Castle Dukes

About this board game

Castle Dukes is a 3D dexterity and strategy game for 1–4 players, played in about 90 minutes. As rival dukes, players compete to build the greatest castle and earn the title of Grand Duke.

Each round begins with five Coins for every player. Six Room cards are displayed in positions from bottom to top, with each position costing more than the one below it. Starting with the First Player, players take turns acquiring rooms—or choosing to pass—while gaps remain until the round’s room cards are shifted down and replenished.

The positions on the main board also provide additional castle components, including Tables and Coffers. After the Room card phase, players simultaneously spend their remaining Coins on pillars, Floor Tiles, and Construction cards, then immediately add their new pieces to their growing castles. Every structure can develop its own balance of Defence, Comfort, and Offence.

• Build layered castles from physical components in a distinctive 3D display.
• Choose rooms and construction pieces while managing a limited supply of Coins.
• Develop Defence, Comfort, or Offence to appeal to different guests and face threats.
• Use dexterity while constructing a fortress that must remain standing.

At the end of construction, a Guest card reveals who has arrived. The princess prefers the most comfortable castle, the king seeks the best-defended one, and the knight favors the castle offering the greatest chance to slay a dragon. Their preferences can make castle design just as important as size.

Dragons may also appear and attack every castle, with damage varying according to each castle’s Defence and Offence. If any part of a castle collapses, even a single component, its owner takes a Crumble token; each token reduces the final score by 2 Victory Points. Victory Points come from housing the most important guests and creating the most magnificent castle, and Castle Dukes rewards both careful planning and a steady hand.