Nim Sticks
Take sticks from one row at a time and outwit four animal rivals. Glowing binary lights teach you the hidden winning trick, then fade away until you can do it in your head.
Play nowHow to play
Controls
TapKeyboard←→↑↓ Space H- Tap a stick to take it and every stick to its right, then tap TAKE.
- Turn every light green to stay safe.
- Keys: arrows pick, Space takes, H hints.
About the game
Nim is one of the oldest strategy games: a few rows of sticks, and on your turn you take as many as you like from a single row. In some levels taking the last stick wins, in others it loses. You always move first against a pond frog, a night raccoon, a clever fox and an old owl, and each rival gets sharper than the last.
The game hides a famous secret: write each row in binary and make every column even after your move. Nim Sticks teaches it step by step. First the sticks bundle into groups of 8, 4, 2 and 1 and four lights preview your move. Later only the lights remain, and in the last world you play from memory with a hint button for emergencies.
Free to play in your browser. No download, no sign-up. Works on phones, tablets and computers. Your progress is saved on this device.
