Ludo

Ludo is the classic race game for two to four players: four colors, four tokens each, one die and a cross-shaped board. Roll a 6 to bring a token out, send rivals back to their base by landing on them, and race all four of your tokens up your home column to the center. You can play this Ludo game online free in your browser against the computer, with friends on the same device, or any mix of the two, with no download or sign-up.

How to play

Each color starts with four tokens in its corner base. Players take turns clockwise: Red, Green, Yellow, then Blue.

• Get out of the base: you need to roll a 6 to move a token out of your base onto your start square, the colored square just outside it.
• Move around the board: on each roll, pick one of your tokens and move it forward that many squares, clockwise around the outer track. If none of your tokens can move, the turn passes.
• Roll again on a 6: a 6 gives you another roll. Under the standard rule, three 6s in a row lose the turn, and the third 6 is not played.
• Capture: land exactly on a rival’s token and it is sent back to its base, so it has to roll a 6 to come out again. Capturing earns you a bonus roll.
• Safe squares: the four start squares and the four gray star squares are safe. Tokens can share them, and nobody can be captured there.
• Go home: after a full lap, each token turns into its own colored home column, where rivals can’t follow. By default you need the exact roll to reach the center, and a token that reaches home also earns a bonus roll.

The first player to get all four tokens home wins. The rest play on, and the game ranks every player from 1st to last.

Players and rules options

Before each game, tap a seat to set each color to Human, Computer or Off. Any two, three or four colors can play, so you can take on one computer opponent, play a full four-player game against three of them, or pass the device around for a game with friends. The menu also has three rule switches:

• Three 6s in a row lose the turn: on by default. Switch it off to let every 6 be played.
• Exact roll needed to finish: on by default. Switch it off and any roll that reaches or passes the center brings the token home.
• Bonus roll for a capture or finish: on by default. Switch it off and only a 6 gives another roll.

Computer players look for captures first, then for moves that finish a token, bring one out or reach a safe square, and they try to keep their tokens out of danger.

Controls

Tap or click the die to roll, or press Space or Enter. The tokens you can move glow, and each one shows its number. Tap a glowing token on the board, tap its numbered button under the board, or press 1 to 4 on a keyboard. When only one move is possible, the token moves by itself.

Your settings, your win record against the computer and your capture count are saved in your browser. A game in progress is saved too, so you can close the tab and pick it up later with Resume saved game.

Tips

• Use your 6s wisely. Bringing a new token out gives you more options later, but a 6 can also carry a front runner past danger or into the home column.
• Count behind you. A rival token one to six squares behind yours can capture it on the next roll. Move threatened tokens first, or park them on a star.
• Hunt from behind. Keeping a token a few squares behind a rival’s token gives you a chance to capture it every turn.

FAQ

Is this Ludo game free?

Yes. It’s free in your browser with no account or install, on a computer, tablet or phone.

Can I play Ludo against the computer?

Yes. Set any color to Computer in the menu. You can play one computer opponent or up to three, and they play their turns on their own.

Can 2, 3 or 4 people play on one device?

Yes. Set two, three or four colors to Human and take turns on the same screen. You can also mix people and computer players in one game.

Do you need a 6 to start in Ludo?

Yes. Under the standard rules, a token leaves its base only on a roll of 6, and the 6 also gives you another roll.

Like dice races? Try Snakes and Ladders for a game of pure luck, or Backgammon for a two-player race with more strategy.