Using Game Theory to Win at Clash Royale
Stopping the Hog Rider using randomized strategies
One thing I love about teaching my game theory course is the final projects. Students are asked to use game theory analysis to study a topic they enjoy. I feature (with their permission) some of the top video presentations on my YouTube channel and on this page.
Patrick Bova ‘26 shared about how to use game theory to improve your skills in the mobile game Clash Royale.
In Clash Royale, one common challenges players face is figuring out how to stop the Hog Rider. There are several counter strategies, but two of the most popular are the Electro Wizard and the Skeleton Army. Each works… until it doesn’t. If you rely too heavily on one option, your opponent can anticipate your move and exploit it.
That’s where mixed strategies come in.
In the video, Patrick shows how you can mix strategies and finds the mixed strategy Nash equilibrium. Rather than always choosing the same counter, he shows how randomizing between Electro Wizard and Skeleton Army keeps your opponent guessing and prevents them from gaining an advantage.
These are the sort of presentations and projects that they'll remember years later. Great work!