Overview

Gespensterburg (Ghost Castle) is a family board game published by Noris Spiele. Players race through a haunted castle, completing challenges based on classic horror stories and films. The challenges include answering trivia questions, completing rhymes, and reciting tongue twisters. The first player to navigate through the castle and reach the Black Raven wins the game.

Components

• Game board (depicting a haunted castle with a winding path)
• Player pawns (one per player)
• Challenge cards (trivia, rhyme completion, tongue twisters)
• Die
• Black Raven finish marker
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table.
2. Each player chooses a pawn and places it on the starting space.
3. Shuffle the challenge cards and place them face down in their designated area.
4. Place the Black Raven marker at the finish space.
5. Determine the first player (youngest player or by die roll).

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Roll the Die

Roll the die to determine how many spaces to move your pawn forward along the castle path.

2. Land on a Space

Move your pawn the indicated number of spaces. The space you land on determines the type of challenge you must complete.

3. Complete a Challenge

Draw or reveal the appropriate challenge card and attempt to complete it:

• Trivia: Answer a question about classic horror stories or films.
• Rhyme Completion: Complete a spooky rhyme by providing the missing words.
• Tongue Twister: Successfully recite a tongue twister without mistakes.

4. Resolve the Challenge

• Success: Your pawn stays on the new space (or advances a bonus, depending on the space).
• Failure: Your pawn may move back or stay in place, depending on the specific rules of the space.

5. Pass

Play passes to the next player clockwise.

Actions

Trivia Questions

Answer questions related to horror stories, ghost tales, and spooky films. Questions vary in difficulty.

Rhyme Completion

A partial rhyme is read aloud. You must supply the correct missing word or line to complete the verse.

Tongue Twisters

A tongue twister is shown or read to you. You must recite it correctly within the allowed time or number of attempts.

Special Spaces

Certain spaces on the board may have special effects such as shortcuts through the castle, traps that send you back, or bonus spaces that let you move ahead.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Win: The first player to reach the Black Raven at the end of the castle path wins the game.

There is no point scoring – the game is a pure race to the finish.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Failed Challenges

If you fail a challenge, the exact penalty depends on the type of space. Common penalties include staying in place or moving back a set number of spaces.

Occupied Spaces

If two players land on the same space, both remain there. Multiple pawns may share a space.

Challenge Disputes

For tongue twisters and rhyme completions, other players act as judges to determine if the challenge was completed successfully.

Age Adaptation

The game is designed as a family game. Younger players may be given easier challenges or allowed extra attempts at tongue twisters.

Player Reference

Turn: Roll die -> Move pawn -> Complete challenge -> Resolve result -> Pass

Win Condition: First to reach the Black Raven

Challenge Types: | Type | Task | |——|——| | Trivia | Answer a horror/ghost question | | Rhyme | Complete the missing words | | Tongue Twister | Recite correctly |

Key Numbers: | Item | Value | |——|——-| | Players | 2-4 | | Game length | ~30 min | | Publisher | Noris Spiele |