Simple Hex

Dive into the captivating world of SimpleHex, a two-player connection game designed to challenge your strategic skills and foster social interaction through various play modes. Whether you're looking to test your mettle against an AI or enjoy a friendly match with a buddy, SimpleHex has you covered with its straightforward yet engaging gameplay.

The rules of SimpleHex are easy to grasp, making it a perfect game for quick sessions. Each player selects a color, either red or blue, and takes turns coloring a single empty cell on the hexagonal board. The objective is to create a connected path of your color from one side of the board to the opposite side designated by your color. The first player to achieve this connection wins the game.

SimpleHex offers versatile play options, including "Play with AI," "Play with Friends," and "Pass & Play" modes. In AI mode, you can choose from three levels of difficulty—easy, medium, and hard—and the AI can play either as the first or second player. If you prefer human interaction, the "Play with Friends" option lets you connect with a friend on a different device, while "Pass & Play" facilitates local multiplayer action.

While the game is simple to learn, mastering it can be quite challenging. If you're not satisfied with your last move(s), you can use the undo button, though this feature is currently unavailable in the AI mode. To balance the game, we've introduced the "Steal Move" option, which allows the second player to switch positions with the first player after the first move. This feature, however, is also not available in the AI version yet.

We've added three board sizes—7x7, 9x9, and 11x11—to cater to players as they progress from beginners to seasoned strategists. This scalability adds depth to the game, hence the name SimpleHex.

For those interested in the intricacies of Hex, more information can be found at Wikipedia. We extend our gratitude to interns Saatvik Inampudi and Shoheb Shaik for their contributions to enhancing the performance of the AI's first version. The current AI algorithm employs a technique known as 'stable' unbounded best-first minimax game. If you're curious to learn more about this, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.

What's New in the Latest Version 0.45

Last updated on Dec 18, 2024, the latest version of SimpleHex includes adjustments to make the easy level truly easy and the medium level slightly easier than before. These changes aim to provide a more balanced experience for players of all skill levels.