With hundreds of years and dozens of variants under its belt, Parchís is a powerful example of endurance and popularity. As expected, the web only expanded its reach, and today we can enjoy full matches against friends, strangers, and bots. If you're a fan of the game and are interested in playing Parchís online, here are three options for you to explore and enjoy alone or with company.
A Timeless Classic
If you've ever wondered about the origin of Parchís, all arrows point to the Indian pachisi, a name derived from paccīs or 'twenty-five', the maximum score a player could achieve with the original pieces. It also has a close relation with the chaupar from the same region, and from there its variants exploded around the world. From the classic Ludo to the English Sorry!, passing through Syria's Barjis and Colombia's Parqués, it's very likely that we've all played at least one simplified version of this inexhaustible classic.
Three Ways to Play Parchís Online
That said, if you want to play Parchís online, there's good news for you. Just like with other classic games (for example, Minesweeper or Battleship), finding good online versions of Parchís isn't hard, and our goal here is to save you that work. Today we have three alternatives where you can face the computer, your friends, or complete strangers online.
PlayJoy
PlayJoy requires a Google or Facebook account to continue (personally, I recommend Google), but once you get past that barrier, its Parchís version throws you straight into the action with three other players. It also offers chat support to exchange the occasional message; however, matches are quite intense and will demand your full attention.
Parchis.es
The Parchis.es edition focuses mainly on a multiplayer experience. All you have to do to start is choose a nickname and look for one of the several available tables to start the game. Another interesting option is watching others play, although matches unfold at great speed. Can't find any rivals? Don't worry: choose three robots, and start!
Ludo Hero
Yes, it's true there are technical differences between Ludo and Parchís, but generally speaking, Ludo Hero feels and plays the same way. Play against several bots, or with random players on the web, but don't be surprised if one disappears mid-ragequit when you eat one of their pieces. Personally, it's the one I enjoyed the most.
In Summary
To play Parchís online, you should definitely start with one of these three sites. There are other options, but they're a bit more demanding when it comes to registration (like creating accounts or linking Facebook profiles), and we're not interested in that. The idea is to make a couple of clicks and play, nothing more. Good luck, and enjoy!
