The board game based on the cult 1980s fantasy film Jim Henson's Labyrinth returns with a 40th Anniversary Collection, adding a new expansion and miniatures (plus another chance to get a tiny David Bowie in a codpiece) ahead of the film's big 40th anniversary in 2026.
Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game, which will become even longer and cause more headaches for grammar pedants when Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game – 40th Anniversary Collection, was first released in 2016, close to the 30th anniversary of the film.
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The cooperative board game, the first official film adaptation from the late Muppets creator, tasked up to four players as Sarah, Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus (riding Ambrosius) with rescuing baby Toby from Bowie’s Goblin King Jareth, whom a fifth player could control in a limited rules variant (with a bulky miniature representation following other players around the board).
The game itself was fairly simple: players rolled dice to navigate the labyrinth surrounding Jareth's castle before rolling more dice to face various encounters and challenges along their journey. Drawn cards are often left in spaces around the board, creating a different arrangement of spaces and obstacles each time you play.
Once the group finally discovers the gate to the goblin city by completing enough challenges, they are able to confront Jareth directly (after fighting his goblin army and Humongous as a series of mini-bosses), eventually remembering the incarnation to save Toby and win.
I'll admit I wasn't a fan at all when I played it shortly after release in 2017, but I also have no real affinity for Labyrinth the movie, so it might not be for me. are If you're a fan of Labyrinth, you'll have another chance to pick up the board game later this year, as the 40th Anniversary Collection brings back the original game, albeit with a revised rulebook, featuring some “challenging” additional rules, plus a new Humongous expansion and some new miniatures to join those already in the box.
British publishers River Horse and Mantic will launch a Gamefound crowdfunding campaign over the summer, with a release date yet to be announced. However, it is likely to hit screens before the film officially turns 40 in 2026.