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Sprouts

Overview​

There are some elements that are common in all games regardless how simple or complex the game is. A simple game such as 1967's Sprouts developed by John Conway and Mike Peterson, can provide students a good understanding of the basic structures of games.

Players​

2-4 players

Resources​

  • Sheet of Paper
  • Pen or pencil

Goal​

The goal is to continue connecting dots with lines.

Setup​

Take the sheet of paper and randonmly draw three dots on page. Select which playr to go first.

Game Mechanics​

  1. The first player draws a line from one of the dots to another dot
    1. Then that player draws a new dot anywhere on that line
  2. The second player also draws a line and a dot
    1. The new line must go from one dot to another, but no dot can have more than three lines coming from it.
    2. The new line cannot cross any other line
    3. The new dot must be placed on the new line.
  3. The steps repeat until one player cannot make a move.

Outcomes​

When a new line can not be drawn the the game is over, and the last player to successfuly have drawn a line is the winner.