Ludo is an exhilarating and popular game. The ease of learning makes it popular, and you need minimal equipment to play. You can play Ludo on a board with tokens or play Ludo online mobile games like Ludo Supreme, Ninja, and Turbo. What’s more? You can even win real money while playing Ludo online.
Are you interested in playing Ludo? This comprehensive guide will help you get started in no time.
Ludo – An Overview
Ludo is a strategy board game that you can play online and offline. Whether you play Ludo online or offline, the game’s objective is to move the player’s tokens clockwise around the board, up the home column, and into the Home. However, depending upon the gameplay and rules, the player needs to strategize their move.
For instance, when you play the classic Ludo board game, you must roll a six to move a token out of the base and onto the start position. This rule changes when it comes to playing online Ludo games like Ludo Supreme, where all the tokens are in the open position, and you do not need to roll a six to start the game. So, if you are playing the classic Ludo board game, your strategy might be that you first get your token out of the base whenever you roll a six. On the other hand, if you are playing Ludo Supreme, your strategy might be that you move the token nearest to the home column whenever you roll a six.
Here is a brief overview of the classic Ludo game:
| Country of Origin | India |
| Game Genre | Board game, Race game, Dice game |
| Players | 2-4 |
| Playing time | <90 minutes |
| Age range | 3+ |
| Skills required | Strategy, tactics, counting, probability |
| Different names and brands of Ludo | Uckers-British, Pachisi-Indian, Fia-Swedish, Eile mit Weile-Swiss, Parqués-Colombian, and Parchís-Spanish |
| Can I play Ludo Online? | Yes |
| Ludo game online | Ludo Supreme, Ludo Ninja, and Ludo Turbo |
What is Ludo and who invented it?
Ludo is a two or four-player strategy board game based upon the ancient Indian game of Pachisi. Pachisi was created in India in the sixth century CE. However, the earliest evidence of this game evolution in India is the depiction of boards on the caves of Ellora. The original version of Pachisi is also described in the Indian epic Mahabharata. Moreover, a similar version of Pachisi, known as Chaupar, was played by the Mughal emperors of India. In fact, Akbar was a big fan of this game and had a separate court built for playing the game.
In the late Victorian times, Pachisi was modified and patented as Ludo in England in 1896. The Royal Navy took Ludo and converted it into the board game called Uckers.
Ludo Online – How to Play Ludo Online and earn real money
With the growing list of Ludo games available online, it becomes difficult to decide which game to download. Don’t worry. We have got you covered. Zupee has 3 most played Ludo games in its simple, compact yet powerful app. Moreover, you can play Ludo online games by Zupee with real money so you can earn real cash.
There are three different ways you can play Ludo online by playing Ludo Supreme, Ludo Ninja, and Ludo Turbo. All three games are an online version of the classic board game Ludo, with some tweaks to the gameplay. For instance, Ludo Supreme is a timed game, whereas in Ludo Ninja and Turbo, the player gets an equal number of moves to score maximum points. Take a look at the table below to gain more clarity on the game format:
| Format | Ludo Supreme | Ludo Ninja | Ludo Turbo |
| 2 player | 8 minutes | 24 moves | 30 moves |
| 4 player | 10 minutes | 18 moves | 18 moves |
Ludo Online – 2 and 4 players format
There are other factors that differentiate these online Ludo games from each other. Read this article to know more about the differences and how to play Zupee online Ludo games.
