The Palace of Mad King Ludwig

King Ludwig II of Bavaria has a dream. He wants a palace that will astonish the whole world. White stone, water all around and swans everywhere. But there is a catch: all the architects have to build this one palace together. Whoever shows the most influence gets the honour of finishing it. And that will be you, of course. In The Palace of Mad King Ludwig you take turns adding rooms to one large palace that slowly grows before your eyes. As rooms are completed, a moat forms bit by bit around the building. As soon as the ends of that moat meet, the palace is finished. The player who contributed the most stones takes the win. The lovely part is that every palace looks different, so no two games feel the same. Do you already know Castles of Mad King Ludwig? Then you will surely recognise the tiles and the joy of a palace slowly taking shape. Still, this game plays very differently. There is no auction any more, and that closing moat creates a tension you can almost feel building. The coloured swan tokens make it extra fun, because you use them as currency, as points and to unlock new powers. Suitable for players aged thirteen and up, and an evening together at the table of about seventy-five minutes.