ʻO ka pāʻani ʻo Snakes and Ladders he pāʻani papa ʻōwili pōhaku ʻōhiʻu ʻIniana kahiko i manaʻo ʻia i kēia lā he mea kaulana a puni ka honua. Hoʻokani ʻia ma waena o ʻelua a ʻoi aku nā mea pāʻani ma luna o ka papa pāʻani me nā pahu i helu ʻia a me nā laina i kaha ʻia. He mau "alapiʻi" a me nā "nahesa" i kaha ʻia ma ka papa, e hoʻohui ana kēlā me kēia i ʻelua pahu papa kikoʻī. ʻO ke kumu o ka pāʻani ke hoʻokele i kāna ʻāpana pāʻani, e like me ka ʻōwili pōhaku ʻōhiʻu, mai ka hoʻomaka (ka pahu lalo) a i ka hopena (ka pahu luna), i kōkua a i ʻākeʻakeʻa ʻia paha e nā alapiʻi a me nā nahesa.