Ludo

Ludo is a fun and competitive classic game that can be played by two to four players. Each player has four pieces in a distinct color (red, yellow, green, or blue), and the goal is to move all of their pieces from the base to the safe zone before their opponents do.

Goal of the Game

Each player's goal is to move all four of their pieces from the starting area (the base) to the final safe zone located at the center of the board, by traveling along a set path.

Game Setup

• You can play with two or four players in normal mode, and with three or four in free mode.
• Each player owns 4 pieces in a distinct color: red, yellow, green, blue.
• Each piece is numbered according to its color, such as: red1, red2, red3, red4.
• Each player starts the game from their base, and cannot move any piece until they roll a 6.
• At the start of the game, each player rolls the die, and whoever gets a 6 first chooses their color, while the other colors are assigned automatically.

How Play Proceeds

1. Play begins with the host, or with the player who rolled a 6 first.
2. If a player rolls the die and a 6 appears, they may bring a piece out of the base, or move a piece already on the board.
3. When a 6 is rolled, the player must roll the die again.
4. If a 6 appears three times in a row, the turn passes to the next player without moving any piece.
5. Results such as 6 and 5 can be used to move one piece or more in sequence (for example 6 then 5).
6. If a piece moves onto a square containing a capturable opponent piece, that piece is captured and returned to its base.
7. Once a piece reaches the safe zone, it cannot be captured by an opponent.

Rules of Play

• The number 6: Used to bring a piece out of the base or to move any other piece.
• Results lower than 6: Used only to move pieces already on the board.
• Capturing pieces: If a piece lands on the same square as an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is returned to its base. In normal mode, capture occurs only between opposing colors: red captures blue (and vice versa), and green captures yellow (and vice versa).
• Reaching the finish: A piece must reach the finish square with an exact roll; if the number overshoots it, the piece cannot be moved.
• Three sixes: If a player rolls a 6 three times in a row, their turn ends immediately.

Free Mode

A group play mode in which each player plays for themselves, and every color competes against every other color (there are no teams). In this mode the players' bases are distributed over four entry points around a shared circular path, so all colors meet on the same path.

• With four players: The host is asked at the start of the game whether they want to play in free mode.
• With three players: Free mode is enabled automatically, and the colors are: red, green, and blue.
• Turn order by color: red, then blue, then green, then yellow.
• Individual win: The first player to get all four of their pieces to the finish wins, and the game ends.

Capturing and Protection in Free Mode

• Capture against everyone: Every player can capture any other color; whoever lands their piece on an opponent's piece sends it back to its base.
• Safe squares: A piece standing on a safe square cannot be captured. The safe squares on the path are: 0, 8, 13, 21, 26, 34, 39, 47.
• Stacking: If you have two or more pieces of your own color on the same square, they cannot be captured. However, two pieces of different colors on the same square do not protect each other.
• The safe zone: Once your piece enters its final stretch leading to the finish, no opponent can capture it.

Special Features

• A custom die can be purchased from the store and used at any time to set the number that will appear on the roll.

Game Gestures

Important Notes

• The game relies on luck and strategy at the same time.
• Colors are assigned automatically after the first player chooses.
• The game supports two- and four-player play in normal mode, and three- and four-player play in free mode.
• Piece positions on the board are updated automatically after every move.
• In normal mode, the red and green players start from home 0, and the other colors from 26.
• In free mode, each color has its own base: red 0, blue 13, green 26, yellow 39.