Gameplay – Ludo Supreme vs. Ninja vs. Turbo vs. Classic
Here is a brief overview of how the traditional gameplay is different from the gameplay of Zupee online Ludo games:
| Gameplay | Traditional Ludo | Ludo Supreme | Ludo Ninja | Ludo Turbo |
| Starting the game | Need a 6 to bring out/ open your token to the play area | All tokens are open | All tokens are open | All tokens are open |
| Moving tokens | The value on the dice determines how many boxes your token moves. | The value on the dice determines how many boxes your token moves. | The value on the dice determines how many boxes your token moves. | The value on the dice determines how many boxes your token moves. |
| Capturing opponents token | Capture opponents token by landing on it | Capture opponents token by landing on it | Capture opponents token by landing on it | Capture opponents token by landing on it |
| Extra Moves | Extra move on throwing A 6 and cutting opponents token. | Extra move on throwing A 6 and cutting opponents token. | Extra move on cutting opponents token | Extra move on cutting opponents token |
| Time for 2 players | <90 minutes | 8 minutes | 24 moves | 30 moves |
| Time for 4 players | <90 minutes | 10 minutes | 18 moves | 18 moves |
| Safe Spaces | Marked with stars | Marked with stars | Marked with stars | Marked with stars |
| Blocking the opponent | By landing two of your tokens in the same box | You cannot block the opponent | You cannot block the opponent | You cannot block the opponent |
| Winning the game | The player who makes all his four tokens reach Home | The player who scores the maximum points | The player who scores the maximum points | The player who scores the maximum points |
Ludo Online vs. Classic Board Game
Here are the key differences between the online and traditional Ludo board game:
| Differences | Ludo Online (by Zupee) | Classic Ludo Board Game |
| Game format | Dice and Diceless | Dice |
| Players | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| Playing time | Approx. 10-15 minutes | <90 minutes |
| Random Chance | Game of Skill, not Chance | Game of Chance is high |
Ludo Board Game – Classic version
Typically, a Ludo board is colored green, red, bright yellow, and blue. Each player is assigned a color and has four tokens in that color. The Ludo board usually is square-shaped, with a cross-shaped playspace. Each arm of the cross has three columns of squares, usually six per column. The five-colored squares in the middle column are a player’s home column, and the sixth colored square not on the home column is a player starting square.
The center of the Ludo board game has a large square, with each player’s home color. If you notice carefully, you can see an arrow formation, with the top of the arrow (triangle shape) acting as Finish/Home for the token. Depending on the player’s color, they need to take their token through the home column and into the Home.
How to play Ludo and rules to follow – Classic version
The goal of the classic Ludo game is to get all your tokens inside the home space, located in the middle of the board. You win the game when you take all your tokens to the home before your opponent. Now let us understand how to play the Ludo board game.
After choosing the board of your choice and deciding on the number of players, you need to choose a color and place it in the space provided. Here is an overview of the Ludo gameplay:
| Starting the game | You need to roll a 6 to bring your token into the playing area. Sometimes rolling a 1 is also accepted as a value to start the game. |
| Moving tokens | Once you bring your token into the playing area, roll again, and the value on the dice determines how many boxes your token moves. |
| Moving new tokens | After activating your first token, you can either take out another token into the playing area for every 6 you roll or move the existing token forward. |
| Capturing opponent’s token | You can capture your opponent’s token by landing on their token. If you can capture your opponent token, two things will happen: You will get an extra chance to roll The captured token will be off the playing area, and the opponent needs to roll a six again to activate it |
| Safe Spaces | A star generally marks safe spaces. Landing on these will keep your token safe from getting captured by your opponent. |
| Blocking your opponent | You can create a block by bringing two of your tokens in the same box. The only way to pass the block is by landing on the box where you have created a block. |
Take a look at this article where you can learn how to play Ludo in just 4 steps with pictures.
Ludo Tips and Tricks
Whether you are playing Ludo online or offline, one most important tip to win the game is to have a strategy right from the start. Moreover, to play online Ludo games like Ludo Supreme, Ninja, and Turbo, you need a strategy as they are skill-based games. Another tip is to park your token at the start and capture the opponent’s token. Also, safe boxes are your best friend in the game. If your token lands on a safe box, it cannot be cut by an opponent’s token.
These were just a few quick tips that you can try. Take a look at 12 more tips that can help you play better.
We hope now you have got an idea about what is Ludo, how to play Ludo online, and rules to follow. All the best for your next game!