Drift
Original · a shifting-floe duel for two
Two lamplighters on ice that will not hold still — slide a whole line, or step, and the wind takes the lanterns east.
Ready to play now.
A demonstration of Drift, played by the computer against itself.
Drift — playing itself
Ways to play
Alone, against the computer
Your own pace, no arranging anything. Take a move back whenever you like.
Play alone4 opponents, weakest first
- The GreenhornAny legal move, by the seed. 0.08 lanterns a field, and 0 of 150 fields against the Shover — random feet on shifting ice hold nothing.
- The ShoverSlides, slides, slides — the one that leaves the lanterns nearest its own hands — and takes a lantern only when one stands a step away, which it always does. 148-2 over the Greenhorn, and 1.52 lanterns a field.
- The WalkerEvery move priced TWO plies deep: a lantern in the hand first, then the mile each free lantern stands from each lighter, with the rival’s best answer taken off every move. 111-39 over the Shover, and the fullest hand on the ice — 2.07 lanterns, 111 of 150 fields.
- The LamplighterThree plies deep — deep enough to watch a lantern wrap the edge, or the tenth ply blow one into the wrong hands. 100-50 over the Walker, 150-0 over the Greenhorn, and the quickest ending on the shelf’s iciest board: 76 plies a field, 92 last lights of 150.
Together, in the same room
2 players. One device goes round the table, or everybody plays off the same screen.
Play in the same roomOnline, at a table
A room code, joinable from anywhere. Pause tonight and pick it up next week from your device.
Play online
About
A shifting duel for two — the shelf’s only one. A 5×5 floe of ice, dealt fresh every game in mirror pairs so neither post gets the better ice: four lanterns standing in the open, three hummocks (the ridge in the middle and a pair beside it), and two lamplighters. On your turn, STEP your lighter one square (onto a lantern takes it; hummocks and the rival refuse), or SLIDE one whole row or column one square — lanterns, hummocks and BOTH lighters ride, wrapping around the edge. And the floe drifts: every tenth ply the wind takes every standing lantern one square east — it stops at piled ice rather than burying a lantern, and a lantern blown under a lighter is taken by the hand standing there. First to hold three of the four lanterns wins; at ninety plies the light goes, the hands are read, and level hands go to whoever stands nearer the ice that is left. No field is ever shared: 0 of 1200 measured fields ended even.
How it feels
- The lantern wrapping the edge into the wrong hands
- Riding your own row instead of walking it
- The tenth ply coming, and every lantern moving
What the design is for
The shelf’s first shifting board
A slide moves a whole row or column one square — and everything standing on it rides, wrapping the edge. The board itself is a move, and the lightest piece on it is you.
The floe carries you too
Slide the row your own lighter stands in and you ride it — a free square of travel, an escape off a bad side, and sometimes the fastest road to a lantern nobody walked for.
The wind, every tenth ply
The floe will not hold still for anyone: every tenth ply the wind takes every standing lantern one square east. It stops at piled ice — no lantern is ever buried where no step could reach it — and a lantern blown under a lighter is TAKEN by the hand standing there, so standing in the road when the tenth ply comes is a thing you play for.
Three of four, or the press
Hold three lanterns and the field is read at once. If the light goes first at ninety plies the hands are read; level hands are broken by the PRESS — who stands nearer the lanterns still on the ice — and an even press gives the field to the lighter who answered instead of opening. Of 1200 measured fields, not one ended shared.
A fresh floe every game
The ice is dealt from the seed in mirror pairs: the ridge in the middle, a pair of hummocks beside it, the four lanterns in two pairs. Under a half-turn the field maps onto itself, so what one post sees the other sees — nine hundred and ninety floes, and neither lighter dealt the better one.
Taught lantern by lantern
Five steps: the step, the take, the line that rides, the floe that carries you — and then a whole field to yourself.
- Best at
- 2
- Kind
- Strategy
- Table
- Competitive
- Studio
- Board.game Originals
The opponents
The Greenhorn
Any legal move, by the seed. 0.08 lanterns a field, and 0 of 150 fields against the Shover — random feet on shifting ice hold nothing.
The Shover
Slides, slides, slides — the one that leaves the lanterns nearest its own hands — and takes a lantern only when one stands a step away, which it always does. 148-2 over the Greenhorn, and 1.52 lanterns a field.
The Walker
Every move priced TWO plies deep: a lantern in the hand first, then the mile each free lantern stands from each lighter, with the rival’s best answer taken off every move. 111-39 over the Shover, and the fullest hand on the ice — 2.07 lanterns, 111 of 150 fields.
The Lamplighter
Three plies deep — deep enough to watch a lantern wrap the edge, or the tenth ply blow one into the wrong hands. 100-50 over the Walker, 150-0 over the Greenhorn, and the quickest ending on the shelf’s iciest board: 76 plies a field, 92 last lights of 150.
Achievements
0 of 5 earned
Three Out of the Wind
Win a field.
Shut Ice
Win holding three lanterns while the rival holds none.
The Last Light
Win when the light goes and the hands are read.
Out of the Cold
Win a field in which the wind blew a lantern into your hand.
Rider of the Floe
Win having slid more than you stepped.
Key art
Key art — Board.game art system
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