Reversi: play the Othello-style board game online free
Reversi is a free online Othello-style board game with a bright, colourful board and satisfying disc flips. Play the computer on four levels (Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert), try the daily challenge or challenge a friend in two-player mode on the same screen. It has move hints, undo, 18 badges and leaderboards. Play in any browser on a computer, tablet or phone.
How to play Reversi
- Choose Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert to play the computer, take on the daily challenge, or pick Two players to play a friend on the same screen.
- Tap or click a marked square to place a disc. It must trap enemy discs in a straight line between itself and another disc of yours.
- Every trapped disc flips to your colour, in all directions at once.
- Grab the corners: a disc in a corner can never be flipped.
- When nobody can move, the player with more discs wins.
Mouse and touch: click or tap one of the marked squares. Keyboard: arrow keys move the cursor, Enter or Space places a disc, U takes back a move, H shows a hint and N opens the new game menu.
Reversi rules
| Rule | How it works here |
|---|---|
| 🎲 Setup | The board has 8x8 squares. Each side starts with two discs in the middle, placed diagonally. Black moves first. |
| 👆 Moving | On your turn you place one disc on an empty square. It must be next to an enemy disc and trap a line of enemy discs between itself and one of your own discs. |
| 🔄 Flipping | Every enemy disc trapped in a straight line, across, down or diagonally, flips to your colour. One move can flip lines in several directions. |
| ⏭️ Passing | If you have no legal move your turn is passed to your opponent. You never pass if you have a move. |
| 🏁 Winning | The game ends when neither player can move, usually when the board is full. The player with more discs wins, and equal numbers make a draw. |
| 📍 Corners | A disc in a corner can never be flipped, so corners are worth a lot. |
Computer levels
| Level | Plays like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 😊 Easy | Grabs flips and corners, but often plays a careless move | Learning the rules and your first wins |
| 🤔 Medium | Looks two moves ahead and values corners and edges | Casual players who want a real game |
| 🔥 Hard | Searches several moves deep and plays the last moves perfectly | Experienced players |
| 🧠 Expert | Searches much deeper, thinks about mobility and solves the end of the game exactly | A proper challenge |
All levels play by exactly the same rules as you, and none of them cheats. You can play as Black (you move first) or as White (the computer starts), and you can take back moves with Undo or ask for a Hint any time it is your turn.
Game modes
Play the computer against Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert, with your own win, loss and draw record for each level. The Daily challenge gives everyone the same opening position each day, played against the Hard computer. Two players, one screen lets two people take turns on the same device. Choose the level, colour and players in Settings (the cog), then press the New game button (the circular arrow) to start.
Leaderboards
Every win against the computer can go on the leaderboard, which has This month and All time panels. A win scores 300 points, plus 12 for every disc you win by, plus a level bonus (Easy 0, Medium 100, Hard 250, Expert 450, Daily 250). So a big win on a high level is worth the most. You only pick a nickname, there is no sign-up, and you can change the name, hide your scores or delete them at any time. Draws, losses and two-player games are not ranked.
Badges
There are 18 badges for beating each level, winning streaks, taking corners, big flips, wipe-outs and comebacks, the daily challenge, two-player games and number of games played. Open the medal button in the game to see your progress.
| Badge | How to earn it |
|---|---|
| 🏅 First Win | Win a game against the computer. |
| 😊 Easy Does It | Beat the computer on Easy. |
| 🤔 Clever Move | Beat the computer on Medium. |
| 🔥 Reversi Master | Beat the computer on Hard. |
| 🧠 Grandmaster | Beat the computer on Expert. |
| 🏆 Hard Fighter | Win 5 games on Hard or Expert. |
| 🎯 Hat-trick | Win 3 games in a row. |
| ⚡ On Fire | Win 7 games in a row. |
| 📍 Corner Taker | Take a corner square. |
| 🏰 Four Corners | Own all four corners in one game. |
| 🌊 Big Flip | Flip 6 or more discs with one move. |
| 🌪️ Mega Flip | Flip 10 or more discs with one move. |
| 💥 Wipe-out | Win by removing every disc of the opponent. |
| 💎 Landslide | Win by 30 discs or more. |
| 🔄 Comeback | Win after being 10 or more discs behind. |
| ☀️ Daily Player | Finish a daily challenge. |
| 👥 Friendly Game | Finish a two-player game. |
| 🎲 Regular | Play 25 games. |
Reversi tips
- Take the corners. They can never be flipped and anchor stable lines along the edges.
- Avoid the squares next to a corner while the corner is empty. They often hand it to your opponent.
- Fewer discs early is fine. Having many discs in the middle of the game often just gives your opponent more moves.
- Keep your options open. Try to leave yourself plenty of legal moves, and your opponent as few as possible.
- Stay in the middle and flip discs that do not open new lines to the edge.
- Count at the end. In the last moves, check which squares each side can still reach and pick the move that wins most.
Frequently asked questions
Is Reversi free?
Yes. Reversi on Util.Ninja is completely free to play online, with no sign-up, no download and no in-app purchases. It runs in your browser on computers, tablets and phones, and your statistics and badges are saved on your own device.
Is this the same as Othello?
It is the same classic game. Reversi and Othello are played on an 8x8 board with two-coloured discs, and the rules in this game follow the usual Othello-style setup: four discs in the middle and Black moves first. This is an independent game and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the owner of the Othello trademark (Mattel).
How do I play Reversi?
Tap a marked square to place one of your discs there. A move is only allowed if it traps one or more enemy discs in a straight line (across, down or diagonally) between your new disc and another disc of yours. All trapped discs flip to your colour. When nobody can move any more, the player with more discs wins.
What happens if I have no move?
Then your turn is passed automatically and your opponent moves again. The game ends when neither player can move, which is usually when the board is full.
Why are corners so important?
A disc in a corner can never be flipped, because it cannot be trapped between two discs. Corners also let you build lines of stable discs along the edges. The squares right next to a corner are risky, because they can give your opponent the corner.
What are the four computer levels?
Easy plays quickly and often misses the best move, so it is a friendly way to learn. Medium looks a couple of moves ahead. Hard searches deeper and plays the end of the game perfectly. Expert thinks the longest and is tough even for experienced players. No level cheats: they all follow the same rules as you.
What is the daily challenge?
Every day everybody gets the same opening position, with a few moves already played, and plays it against the computer on the Hard level. Win to put your score on the daily leaderboard, and come back tomorrow for a new position.
Can I play against a friend?
Yes. Choose "Two players, one screen" in the game menu and take turns on the same phone, tablet or computer. Black moves first.
Can I take back a move or get a hint?
Yes. The undo button takes back your last move and the computer's reply, as often as you like. The light-bulb button shows a good move for you. Both are just for fun, so use them whenever you are stuck.
Does Reversi have a leaderboard?
Yes. Wins against the computer are ranked on a leaderboard with This month and All time panels, and the daily challenge has its own board. A win scores 300 points plus 12 for every disc you win by, plus a bonus for the level (Easy 0, Medium 100, Hard 250, Expert 450). You only choose a nickname, with no sign-up, and you can delete your scores at any time.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. Reversi works on phones and tablets in portrait and landscape: just tap the square where you want to play. On a computer you can also use the keyboard: arrow keys to move the cursor, Enter to place a disc, U to undo and H for a hint.
More free board and puzzle games: Checkers, Chess, Sea Battle and Mahjong Solitaire.