Henko features two game variants: Go Henko and San Henko. Both versions reinterpret classic Tic-Tac-Toe, adding greater sophistication and strategic depth through action tokens and bonus scoring tokens.
In Go Henko, the objective is to complete a five-in-a-row vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Achieving this immediately ends the game and grants victory.
If no five-in-a-row is completed, the game ends once no more pieces can be placed on the board. Players then count their points, and the player with the highest score wins. In case of a tie, the game ends in a draw.
In San Henko, players use only the nine central spaces of the board. The goal is to score more points than the opponent in a three-in-a-row contest featuring special tokens. Most importantly, victory does not simply depend on completing a three-in-a-row, but on having more points than the rival when a player completes a three-in-a-row or when all tokens have been used.