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Who Invented the Game Connect 4?
Howard Wexler invented the game. He was working for Milton Bradley, now Hasbro, at the time of the invention.
He states that he noticed all strategy and critical thinking games were being played on a horizontal plane like a board game on his personal website. He thought, “what if I take checkers, mimic a Tic Tac Toe game, and put it on a vertical plane?”
Thus, Connect 4 was born!
When Did the Game Connect Four Come Out?
The game was released in 1974 by the Milton Bradley Company. It was largely popularized by word of mouth, but in 1977 Milton Bradley created its first commercial for the toy.
What is the Origin of the Connect 4 Name?
Connect Four gets its name from the way you win the game. The player who connects four of the colored discs in an acceptable pattern wins.
What Are the Rules of Connect 4?
Connect 4 has fairly basic rules. It is a zero-sum game that involves critical thinking and perfect play. Essentially, the first player begins the game by placing their piece into one of the slots.
Then the game continues by alternating between the two players.
Each player puts their player piece into their desired slot, each one trying to outwit the other player and stop them from reaching four in a row.
The first player to reach four in a row of their game pieces wins. If neither player reaches four of their pieces in a row, the game is a draw.
At What Age Can Your Child Start Playing the Game?
The game is recommended for people six years old and up. You can use Connect Four as a way to learn the strategy and mathematical probability for young children.
When Was the Giant Connect 4 Game Introduced?
It is hard to determine precisely when it was introduced, but soon after the popularity of Connect Four in the 1970s, there is evidence of giant Connect Four games popping up.
Regular vs Giant Connect Four Versions
There is no difference in gameplay between regular and giant Connect 4 games. The difference lies in its size.
Many people play giant Connect Four on their lawns as it is effortless to set up and store.
How Many Combinations are There in Connect 4?
In terms of how many tiles you need to win, there is only one combination: Four. Regarding the number of ways you can place the tiles, there are four ways: four in a row vertically, four in a row horizontally, four in a row diagonally from left to right, and four in a row diagonally from right to left.
However, other variations of the game exist that would increase how you could win at Connect 4. Some of these variations include PopOut, Pop 10, Power Up, and Five in a Row.
These variations have their own rules of play and ways to win, so there are many combinations to win if you take this into account.
Based on mathematical principles, there are over a billion ways to combine the tiles and slots to win a traditional game of Connect 4!
Can Connect 4 End in a Tie?
Connect Four can only end in a tie if neither of the players wins.
The first person to play will always win if it comes down to both players having three pieces in the slots because the rule is the first player to win is the one who gets four game pieces in a row. It would be impossible for both players to end as winners due to this rule.