User summary:
Serpents is a strategic race game with almost no luck involved. Its theme is the struggle for survival among 7 varieties of serpents. The game is played with 2-4 players.
Each player takes a postcard-sized game board that depicts a winding serpent. The serpent is divided into 26 segments, each with a number ranging from 1 to 3 (some segments have a special effect: Attack or Guard). Each player places their three tokens on three segments from the tail. The goal is to take all of the three tokens to the serpent's head.
Each turn, each player add up the numbers where their three tokens are on, and simultaneously advance one of their token segments equal to that total. If the token lands on an Attack segment, each opponent must move all of their own tokens 1 segment backward, unless they had just advanced a token to a Guard segment.
Players interact with each other by Attacking/Guarding, and each serpent has its own special ability. Each turn, each player has limited options, and they are known to all players. So players' decisions and interactions will determine the winner.
Publisher's summary:
サーペンツは2～4人用の異なる7種のヘビで生存競争を行う、運の要素がほぼ無い戦略レースゲームです。
プレイヤーは異なるヘビのコロニーとなり３つのコマのマス目に書かれて居る数字の合計を１つのコマの移動力としゴールをめざします。
マス目には攻撃やガードのマークもありプレイヤー間のインタラクションが発生します。
また各ヘビはそれぞれ固有の能力を持ち、これらの使用の見極めが重要となります。
最も早く3つのコマ全てをゴールさせた者が勝者となります。