Hex Connect
Link your two sides of a hexagonal board before your rival does. Climb nine computer opponents from 5x5 to 11x11, use the swap rule, and tackle a daily puzzle.
Hex Connect is a pure connection strategy game with no draws. Red must link the top and bottom edges of a hexagon board, Blue must link left and right, and players alternate placing stones until one chain is complete. The rules fit in a sentence, yet the tactics of blocking, bridges and ladders run deep, which is why Hex has been a favourite of mathematicians and programmers for decades.
You climb a ladder of nine named rivals. The first rival plays on a tiny 5x5 board so you can win in under a minute, then the boards grow through 6x6, 7x7 and 9x9 to the full 11x11. Early opponents follow shortest-path heuristics with a little randomness; later ones run a Monte Carlo tree search with RAVE statistics and many thousands of simulated games per move. From the fifth rival the swap rule is on: the second player may take over the first stone, so a greedy centre opening can backfire. A guide shows your shortest route, and limited undos and hints help you learn. Wins earn XP, coins and stars, which unlock stone styles, board themes and perks.
The daily puzzle gives you extra stones and a move target, three daily goals reward steady play, and a streak bonus pays for coming back. Free Play lets you pick strength, colour and size, and Pass and Play shares one screen. Tip: two stones with two shared empty neighbours form a bridge that cannot be cut.
How to play
Tap an empty hexagon to place a stone. Red connects the top and bottom edges, Blue connects left and right. With the swap rule, the second player can take over the first stone instead of replying. The first complete chain wins.
Controls
- Tap / click: Place a stone on a hexagon
- S: Swap after the opening stone
- U: Undo your last move
- H: Show a hint
- G: Toggle the shortest-path guide
- P / Esc: Pause
- M: Mute
- R: Play again after a game
Category: Board games
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