The secret to winning is.... (Hasbro Connect 4)

Member Name: Linnyg

Product:	Hasbro Connect 4
Date:	19/08/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Versatile and fun for any age

Disadvantages: You might get too good

It is a while since I had a decent game of Connect Four as my husbands final year thesis involved programming a computer to play connect four so that isn't really a fair game anymore.... For anyone who is interested the advanced way to win against a player who is very good and never makes mistakes is to create threats in odd or even rows, depending on whether you are the first or second player, so that when the rest of the grid is filled up your opponent has no choice but to place his piece in the one remaining column, thus enabling you on your next game to put your piece on top of theirs and complete your row of four. So the game can involve some very advanced thinking and planning ahead. There is also an opening book of ideal moves, a bit like chess, but I can't remember this now (I did read the thesis, honest).

On the other hand I recently played Connect Four with a two year old. This involved an educational colour sorting process and she enjoyed putting her pieces in the slots and getting simple rows of four (ie. all in the same column). Good for teaching turn taking as well.

The game design has changed slightly over the years. It now comes in a more compact box and the piece release function has changed from a swinging bar to a sliding one. The sliding design is perhaps less likely to break, although we never had a problem with our set as a child. The overall design is robust and it is easy to fit and remove the legs.

As a child we came up with imaginative games using the connect four pieces, such as hiding them and then having to find a colour each. The pieces are brightly coloured and so not that easy to lose. Even if you lose some pieces you can still play fine as most games with non expert players will end long before you have used all your pieces.

So Connect Four is a versatile game that can be a competitive strategy game, or a simple fun game for children of any age.

Summary: More than meets the eye.