Star Halma
Star Halma has you racing marbles across a star-shaped board with six points and 121 holes. In this two-player version, each side begins with ten marbles bunched into one point of the star, and the target is the point straight across.
No piece is ever captured. Instead, the game is about moving efficiently and building long chains of hops. Play a friend on the same device or the computer on Easy, Medium or Hard, all within a regular browser tab.
How to play Star Halma
Player 1 starts. Each turn you move a single marble, either by stepping into one of the six holes touching it, if that hole is empty, or by hopping straight over a neighboring marble into the empty hole on the other side.
Hops can link together. If, after one hop, there is another marble beside you with an open hole behind it, you may keep going, turning whichever way you like. Steps and hops never mix within one turn. Select a marble and the game highlights every hole it can finish in, even at the end of a long chain, so you just tap the final spot.
You can hop over your own marbles and your opponent's alike. The winner is the first player to occupy all ten holes of the far point.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move a marble | Arrow keys and Enter on a marble, then on its finishing hole | Click a marble, then a highlighted hole | Tap a marble, then a highlighted hole |
| Play the computer | — | vs Computer, choose Player 1 or 2 and a level, New game | vs Computer, choose a side and level, New game |
| Play a friend | — | Click 2 Player (local) | Tap 2 Player (local) |
| Take back | — | Click Undo | Tap Undo |
Tips
- Leave one-hole gaps between your marbles. That spacing creates a ladder that later marbles can hop along in a single turn.
- Bring up your last marble early. One straggler stuck at home can cost many turns at the very end.
- Your rival's marbles count as stepping stones too. A crowded middle is full of hops for both sides.
- Push your first arrivals all the way into the tip of the goal point, so the marbles behind them have room to land.
- Before committing, tap several marbles and compare the highlighted holes. The one that travels farthest is often the best move.
If you like Star Halma, try these
CheckersHopping over pieces stays at the center, but jumps capture here, and kings appear on the far row.
KonaneJump chains are everything in this Hawaiian game, where the side with no jump left loses.
Questions
How many players can play Star Halma here?
This version is built for two. You can share one device with a friend, or play the computer and decide whether you move first or second.
Can you capture marbles in Star Halma?
No. Hopping over a marble never removes it. The game is purely a race to fill the opposite point.
Can I mix steps and hops in one Star Halma turn?
No. A turn is either a single step to a neighboring hole or a series of hops. Once you start hopping, you can only keep hopping.
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