Best Connect 4 Board Games — Honest Reviews

11 physical Connect-4 and Connect-4-family games reviewed — the original 1974 classic, the modern Hasbro spin-offs, the deeper 3D variants, and the adjacent strategy games. Honest pros, honest cons.

The original Hasbro Connect 4 from 1974 is one of those rare designs that arrived essentially perfect and has not been improved on in five decades. Most spin-offs add variations — rotating boards, launcher mechanisms, special pieces — that feel like a good idea on the box but turn out to either dilute the original or change it into a different game entirely. Below is the honest take on every notable version, plus the adjacent Connect-4-family games (Score Four, Pente, Gomoku, Gravitrips) that genuinely deepen the experience.

Reviewed: Every Notable Version

Connect 4 (Classic)

Hasbro (originally Milton Bradley, 1974) · 1974 · Ages 6+ · 2 players · ★★★★★ (5.0/5)

The original Wexler-and-Strongin design. A vertical yellow plastic stand, 7 columns, 6 rows, 21 red discs, 21 yellow discs. Drop a disc in a column, gravity decides where it lands, win by lining up four. Fifty years on, this is still the canonical version and still the one to buy first.

Pros

  • The original — every other entry on this list is a variant on it
  • Genuinely brilliant 7×6 design
  • Cheap, durable, and universally available
  • Travel-size variants exist

Cons

  • Plastic feels lightweight in newer print runs
  • Not much to add once you have one

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Connect 4 Shots

Hasbro · 2018 · Ages 8+ · 2 (or teams) players · ★★★★½ (3.5/5)

A physical-skill spin on Connect 4. Players bounce balls into the columns of a flat grid rather than dropping discs. Faster, louder, more chaotic. A genuinely different game from a strategy standpoint — it is more of a dexterity game with Connect-4-shaped scoring than a thinking game.

Pros

  • Fun party-game energy
  • Genuinely different play feel from the classic
  • Great with kids and at family gatherings

Cons

  • Loud — the bouncing balls are not subtle
  • Strategy is shallow because shot accuracy dominates
  • Balls can get lost

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Connect 4 Spin

Hasbro · 2021 · Ages 8+ · 2 players · ★★★★ (4.0/5)

A round-grid Connect 4 variant where the entire board can rotate, allowing players to spin the discs into new positions mid-game. Introduces a real new strategic element on top of the classic mechanic.

Pros

  • The spin mechanic genuinely changes the strategy
  • More replay value than the straight classic for players who already know it cold
  • Visual design is striking

Cons

  • Rules take longer to learn — not drop-in for kids
  • The rotation mechanism is a wear point
  • Splits opinion — some classic-Connect-4 fans dislike it

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Connect 4 Launchers (Blast)

Hasbro · 2018 · Ages 8+ · 2 players · ★★★½ (2.5/5)

Connect 4 with launchers attached to each column. Players load discs into a launcher and fire them across the board. Closer to a tabletop sports game than a strategy game.

Pros

  • Active play — kids love it
  • A different physical experience from the classic

Cons

  • Strategy is almost entirely subordinate to launcher accuracy
  • Discs jam in the launchers over time
  • Not a serious entry for strategy-game-minded buyers

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Connect 4 Plus

Hasbro · 2019 · Ages 7+ · 2 players · ★★★★½ (3.5/5)

Adds variant rules and special pieces (joker discs, blocker discs) to the classic 7×6 board. Aimed at slightly older kids who have outgrown the standard game.

Pros

  • Reasonable upgrade path for kids who have mastered the classic
  • Special pieces add genuine variety
  • Still uses the familiar board geometry

Cons

  • Variant rules dilute the elegance of the original
  • More moving parts to lose
  • Not preferred by competitive-minded players

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Score Four

Funtastic / Lakeside (1968, predates Connect 4) · 1968 · Ages 8+ · 2 players · ★★★★ (4.0/5)

A 3D variant: pegs and beads on a 4×4×4 grid, win by lining up four in any straight line, including diagonals through the cube. Predates the original Connect 4 by six years and is, mathematically, a much harder game. Score Four is a draw with perfect play; it is genuinely unsolved at the human level.

