Curling Stones in Games by Zaweba: weight, curl and sweeping

Granite stones slide down a sheet of ice towards a ring of circles called the house. Curling Stones brings the winter sport to the Skill & sport shelf of Games by Zaweba, played over four ends against the computer, with eight stones each per end.

It is a game of touch and tactics, where a well judged throw and some hard sweeping beat raw power.

Setting up a throw

Each throw has three parts. First, place the broom to set your line: the broom is the target the stone is aimed at. Second, pick which way the stone curls, since it bends gently to one side as it slows down. Third, set the weight: press and hold to fill the weight meter, then let go to throw. More weight sends the stone further.

With the mouse, move to place the broom, press and hold for weight and let go to throw, and click the curl button to change direction. On the keyboard, Up and Down move the broom, C or Left and Right change the curl, and holding Space fills the weight.

Sweeping

The ice is not perfectly even. Glassy patches push the stone sideways as it passes over them. To fight this, sweep. After the throw, hold the mouse button again, or hold Space, to sweep. Sweeping carries the stone further and straighter.

That gives you control after you let go. If a throw looks short, sweep to stretch it. If a glassy patch is about to pull it off line, sweep to keep it straight. If it looks right, leave it alone.

How an end is scored

After all sixteen stones of an end have been thrown, only the side with the stone nearest the button, the centre of the house, scores. They score one point for every stone that is closer to the button than the other side's best stone. So a single stone close in can win you one point, while several stones crowding the middle can win you more.

Thinking like a curler

Because only the closest stones count, every throw has a purpose beyond getting near the middle. You might place a stone in front of the house as a guard, protecting a good stone behind it. You might aim to knock the computer's best stone out of the way. Or you might simply draw to the button.

Curl is your friend here. A stone that curls can reach behind a guard that would block a straight throw. Set the broom off to the side and let the curl bring the stone in.

Save some thought for the last stone of an end. Whoever throws last can often decide the end, so leaving the house in a good state for that final throw matters.

Similar games to Curling Stones

Curling Stones is one of the games on the Skill & sport shelf of Games by Zaweba that you play against the computer, alongside Hill Cannons and Puck Smash. It shows the result and your best when it ends, and keeps plays and wins for the game. Press Esc to pause and F1 for the rules.