About Ludo
Ludo is the race game most people learned on a living-room floor: each player has four tokens in a yard, a 6 lets a token out, every throw moves one token that many squares clockwise round the cross, and the first to bring all four up their home column and into the centre wins. Land on a lone rival off a safe square and it goes back to its yard. This is that game, free in the browser, for two, three or four players with no download and no account.
You can play alone against the computer on three levels, or pass one phone, tablet or laptop round the table: every seat can be a person or the computer, so two friends and two bots is fine. Classic rules give you four tokens and a 6 to start; Quick rules give two tokens and let a 1 or a 6 start, which halves the game. Capturing or bringing a token home earns another throw, a 6 always does, and three 6s in a row lose the turn. Stars and start squares are safe, two of your own tokens together cannot be taken, and the last stretch needs the exact number.
The board is drawn on a canvas in three finishes, Classic, Midnight and Royal, with a 3D die that tumbles in your yard, tokens that hop square by square, captures that fly home and confetti for the winner. Tokens that can move glow and show where they would land, and the game can move for you when only one token can go. Wins against the computer earn points toward a public Top 10 under your TabSpawn player name; stats and settings stay in your browser.
How to play
- Choose two, three or four players, set each seat to you, the computer or a friend, and pick Classic or Quick rules.
- Tap your die to roll. A 6 lets a token out of the yard and gives you another throw.
- Tap a glowing token to move it the number thrown. The dotted ring shows where it will land.
- Land on a single rival token off a star to send it home; you throw again after a capture or when a token reaches the centre.
- A token needs the exact number to finish. Bring all your tokens home before anyone else.
Controls
| Tap / click the die, Space | Roll |
|---|---|
| Tap / click a token, 1 to 4 | Move that token |
| N | New game |
| M | Sound on or off |
Tips
- Get a second token out early. With one runner, every bad throw is a wasted throw.
- Count six squares behind you before you stop. A rival within one throw of a plain square is a threat; a star or a start square is not.
- Pair up. Two of your tokens on the same square cannot be captured, which makes a fine roadblock near a rival's start.
- Near the end, keep one token back to capture while the leaders finish; the bonus throws add up.
Questions
Can I play Ludo with friends on one phone?
Yes. Set any seat to Friend and pass the phone, tablet or laptop round: up to four people can play, and you can mix friends with computer players. Everyone plays on the same device; there is no online room.
Can I play Ludo against the computer?
Yes, on Easy, Normal or Hard. Easy makes loose moves, Normal plays a steady race, and Hard weighs every square for danger and sets up captures for its next throw.
What happens if I roll three sixes in a row?
You lose the turn: the third 6 is not played and the die passes on. Each 6 before it gives you another throw, as do capturing a rival and bringing a token home.
Can two tokens on one square be captured?
No. Two of your own tokens on the same square make a block, the double token: a rival cannot land on it, so the pair is safe until you split it. Stars and start squares are safe for single tokens too.
Do I have to capture a token before going home?
No. Some families play that a token may not enter its home column until its owner has captured a rival; this game uses the common rules, where a token goes home after one lap with the exact throw.
Is it free, and does it need a download?
It is free, with no download, no account and no ads. It runs in the browser on phones, tablets, laptops and Chromebooks.