yet it trains spatial thinking surprisingly well, for both children and adults.
Our verdict
Labyrinth gives children a real reason to think a step ahead: how will this push change the maze, and will it also help someone else? Because the board changes every turn, there is no fixed best route, and young players often find clever moves that adults miss. Turns are short, the treasures are attractive and the rules are clear without reading. It is a strong choice for families with children of different ages, and it naturally leads to talking about directions and shapes.
What works
- Trains spatial reasoning
- Changes every turn
- Children can beat adults fairly
What does not
- Some turns offer no useful move
- Planning a push can slow down impatient players
How to play Labyrinth
Each player places their figure in a corner and receives a face-down stack of treasure cards, looking only at the top card. One path tile is left over. On your turn, you first insert the spare tile into the board from one of the marked edge positions, pushing a row or column so that a tile falls out on the opposite side. That tile becomes the spare for the next player. You may not push the tile straight back into the position it was just pushed out of. If a figure is pushed off the board, it re-enters on the opposite side on the new tile. Then you may move your figure as far as you like along connected paths, or stay where you are. If you reach the treasure on your top card, reveal it and look at the next one. When all your treasures are found, return to your starting corner to win.
Tips for new players
- Before pushing, trace with your finger where the new paths will lead.
- Look for a push that brings your target closer to you even if you cannot reach it this turn.
- Use pushes to break the path a rival needs, especially near the end.
- Remember that pushing a figure off the edge moves it to the opposite side, which can be a shortcut.
Good for
Labyrinth: common questions
What age is Labyrinth suitable for?
Standard editions recommend ages 7 and up. Younger children can play with an adult helping them see paths.
How many players can play Labyrinth?
The original game supports two to four players.
Can I play a maze game online here?
Yes. Our free in-house browser game Maze offers a different maze challenge with a daily puzzle and leaderboards.
Labyrinth belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
