Ludo KingLudo King
Ludo King is a free online version of the classic board game, also known as Pachisi or Parcheesi. You pick a color, roll the dice, and try to walk all four of your tokens around the board and into your home column before anyone else does.
You can play it solo against the computer, head to head with one other player, or as a 4-player challenge against three opponents. It runs in the browser on desktop and mobile, so there is nothing to install.
Ludo King at a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Genre | Board |
| Platform | Web browser (desktop & mobile) |
| Price | Free to play |
| Rating | 4.0/5 from 29,953 votes |
What is Ludo King?
It is a turn-based board game for two to four players. Each player controls four tokens that start locked in a base. You take turns rolling a single die, and the number decides how far one of your tokens moves. The board is a cross shape with a shared track around the outside and a private home column for each color. The first player to get all four tokens into the home triangle wins. Most of the game is luck of the dice, but choosing which token to move is where the real decisions are.
How to play
The flow is the same every turn: roll, then move one token by that many squares. The catch is getting tokens out of the base in the first place, which only a 6 can do.
| Action | Desktop | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Roll the dice | Click the dice | Tap the dice |
| Move a token | Click the token you want to move | Tap the token you want to move |
| Choose your color | Pick before the match starts | Pick before the match starts |
Getting tokens out of the base
Your tokens start trapped in your base, and the only way out is rolling a 6. A 6 moves one token onto your starting square, and you also get to roll again. Until you roll that 6, your turn does nothing, so early rolls are often just waiting for sixes.
Dice rules
The die controls everything, and the number you roll changes what happens next. A 6 is the most useful roll, but rolling too many in a row works against you.
| Roll | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6 | Bring a token out of base or move one, then roll again |
| Three 6s in a row | Your turn is forfeited, no move counts |
| 1 to 5 | Move a token that many squares, then your turn ends |
| Land on an opponent | Their token goes back to base and you roll again |
Capturing, safe squares, and blocks
Landing on a square that already holds an opponent's token sends that token all the way back to its base, and you get a bonus roll for it. That single move can undo a lot of someone's progress, so capturing is the main way to attack.
There are exceptions. The four star squares are safe, and a token sitting on one cannot be sent back. You can also defend yourself: put two of your own tokens on the same square and they form a block that other players cannot pass.
Game modes
You choose the setup before the match starts, from a quiet solo game to a four-way fight.
| Mode | How it works |
|---|---|
| Vs computer | Play alone against AI opponents |
| 2 player | One on one against another player |
| 4 player challenge | Race three opponents to get all your tokens home first |
Tips for winning
- Spread your tokens out instead of moving one all the way around. Having several in play gives you more options on every roll.
- Use the star squares to park a token when an opponent is close, since tokens there are safe from capture.
- Form a block with two tokens to wall off a section of track and stall the player behind you.
- Hunt for captures when an opponent's token sits one short roll ahead. Sending it home is worth more than a few squares of progress.
- Watch the three-sixes rule. A run of sixes feels lucky right up until the third one wipes your turn.
What makes it fun
The dice keep every game close, so a player who is behind can swing it with one good capture. That tension between luck and the choice of which token to move is the whole appeal. Add three other people to a 4-player match and the captures get personal fast.
Play Ludo King on mobile
Ludo King also has a mobile app. Keep playing here, or get it from Google Play and the App Store.
Ludo King gameplay video
