Four in a Row: play the Connect 4-style game online free
Four in a Row is a free online Connect 4-style game with a bright, candy-coloured board and discs that drop and bounce. Play the computer on four levels (Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert), try the daily challenge or challenge a friend in two-player mode on the same screen. It has hints, undo, 18 badges and leaderboards. Play in any browser on a computer, tablet or phone.
How to play Four in a Row
- Choose Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert to play the computer, take on the daily challenge, or pick Two players to play a friend on the same screen.
- Tap or click a column to drop a disc. It falls to the lowest free space.
- Get four of your discs in a line, across, up and down, or diagonally, before your opponent does.
- Block your opponent when they have three in a line, and look for double threats.
- If the board fills up with no line of four, the game is a draw.
Mouse and touch: click or tap the column where you want to drop your disc. Keyboard: left and right arrows pick a column and Enter, Space or Down drops the disc, or press 1 to 7 to drop straight into a column. U takes back a move, H shows a hint and N opens the new game menu.
Four in a Row rules
| Rule | How it works here |
|---|---|
| 🎲 Setup | The board has 7 columns and 6 rows and starts empty. Each side has 21 discs. Yellow moves first. |
| 👆 Moving | On your turn you drop one disc into a column that is not full. It falls to the lowest free space. |
| 4️⃣ Winning | The first player with four discs in a straight line, across, up and down, or diagonally, wins. |
| 🤝 Draws | If all 42 spaces are filled and nobody has four in a line, the game is a draw. |
| 🚫 Full columns | You cannot drop a disc into a full column. |
Computer levels
| Level | Plays like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 😊 Easy | Wins and blocks sometimes, but often drops a careless disc | Learning the rules and your first wins |
| 🤔 Medium | Looks a few moves ahead and blocks obvious threats | Casual players who want a real game |
| 🔥 Hard | Searches many moves deep and sets traps | Experienced players |
| 🧠 Expert | Searches much deeper and almost never makes a mistake | A proper challenge |
All levels play by exactly the same rules as you, and none of them cheats. You can play as Yellow (you move first) or as Red (the computer starts), and you can take back moves with Undo or ask for a Hint any time it is your turn.
Game modes
Play the computer against Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert, with your own win, loss and draw record for each level. The Daily challenge gives everyone the same opening position each day, played against the Hard computer. Two players, one screen lets two people take turns on the same device. Choose the level, colour and players in Settings (the cog), then press the New game button (the circular arrow) to start.
Leaderboards
Every win against the computer can go on the leaderboard, which has This month and All time panels. A win scores 300 points, plus 15 for every move you saved (21 minus the discs you dropped), plus a level bonus (Easy 0, Medium 100, Hard 250, Expert 450, Daily 250). So a quick win on a high level is worth the most. You only pick a nickname, there is no sign-up, and you can change the name, hide your scores or delete them at any time. Draws, losses and two-player games are not ranked.
Badges
There are 18 badges for beating each level, winning streaks, quick wins, winning in each direction, double threats, blocking, the daily challenge, two-player games and number of games played. Open the medal button in the game to see your progress.
| Badge | How to earn it |
|---|---|
| 🏅 First Win | Win a game against the computer. |
| 😊 Easy Does It | Beat the computer on Easy. |
| 🤔 Clever Drop | Beat the computer on Medium. |
| 🔥 Four Master | Beat the computer on Hard. |
| 🧠 Grandmaster | Beat the computer on Expert. |
| 🏆 Hard Fighter | Win 5 games on Hard or Expert. |
| 🎯 Hat-trick | Win 3 games in a row. |
| ⚡ On Fire | Win 7 games in a row. |
| ⏱️ Speedy Win | Win a game in 8 moves or fewer. |
| ↔️ Four Across | Win with a horizontal line. |
| 🗼 Sky High | Win with a vertical line. |
| ↗️ Diagonal Dash | Win with a diagonal line. |
| 🪤 Double Trouble | Make a move that threatens to win in two different columns. |
| 🛡️ Great Defender | Block your opponent\ |
| ☀️ Daily Player | Finish a daily challenge. |
| 👥 Friendly Game | Finish a two-player game. |
| 🤝 Peace Treaty | Fill the whole board for a draw. |
| 🎲 Regular | Play 25 games. |
Four in a Row tips
- Start in the middle. The centre column is part of the most possible lines, so it is the strongest first move.
- Always check for threats. Before every move, look for a spot where your opponent would win next, and block it.
- Build a double threat. Two winning spots at once cannot both be blocked. Diagonals are great for this.
- Think about what your drop opens. A disc you drop makes the space above it available, so do not hand your opponent a winning spot.
- Use the odd and even rows. The player who moves first usually wants threats on the odd rows from the bottom, the other player on the even rows.
- Take your time on Expert. It rarely misses a threat, so plan two or three moves ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Is Four in a Row free?
Yes. Four in a Row on Util.Ninja is completely free to play online, with no sign-up, no download and no in-app purchases. It runs in your browser on computers, tablets and phones, and your statistics and badges are saved on your own device.
Is this the same as Connect 4?
It is the same classic idea: drop discs into a 7 by 6 board and be the first to line up four. This is an independent game and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the owner of the Connect Four trademark (Hasbro). The rules here follow the usual Connect 4-style setup, where Yellow moves first.
How do I play Four in a Row?
Tap or click a column to drop one of your discs into it. The disc falls to the lowest free space. You win by being the first to get four of your discs in a straight line, across, up and down, or diagonally. If the board fills up with no line of four, the game is a draw.
Who moves first?
Yellow always moves first. Against the computer you choose whether to play Yellow (you start) or Red (the computer starts). Starting first is a real advantage, so try both.
What are the four computer levels?
Easy plays quickly and often misses things, so it is a friendly way to learn. Medium looks a few moves ahead and blocks obvious threats. Hard searches many moves deep and sets traps. Expert thinks the longest and is tough even for experienced players. No level cheats: they all follow the same rules as you.
What is the daily challenge?
Every day everybody gets the same opening position, with a few discs already dropped, and plays it against the computer on the Hard level. Win to put your score on the daily leaderboard, and come back tomorrow for a new position.
Can I play against a friend?
Yes. Choose "Two players, one screen" in the game menu and take turns on the same phone, tablet or computer. Yellow moves first.
Can I take back a move or get a hint?
Yes. The undo button takes back your last move and the computer's reply, as often as you like. The light-bulb button shows a good column for you. Both are just for fun, so use them whenever you are stuck.
How do I make a double threat?
A double threat is a move that gives you two different winning spots at once. Your opponent can only block one, so you win with the other. Look for two lines of three that share an empty spot, or a row with a gap on both sides.
Does Four in a Row have a leaderboard?
Yes. Wins against the computer are ranked on a leaderboard with This month and All time panels, and the daily challenge has its own board. A win scores 300 points plus 15 for every move you saved (fewer moves is better), plus a bonus for the level (Easy 0, Medium 100, Hard 250, Expert 450). You only choose a nickname, with no sign-up, and you can delete your scores at any time.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. Four in a Row works on phones and tablets in portrait and landscape: just tap the column where you want to drop a disc. On a computer you can also use the keyboard: left and right arrows with Enter, or the number keys 1 to 7, U to undo and H for a hint.
More free board and puzzle games: Reversi, Checkers, Chess and Sea Battle.