The Game of the Goose is one of the oldest board games in the world, a dice race first played in 16th-century Europe and still loved today. This free online Game of the Goose lets you play in your browser with no downloads or sign-ups — just open the page, roll, and race a spiral track of 63 numbered squares against one or two computer rivals.
Every roll of two dice carries you forward, but the board is full of surprises. Land on a goose square and you leap ahead again by the same number; land on the bridge and you jump forward, while the inn, well and prison force you to wait out a turn or two. The twisting maze drags you backward and the dreaded death square sends you all the way back to the start. Choose Easy, Medium or Hard difficulty to change how many hazards and rivals you face, and try to be the first to reach square 63 exactly.
Historians often call the Game of the Goose the first commercially produced board game. Francesco de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, famously sent a copy to King Philip II of Spain in the late sixteenth century, and in 1597 the London printer John Wolfe registered "the newe and most pleasant game of the Goose" at Stationers' Hall — the earliest record of a board game being published in England.
Nearly every roll-and-move race game since, from Snakes and Ladders to the family games of the twentieth century, borrows its skeleton from the Goose: a numbered track, lucky squares that speed you on and hazards that throw you back. Scholars still argue over the symbolism of its 63-square spiral and the geese posted every ninth space, which only adds to the charm of a game that has been entertaining families for more than four hundred years.
Be the first player to land exactly on square 63 at the centre of the spiral, using lucky goose squares to speed ahead while surviving the hazards along the way.
Tap or click the Roll button to throw the two dice on your turn — the rivals roll automatically. Fully touch friendly, so it works on phones, tablets and desktop.
First to reach square 63 exactly wins; special squares speed you up or set you back. If your roll would overshoot 63 you bounce back by the extra steps, so a careful finish matters.
Goose squares chain together, so a single good roll can carry you a long way — aim to land on them. Keep an eye on the well, maze and death squares and remember that on Hard you race two rivals, so building a lead early helps you survive the setbacks.
Why did my piece bounce backwards at the end?
You must land on square 63 exactly. Any extra pips on your roll are counted backwards from 63, so a big roll near the finish can actually cost you ground.
What happens on a goose square?
You immediately move again by the same amount you just rolled — and if that lands you on another goose, the bonus chains.
How old is the Game of the Goose?
Well over four hundred years. It was documented in Italy in the late 1500s and registered for publication in London in 1597.
More classic games: Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Royal Game of Ur, Senet, Farkle, and all 100 free games.