*Star

About this board game

*Star is an abstract strategy connection board game for two players, released in 1999. It is the end product of an evolution from Hex to Y, Poly-Y, Star, and finally *Star.

Where Hex and Y focus purely on connecting edges, *Star adds a distinctive scoring balance. Occupied edge spaces score points, while each separate group you have at the end of the game costs points. Success therefore depends on more than simply reaching the edges: you must also work to connect your groups together.

This creates a strategic contest that combines broad, whole-board planning with the tactical clarity of a connection game. Players try to give their groups bases along the edges while also linking those groups through the center. The result is a game with local fights whose direction is shaped by the position and needs of the entire board.

• Players: 2
• Core tension: occupy edge spaces for points while reducing the number of separate groups you control
• Style: abstract connection strategy with tactical and whole-board considerations

*Star also retains the mathematical elegance associated with Hex. Its design has notable implications, including the impossibility of draws and the existence of seemingly different scoring rules that are provably equivalent.

With the strategic depth of Go and the tactical simplicity of Hex, *Star offers a compelling study in connection, positioning, and group management. It is especially worth exploring for fans of Hex, Go, and elegant abstract strategy games.