Pros

  • Significantly deeper than 2D Connect 4
  • Three-dimensional play is genuinely novel
  • A draw with perfect play, so games are fair

Cons

  • Out-of-print original is collector-priced
  • Modern reprints have variable component quality
  • Visualising 3D diagonals is hard for newer players

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Gravitrips (Sokol)

Mind Maze Games · 1999 · Ages 8+ · 2 players · ★★★★ (4.0/5)

A wooden gravity-drop strategy game in the Connect 4 family with a deeper board (typically 7×7) and additional placement rules. Aimed at adults rather than kids. Hard to find in 2026, but a beautiful object when you can.

Pros

  • Wooden components feel premium next to plastic Connect 4
  • Deeper strategy than the standard 7×6
  • Strong gift item

Cons

  • Hard to find in stock
  • Higher price point
  • Online opponent pool is essentially zero

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Pente

Parker Brothers (originally 1977) · 1977 · Ages 8+ · 2 (or up to 4) players · ★★★★★½ (4.5/5)

Not a Connect 4 variant strictly, but the closest commercial neighbour. Pente is five-in-a-row on a Go board with a capture mechanic. If you like Connect 4 you will likely enjoy Pente; the strategic vocabulary (threats, double threats, blocking) maps over almost directly.

Pros

  • Deeper strategic ceiling than Connect 4
  • Capture rules add tactical variety
  • Beautiful classic edition components

Cons

  • Bigger learning curve than Connect 4
  • Out-of-print classic editions are pricey
  • Not strictly a Connect-4 family game

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Gomoku (Five in a Row)

Various (traditional Japanese game) · 1850 · Ages 8+ · 2 players · ★★★★★½ (4.5/5)

The traditional five-in-a-row game on a 15×15 or 19×19 Go board. Like Connect 4 it is a solved game (first player wins on a 15×15 board with no opening restriction), but unlike Connect 4 it has rule variants (Renju, Swap-2) that restore competitive balance.

Pros

  • Long pedigree and serious competitive scene
  • Deeper than Connect 4 once you reach intermediate strength
  • Cheap to set up — any Go board works

Cons

  • Solved without rule variants
  • Less intuitive than Connect 4 for kids
  • Top-level play uses Renju opening rules that need explanation

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Connect 4 Travel Edition

Hasbro · 2010 · Ages 6+ · 2 players · ★★★★ (4.0/5)

A magnetic, foldable travel version of the classic Connect 4. Useful for kids on long trips. Mechanically identical to the original but at about a third of the size.

Pros

  • Magnets keep pieces in place
  • Folds flat — easy to pack
  • Same game as the original

Cons

  • Pieces are fiddly for adult fingers
  • Magnets lose strength over time
  • Easy to lose pieces

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Giant Connect 4 (yard game)

Various (Hasbro and third-party) · 2000 · Ages 6+ · 2 players · ★★★★ (4.0/5)

Outdoor wood-frame Connect 4 standing about 1.2m tall, with oversized wooden discs. Designed for backyards, parks, and events. Same rules as the original.

Pros

  • Genuinely fun outdoors
  • Great for parties and events
  • Wooden build holds up well

Cons

  • Bulky to store
  • Discs can warp if left in the rain
  • Higher price point

Or play in your browser at play4row →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Connect 4 physical board game?

The original 1974 Hasbro Connect 4 (designed by Howard Wexler and Ned Strongin) is still the gold standard. The 7×6 grid, the gravity-drop mechanic, and the red-vs-yellow disc design have not been improved on in fifty years. Most "upgraded" versions add features that dilute rather than enhance the original.

Are the Connect 4 spin-offs worth buying?

Connect 4 Spin and Connect 4 Plus add genuine strategic variety and are worth picking up if you have already worn out the classic. Connect 4 Shots and Launchers are dexterity games rather than strategy games — fun for kids and parties, but not what to buy if you want a deeper Connect 4 experience.

Are there harder versions of Connect 4?

Yes — Score Four (3D, 4×4×4) and Gravitrips (deeper 7×7 board) are both significantly harder than the standard 7×6. Pente and Gomoku are not technically Connect 4 but live in the same five-in-a-row strategic family and offer a deeper ceiling. All four are good progressions for someone who has mastered classic Connect 4.

What is a good Connect 4 set for kids?

The classic Hasbro Connect 4 is perfect for ages 6+. The travel edition with magnetic pieces is great for car trips. Connect 4 Shots and Launchers are louder and more chaotic, which can be a feature or a bug depending on the household.

No board, no problem

Skip the trip to the toy aisle — play4row puts the same Connect 4 experience in your browser, free, with daily puzzles and a global ranked ladder on top.