Ludo rules at a glance
Each player starts with four tokens in their yard. You need a six to bring a token onto your start square; tokens then travel once round the board clockwise, turn into their own coloured home column and finish in the centre home. Land exactly on an opponent and it goes back to its yard — except on star squares and start squares, which are safe. On this site the game ends as soon as one player has every token home; everyone else is ranked by how far their tokens have travelled.
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FAQ
Why does the game end when one player finishes?
Playing until all four finish makes games very long. To keep online waits short, the game ends as soon as the first player brings every token home; places two to four are decided by how far each player’s tokens have travelled.
Can two of my tokens form a blockade?
Not on this site. Your tokens may share a square, but they do not stop opponents passing, and on a non-safe square they are all captured together if an opponent lands there.
Can I play without signing in?
Yes — games against the AI and pass-and-play on one device need no account. Online matches and rankings require signing in with a GameNow account.
How do I play with several friends?
Open “Invite a friend”, pick 2, 3 or 4 players and send the link. The game starts automatically when the table is full, or the host can press “Start now” once at least two players have joined.
Is there a time limit?
Online, each roll and each token choice has 20 seconds. If time runs out the game rolls for you or makes a sensible move, so nobody is left waiting. Miss two turns in a row and you are marked away, after which you get only 5 seconds.