How to Play Sokoban

THE PLAYBOOK · 360-L

How to play Sokoban

Try Sokoban at your own pace and keep its objective in view. Push every crate onto a target. Check the relevant rule before repeating a move. Check the rule that explains your first action. Keep the game area visible while you use its controls.

Push two crates onto their targets in compact 7×7 rooms. The starting layouts can be solved; an unhelpful push may still trap a crate.

Try a deliberate move

After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again. Refer to the controls when needed.

Your goal

Push every crate onto a target. Keep that objective in view throughout the round. Keep the controls in easy reach.

Step by step

1. Move through empty floor.
2. Push one crate into empty space.
3. Never pull or push two at once.
4. Undo a deadlock and continue.

Controls

Arrow keys or direction buttons. Use the control method described here for this activity. Read the example below alongside these instructions.

A useful example

A crate in a non-target corner cannot be recovered by pulling. Use the example as a guide rather than a substitute for reading your board. Take a moment to compare.

Watch out for this

Consider the player’s access behind crates. Read the feedback to see why an action did not have the expected result. Take enough time to read a new position. If a game has a timer, learn its controls first rather than searching for them during the round.

Common questions