A reminder that Chutes and Ladders is really just Snakes and Ladders, an ancient Indian board game going back to at least 200 BCE.

Adding some more original snakes and ladders boards:

Gyan Chaupar (Jain version of the game), National Museum, New Delhi.

Persian board.

Game of Heaven and Hell (Jnana Bagi)

Various 18th/19th century examples

So outside the U.S. it's mostly still Snakes and Ladders (in the U.S. it's Chutes and Ladders). But there have been many variations. This German version of Lieterspiel does away with snakes entirely in lieu of circus elements.

WHOA.

So get this:

Gyan Chaupar (the game of knowledge? someone check me on this meaning) looks like the image here. Ancient. Many variants, but most have one thing in common: they are games where you go through "life" and gain knowledge/wisdom.

Western versions of the game tend to have a very checker board look in the 19th century, like the German version I mentioned above (shown again here)

Now get this: Chutes and Ladders (US name) was released in the 20th century by Milton Bradley...

But go back a century or so and Milton Bradley is releasing THIS: The Checkered Game of Life

And much like Gyan Chaupar, you go through life starting with nothing and slowly make gains. Like Gyan Chaupar it has a strong moral message. Like Gyan Chaupar you ascend a grid.

What is crazy about this is that The Checkered Game of life evolves into... The Game of Life

So I think there is a case to be made that not just Chutes and Ladders but also MB's Game of Life both come from Gyan Chaupar, the ancient Indian Snakes and Ladders.