What Is Ludo?

We’ve been covering Clue here on Board Games Mania, so we thought we should cover Ludo too. Ludo was part of the inspiration for the original name of Clue, Cluedo.

So, what is Ludo?

Ludo is an ancient roll and move game. Everyone has 4 colored pieces (red, blue, yellow, and green, usually) and the goal is to get all 4 pieces into their home triangle. The first one to do so wins!

How Was Ludo Created?

Ludo was designed as an easier version of a game called Pachisi. The idea was to market the game to a wider audience, including children.

So, what is Pachisi and where did it come from?

The History Of Pachisi

You may notice that Pachisi sounds an awful lot like Parcheesi. There’s a reason for that, and it’s because Parcheesi, like Ludo, is an evolution of Pachisi.

To start with, Pachisi was invented a long time ago. No one knows for sure when exactly it originated though. All they know for sure is that it came from India.

In fact, not only did Pachisi come from India, but it’s also the national game of India too! It’s even called the Royal Game Of India.

So, Pachisi starts making its way to other countries one way or another. When it got to the US in the late 1800s, they changed a few things and called it Parcheesi.

Also in the late 1800s, the British got hold of Pachisi and created Ludo.

Why Are These Games So Popular?

This is a great question, and it could be asked about many classic games. Games like Chess, Checkers, Go, and more. Why do they remain so popular today when so many other games have come out?

There are likely many answers to this question, and they may also vary from person to person. For example, one person may enjoy Checkers because they played it with their family growing up. Another person may enjoy Go because of its long history.

Some people may prefer Chess because of its tournaments and prestige that still go on today. Other people may like Pachisi/Parcheesi/Ludo because of their simplicity.

In the end, people like what they like, and as long as they’re having fun then that’s not a problem with me. Life’s too short to be worrying about why a game is or isn’t popular.

Just play what you like!

How Do I Play Ludo And These Other Games?

Each game plays a little differently, but your main goal is to get all your pieces to their home space by rolling a single die. In Ludo, you typically do this while competing against all the other players. Since every player’s pieces are moving around the same track, some shenanigans can happen.

One situation that can happen is one player’s piece can block another. The only way for that other player to get around that piece is to capture it by rolling the exact number of spaces needed. If this happens, then the captured piece goes back to the beginning.

There are some more rules, but this is the basic structure of the game. Interestingly, in Pachisi, the main differences are you’re playing with teams, rolling six cowrie shells instead of dice, and there are safe spots on the track. In Parcheesi, players use two dice.

Did You Know?

(Each time you refresh the page you will get a new “Did You Know” fact!)

Did you know there’s a fun dice-rolling, push-your-luck racing game? If that sounds like an interesting combination to you, then check out my review of Cubitos! Enjoy!

In Conclusion: What Is Ludo?

So, now you know what Ludo is, where it came from, and how to play it. If you like, give one of the versions a try and let us know how it goes!

We’d love to hear your stories about your experiences in the comments below!