Four players
How four-player WallRush works
Four pawns on one 9×9 board, one in the middle of each edge. In the race to the centre, all four head for the crowned square in the middle. In the race to the edge, each heads for the far side. Here are the rules, the computer levels and the four ways to play.
- 4 players
- 5 walls each
- 2 games
- 4 computer levels
Race to the centre
The four-player rules
Both games share the same board, the same walls and the same jumps. They differ in where the pawns are heading. The race to the centre is the one the game starts with.
Race to the centre
- One goal for everyone.Amber starts at the bottom, pink on the left, teal at the top and violet on the right, and all four race to the square in the middle, marked with a crown. Each pawn is 4 steps away.
- 5 walls each.A wall near the middle slows everyone, not just one rival, so who to block is a harder choice.
- Clockwise turns.A starter is drawn at random. Then it is amber, pink, teal, violet. On your turn you move one square or place a wall.
- The middle can never be sealed.A wall is refused if it would cut any pawn off from its goal. At least one way into the centre always stays open.
- First onto the square wins.Stepping, jumping or side-stepping onto it all count, and the game ends at once.
Race to the edge
- Four pawns, four edges.Each pawn races to the edge opposite where it started, 8 steps away.
- 5 walls each.That makes 20 walls on the board in all, the same total as a two-player game.
- Jumps still work.Jump over one pawn into the empty square behind it, or step round the side of it if that square is blocked by a wall, the edge or another pawn. You can never jump two pawns.
- Nobody can be shut in.A wall is refused if it would leave any of the four pawns without a way to its edge.
- First to the edge wins.The game ends the moment one pawn gets there.
New to WallRush? Start with how to play. Ready to plan your walls? Read four-player strategy.
Four ways to play with four
Every four-player game is played on the homepage board. Each of these opens it straight away.
- You vs 3 computersEasy, Normal, Hard or Nightmare. You are amber.
- Online quick matchPeople if any are free; the computer fills the rest. 60 seconds a move.
- A room for friendsSend a link or code to up to three friends. You start when ready; computers fill empty seats.
- Four on one devicePass the phone after each turn. Add your names in the panel.
Two players or four?
| Two players | Four players: centre | Four players: edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawns | 2, top and bottom | 4, one on each edge | 4, one on each edge |
| Walls each | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Goal | The far edge | The crowned centre square | The opposite edge |
| Turns | Take turns | Clockwise, random starter | Clockwise, random starter |
| A wall slows | Your one rival | Usually all three rivals | One, two or all three rivals |
The computer levels
Choose a level when you play against three computers. Every computer in the game uses the level you pick. In an online quick match or a friend room, computers in empty seats play at Normal. Easy and Normal look a few moves ahead over all four players. Hard and Nightmare read the table: before each move they play many quick imaginary games to the end, with the other players using their walls in different ways, and pick the move that wins most often.
| Level | Thinks for up to | Plays its full strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 0.07 s a move | About 22% of turns; always, once 3 steps behind |
| Normal | 0.2 s a move | About 62% of turns; always, once 1 step behind |
| Hard | 0.3 s a move | Every turn |
| Nightmare | 0.3 s a move | Every turn |
On the other turns Easy and Normal simply walk their shortest route and never place a wall. To check the levels, computer test players with different habits (one that only races, ones that save their walls for the finish, one that blocks whenever it is behind) each played three computers of every level. The best of them won 52% of games against Easy, 44% against Normal, 23% against Hard and 21% against Nightmare. With four equal players, each wins about 25%.
Questions about four players
How do I start a four-player game?
In the homepage’s game panel (beside the board on a computer, above it on a phone), pick a way to play and switch to 4 players. Choose the race to the centre or the race to the edge, then start. Or just play 4 players now against three Normal computers.
What is the difference between the two games?
In the race to the centre all four pawns race to the one square in the middle, so every wall near the middle matters to everyone. In the race to the edge each pawn races to the edge opposite where it started. Both give each player 5 walls.
Who goes first, and in what order?
A starter is drawn at random each game, as in the standard four-player rules. Turns then go clockwise: amber, pink, teal, violet. Against the computers you are always amber.
Can I play four-player online?
Yes. In the game panel choose Play online and 4 players. WallRush looks for other players for a few seconds. Any seat nobody takes is played by the computer at Normal level under a made-up board name, so a table is never half empty, the same as the two-player quick match. Each person has 60 seconds for each move. If your time runs out, a move is played for you; after 2 in a row, a computer takes your seat so the others can finish. Four-player games aren’t rated.
How do the computers play?
Easy and Normal look a few moves ahead and simply race on some turns. Hard and Nightmare read the whole table: they see every wall and every player’s route, and before each move they play many quick imaginary games to the end, in which the other players use their walls in different ways. Then they choose the move that won most often. Hard looks for walls on the route of whoever is nearest to winning; Nightmare weighs walls on every rival’s route.
What if another pawn is in my way?
Jump over one pawn into the empty square behind it. If that square is blocked by a wall, the edge or a second pawn, step to either side of the pawn you are facing instead.
Why was my wall refused?
A wall may never cut any of the four pawns off from its goal, and it cannot overlap or cross another wall. The game checks all four routes every time.
Can I play four-player with friends online?
Yes. In the game panel choose Play with a friend and 4 players, then Create a room. Send the link, the code or the QR code to up to three friends. Press Start game when you’re ready: any seat still empty goes to a computer at Normal level. The room closes if the game hasn’t started within three minutes. When the game ends, Play again opens a new room and everyone still at the table joins it.
Can I play with three friends on one phone?
Yes. In the game panel choose Same device and 4 players, type your names if you like, and pass the phone after each turn. The name and colour above the board show whose turn it is.
Is it the same as two-player WallRush?
The wall and jump rules are the same. What changes is the number of pawns, fewer walls each, the goals and clockwise turns. See how to play for the basics.