Players take on the roles of Frodo and Sam on their quest to destroy the Ring in Mt. Doom. The board develops as the game progresses as the Hobbits search for Mt. Doom. They will encounter friend and foe alike as they make their way around the map. Some encounters hurt them (Orks, Trolls, etc.) and some help them on their quest (Gandalf, Ents, Aragorn, etc.) The game ends when one of the Hobbits reaches Mt. Doom. Players then tally their encounter chips with the highest score winning.