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Hashi uses the concept behind the Hashiwokakero logic puzzles (a.k.a. Hashi or Bridges) of connecting islands with bridges, but is a competitive game in which you try to "complete" as many islands as possible.
To set up, all players decide on which side of the board to use; each side shows 18 islands: 4 with a red flag and 3 with a blue flag, with all others having no flags. Write a 3 or 4 on a non-flagged island, then give this board to the player on your left. Remove one of the 18 number cards from the shuffled deck without revealing it.
On a turn, reveal a card, which will show a numeral (1-6) and a number of bridges. Write the numeral on an island that doesn't yet have a numeral, writing on a flagged island only if it has at least one bridge connected to it. Then draw the number of bridges on the card from numbered islands to orthogonally adjacent islands, noting that:
You can't cross bridges.
At most two bridges can connect orthogonally adjacent islands.
The number of bridges connected to an island cannot exceed the numeral on that island.
You can skip one or both parts of this card, if you wish to or are forced to. If the number of bridges touching an island equals the numeral on that island, circle that numeral. If you're the first player to circle all the red-flagged islands, all the blue-flagged islands, or six connected islands of any type, you score a bonus and all other players cross off this bonus; they score only a bonus of lower value if they complete one of these goals on a later turn.
After 17 cards have been revealed and played, players then score 2 points for each circled island in addition to any bonus points. The player with the highest score wins!
To play Hashi solo, you play the same way, but you score bonuses only if you complete goals within a certain number of turns.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
References (from this video)
- easy to teach and learn
- puzzle is accessible yet deep, rewarding planning
- cards provide variety and replayability without changing the core rules
- clear, tangible objective: finish islands and networks for points
- may be too complex for very young or casual players (example: a six-year-old struggled with placement and counting bridges)
- tight planning can feel punishing if missteps aren't corrected early
- requires careful attention to the islands' numbers and bridge limits to avoid scoring penalties
- connectivity and puzzle solving with islands and bridges
- There are 18 islands with numbers; players place numbers on islands and connect bridges along dotted lines to satisfy each island's number
- abstract puzzle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bridge drafting — Players draw bridges from numbered islands to neighboring islands along dotted lines, with the constraint that a single island cannot exceed the card's number of bridges, and bridges cannot cross.
- flag-based placement restriction — Islands with flags are harder to place numbers on unless at least one bridge already leads to that island.
- number placement on islands — Each card tells you a number to place on a previously unused island, with restrictions about flags and existing bridges.
- round-based card reveal and progress tracking — In each of 17 rounds, a card is drawn and its bridge actions are executed; cards can be permanently marked as seen or crossed out to track upcoming rounds.
- scoring by finishing islands and networks — Points are awarded for finishing islands (flags and non-flag islands), completing networks of six islands, and end-game scoring for finished islands, with different points tied to the order of completion.
- Simultaneous Actions — All players perform their actions in a round after a card is revealed, with the option to pass on one or both actions and announce it.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a flippin right puzzle game
- it's simple to teach game
- it's simple to learn
- i really enjoy this game and i feel like it packs a good punch
- a pretty good thinking game for what it is
- connect all the islands with bridges