Game Variations

Game Variations

We often receive  great suggestions from people who have invented alternative ways to play HexAgony.  If you’ve got a variation on HexAgony, drop us an email with the details and if we like it, it will be included on this page.

We now suggest these three main ways to play the game:

  • Strategic / Original rules
  • Random
  • Tactical

“Strategic / Original rules”

To play the game as it was originally designed, follow the link to the original rules.

“Random”

We really love this variation of HexAgony because it’s so simple to play. Like the traditional version of the game, this can be played by 2 – 3 players.

At the start of the game players choose a colour, red, white or blue and take the corresponding solid colour tile.

The first player picks a random tile from the bag, places it as usual, and then passes the bag to the second player.

The second player then draws a random tile from the bag and places it against their chosen colour on a tile already played, and then passes the bag to the next player.

If there is no valid move available the player misses their turn, but keeps the tile for their next turn. If a player chooses to play their solid colour tile, they do not select one from the bag.

Play continues like this until there are no more tiles in the bag, or until no one else can go.

Scoring is the same as the original version, with the player with the most completed hexagons being declared the winner.

“Tactical”

This is for 2 – 3 players who prefer a more tactical game. Playing the game is similar to the “Random” game detailed above, but at the start of the game players draw three tiles each from the bag.

On their turn, a player selects one of the three tiles in their hand to play, or alternatively plays their solid colour tile (after the first move). 

Once a player has placed their tile, they draw a replacement tile from the tile bag, and then pass the bag to the next player. If the player lays their solid colour tile, then they do not draw a replacement tile from the bag.

Play continues like this until there are no more tiles to draw, after which players use the tiles in their hand, until all of those tiles have been played.

Scoring is the same as the original version, with the player with the most completed hexagons being declared the winner.

“All tiles in the Bag”

Yet another version of HexAgony was “invented” at the London Film and Comic Con by our friends at a certain UK Games distributor, and it’s truly Evil !

At the start of the game ALL of the tiles (Including the solid colour tiles) are placed in a bag, and players select the colour they want to be.

When it’s their turn, players select a tile at random from the bag, as in the classic version of HexAgony.

If a player picks their “own” solid colour tile form the bag they will endeavour to play it to their advantage, but if they pick the solid colour tile of their opponent they can play it to their opponents disadvantage.

As we said, pure evil 🙂

“Single Player Game”

Randomly separate the counters into 3 even piles and place a solid colour counter in front of each pile.

Choose the colour you want to be (for example red) and set about making as many hexagons of that colour as you can, playing to these rules:

  1. Place a counter from the 1st column on the table
  2. Take the next counter from the 2nd column and play it against white (in this example)
  3. The third counter is taken from the 3rd column, and played against blue.
  4. If you’re trying to make red hexagons you must not make a white or blue hexagon ! (If you do, these count against the number of red hexagons at the end of the game)
  5. Play continues in this manner until no more tiles are left in the bag.
  6. Add up the total number of hexagons you’ve made (subtracting any made of other colours).

A good score would be 10 or 11 hexagons, with 8 being pretty average. Give it a try and see how many you can make.

HexAgony Drinking Game
The real agony comes the next morning!

We do like the sound of this variation and must admit to having tried it on a number of occasions.

All you need for the game is a set of HexAgony tiles and some shot glasses, plus whatever tipple takes your fancy.

The rules are the same as regular HexAgony except every time you create a hexagon your opponent(s) have to down a shot.

If you’re lucky enough to create the elusive triple hexagon around the solid colour, then they get to down two. Simple !

Please remember to drink responsibly, as it could seriously impair your ability to play HexAgony !