There are two main forms of croquet - played on the same layout of lawn. The skills required for each overlap and many people play both forms of the game.
In Association Croquet one player at a time tries to make a "break" (as in snooker) using the balls as "stepping-stones" round the lawn.
In Golf Croquet the players follow a specified course contesting each hoop in turn; as soon as one hoop is scored all players move on to contest the next hoop.