Simple Hex: A Two-Player Connection Game
Simple Hex is a captivating two-player connection game with straightforward rules, making it easy to learn but challenging to master. Players choose red or blue and take turns coloring empty cells on the game board. The objective is to create a connected path of your colored cells linking opposite sides of the board. The first player to complete this connection wins.
The game offers multiple playing modes: Play with AI, Play with a Friend (using separate devices), and Pass & Play (local multiplayer). The AI mode features three difficulty levels (easy, medium, hard), with the AI able to play first or second.
Undo Feature: For those times you regret a move (currently unavailable in AI mode), an undo button allows you to rewind your last move(s).
Steal Move Option: To balance the inherent first-player advantage in Hex, the second player can choose to switch positions with the first player after the first move is made. This forces the first player to make a more strategic opening move. This option is also not available in AI mode.
Board Sizes: Three board sizes (7x7, 9x9, and 11x11) provide a gradual increase in complexity and game length.
AI Algorithm: The AI in this version employs a "stable" unbounded best-first minimax game technique. For more details on this algorithm, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/nsvemuri/. We extend our thanks to interns Saatvik Inampudi and Shoheb Shaik for their contributions to AI performance improvements.
Learn more about the game Hex at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_(board_game)
Version 0.45 (Last Updated Dec 18, 2024): This update makes the easy level genuinely easy and slightly reduces the difficulty of the medium level.
