Connect 4
Drop your discs and line up four in a row before the computer does, or pass the device to a friend. Three thinking levels and local 2-player — no ads, no sign-in.
Your move — drop a disc.
Click a column on the board, or use the buttons above each column.
Drop a disc — use the buttons above each column, or click a column on the board. Pick your colours above.
Keyboard: Tab to the columns, ← → to choose, Enter to drop.
Like it? Take it offline.
Connect 4 is one of 24 classics in Snackpack Brain Games — our calm, ad-free Android bundle with strategy, cards and puzzles in one app.
- Plays fully offline — flights, commutes, anywhere
- Wins & daily streaks saved on your device
- 23 more games in the same app · no ads, no tracking
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How to play Connect 4
Connect 4 is played on a grid that's seven columns wide and six rows tall. Players take turns dropping a coloured disc into a column; it falls to the lowest empty slot. Choose 1 player to face the computer or 2 players to pass the device to a friend. The first player to line up four of their own discs — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — wins. If the board fills with no four-in-a-row, it's a draw.
Strategy tips
- Play the centre. The middle column is part of the most winning lines, so controlling it is a big advantage — open there when you can.
- Build double threats. Aim for positions where you threaten four-in-a-row in two places at once; your opponent can only block one.
- Watch the diagonals. They're the easiest threats to miss, both yours and the computer's.
- Block early. If the computer has three in a row with an open end, you must block immediately — don't get distracted by your own attack.
- Think about odd and even rows. Advanced players count which threats land on which rows to set up unstoppable endgames.
A little history
Connect 4 was sold as a physical "vertical checkers" game by Milton Bradley in 1974, though the idea of four-in-a-row is much older. In 1988 it became one of the first non-trivial games to be solved by computer: with perfect play, the first player wins by moving in the centre column. Don't worry — the computer here gives you a fair, beatable fight across three difficulty levels.
Frequently asked questions
Is Connect 4 free here?
Yes — it plays free in your browser with no ads, no sign-in, and nothing to install.
Do I play against a person or the computer?
Either. Choose 1 player for an Easy, Medium, or Hard computer opponent, or 2 players for pass-and-play on one device.
Who goes first?
You do — you play red and move first each game.
Can I play a friend or play offline?
Yes, choose 2 players to share this device. For fully offline play, try the free Snackpack Brain Games app.
