What Is Ludo, and What Are Ludo Game Rules?
Ludo is a board game played by 2-4 players. It is a super fun and easy-to-learn board game. It suits all age groups, as it has the simplest board game rules.
Ludo is full of twists, turns, and unexpected comebacks. So, hold your horses till all your tokens get inside the home column because just when you think you are about to win, another player sends your token back to the starting base. Ludo has been every family’s favorite pastime for decades, offering fun-filled moments and the thrill of friendly rivalry. The digital version of this traditional game on our smartphones keeps the excitement alive anytime, anywhere.
Objective: Ludo Game Rules
Ludo is a simple and fun board game and ludo rules are straightforward. The primary objective is to become the first player to move all your tokens to the home column and the home square. While attempting to take your tokens home, you should also try to capture opponents' tokens and send them back to their starting base.
Get Started on Online Ludo
Ludo is traditionally played on a square board with usually four colored tokens: red, blue, green, and yellow. Each player picks a color and gets four tokens of that color. The game uses a 6-sided dice, and the goal is simple: move all your tokens from the starting point to the center of the board (the "home" area) before your opponents can.
Junglee Ludo brings the same mechanics to the digital world, allowing you to enjoy this nostalgic game anytime and from anywhere, even with your friends and family who are far away.
How to Play the Ludo Game Online
Choose Your Color: Each player selects one of the four colors: red, blue, green, or yellow.
Roll the Dice to Start: Every player takes turns rolling the dice, and the one with the highest number begins the game. The turns continue in a clockwise direction.
Roll a 6 to Get Started: To bring a token out from your base to the starting square, you need to roll a 6. If you don’t roll a 6, your turn is skipped. Once a 6 is rolled, place a token in the starting square and roll the dice again.
Moving Tokens Across the Board: Each time you roll the dice, you move one of your tokens forward by the number of spaces indicated on the dice. You can choose which token to move, depending on your strategy. Rolling a 6 allows an extra roll, so you can move more tokens or further advance the one on the board. You must make the exact roll needed to land a token in the final home area. For example, if you are two spaces away from home, you need to roll a 2.
Capturing Opponents’ Tokens: One of the most thrilling parts of ludo is sending your opponents' tokens back to their base. If your token lands on a space occupied by an opponent’s token, their token is sent back to their starting area, and they must roll a 6 to bring it back onto the board. This makes ludo competitive, requiring strategy to outmaneuver others.
Safe Zones and Special Rules:Some squares on the board are marked as safe zones, where multiple tokens of different players can occupy the same spot without being captured. Tokens in these zones are protected, so plan your moves accordingly and stay safe from opponents.
Winning the Game:The goal of ludo is to move all four of your tokens from the starting base to the center of the board. The first player to get all the tokens home wins the game. The remaining players continue until the other positions are determined.
Winning Scenarios in Ludo
Getting All Tokens to the Home Area: The chances of winning increase if you continuously make an effort to move all your four tokens toward the home triangle.
Elimination of Opponent Tokens: If you get an opportunity to capture and eliminate your opponent’s token, you will be able to delay their progress and you even get a bonus roll for eliminating the opponent’s token.
Using Safe Zones Effectively: Be smart and use the safe zones, found near every player’s area, effectively. Tokens in safe spaces cannot be captured and ensure your safety and progress. You will notice that each player has 4 star-marked safe spaces positioned around their area. Also, the starting points for all tokens act as safe spaces, meaning tokens in these spots cannot be captured by opponents.
Rule for Rolling 6s: Rolling multiple 6s surely benefits you as it helps you to take multiple rolls, allowing you to make extra moves on the board.
Losing Scenarios
Losing in ludo generally means being the last player to get all your tokens home. There are certain scenarios that can result in a loss.
Frequent Captures: If you are not cautious of your moves and are getting frequently captured by your opponent’s tokens, you start losing time and progress, thereby losing the game.
Poor Strategy: Not utilizing safe zones effectively can result in slower progress. Additionally, focusing on a single token instead of spreading movement with multiple tokens can backfire if that token is captured, leaving the player with fewer options to make progress.
Failing to Roll a Six: There might be situations where you continuously fail to roll a 6 early in the game, thereby not getting the kick-start to move as effectively as your opponents. You will be at a disadvantage compared to others who started moving tokens earlier.
Three 6s Lead to a Turn Loss: There is a penalty if a player rolls three sixes in a row, resulting in the loss of that turn. This rule limits the potential advantage of frequent sixes.
Common Terms Used in Ludo
Tokens: The pieces each player moves around the board.
Dice:A 6-sided object that is rolled to determine token movement.
Home Area: The central area where tokens must reach to win.
Safe Zone: Squares with stars where tokens cannot be captured.
Equipment Used in Ludo
Ludo requires specific equipment to play. While traditional ludo uses physical components, online ludo platforms like Junglee Ludo digitize these elements.
Online Ludo Game Equipment
Digital Board: An interactive digital board with a cross-shaped play area.
Tokens: Each player's tokens.
Virtual Dice: A digital dice roll determines token movement.
Tips and Tricks for Winning Ludo Games
Move Multiple Tokens: Instead of advancing one token all the way, maximize your prospects of winning by moving several tokens across the board.
Use 6s Wisely: When you roll a six, consider whether bringing out a new token or advancing an existing one is better.
Capture Strategically: Sometimes it’s better to block an opponent’s progress than to move closer to home.
Plan Your Safe Zones: Always aim to land in safe zones, when possible, to avoid capture by your opponents.
To start a ludo game, each player selects a color and places their four tokens in the respective starting areas. Players then take turns clockwise rolling a dice and moving their tokens according to the number on the dice.
Rolling a 6 in ludo has many advantages. First, you can also move an existing token forward by six spaces. Additionally, rolling a 6 gives you an extra turn.
No, tokens in safe zones cannot be captured. Safe zones are designated squares on the board marked with a star. When a token lands on a safe zone, it is protected from capture by opponents' tokens.
To win a game of ludo, you must be the first player to move all four of your tokens from the starting area to the home area. Tokens must travel around the board clockwise, a path outlined by the squares. The game is won when all four tokens are safely in the home square.
If multiple tokens of the same color land on the same square then it is declared as a safe zone, and if one of the tokens leaves and the opponent's token(different color) lands on the same square, the occupying token is captured and sent back to its starting area.
In ludo, you can move only one token per turn, based on the number rolled on the dice. However, if you roll a 6, you get an extra turn and can move any token. Placing multiple tokens across the board is an essential strategy for success.