Connect Four Cities

Connect Four Cities is a turn‑based strategy board game that builds on the classic Connect Four formula by adding more than 20 unique types of checkers and over 60 custom boards featuring interactive elements like arrows that push pieces. Players drop discs into a vertical grid aiming to align four in a row, but the special checkers can drill downward or float upward, creating new tactical challenges. The game offers single‑player matches against an increasingly difficult AI as well as online multiplayer for two players, and was released for Windows in 2006 and later for Macintosh.

Connect Four Cities: Review

Introduction

The familiar clack of a disc dropping into a vertical grid has haunted playgrounds and kitchen tables for decades. In 2006 PlayFirst dared to take that simple, timeless mechanic and re‑imagine it for the digital age, delivering Connect Four Cities—a turn‑based, side‑view strategy game that injects a city‑building aesthetic, over twenty “wild” checkers, and a suite of online multiplayer features into the classic Connect Four formula. My thesis is straightforward: while the game never aspires to be a narrative epic, its clever expansion of core mechanics, polished presentation, and modest but memorable multiplayer component make it a noteworthy, if niche, entry in the mid‑2000s casual‑strategy landscape.

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Development History & Context

Studio & Vision

PlayFirst, Inc., best known at the time for casual hits such as Diner Dash, assembled a 31‑person team (22 developers plus thanks) to craft Connect Four Cities. Executive Producer Kenny Shea Dinkin and Producer Andrew Mayer guided a project that blended the nostalgia of a Hasbro board game with the emerging “download‑and‑play” model popular on Windows and, later, Macintosh platforms. The game was built on PlayFirst’s proprietary Playground engine, a flexible framework for turn‑based titles that emphasized rapid prototyping and networked play.

Technological Constraints & Landscape

Released on June 26 2006 for Windows and January 29 2007 for Mac, the title arrived during a period when casual gaming was transitioning from browser‑based Flash to downloadable executables. Internet bandwidth was sufficient for simple matchmaking, but the industry still struggled with robust cross‑platform multiplayer. PlayFirst’s decision to support online two‑player matches (via a lobby system) was forward‑looking, even if the implementation remained modest.

Market Position

At the time, the board‑game‑to‑digital conversion niche was crowded with titles like Battleship and Sorry! on handhelds, while PC casual titles leaned heavily on time‑management mechanics. Connect Four Cities positioned itself as a “board‑game‑plus‑city‑builder” hybrid, targeting both fans of the original tabletop game and players seeking quick, repeatable sessions on their home computers.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Connect Four Cities is a purely abstract strategy experience; it contains no traditional story, dialogue, or character arcs. However, the game’s thematic veneer is built around urban competition. Each of the six featured cities—New York, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, DC—is represented by a set of ten uniquely designed “buildings” that serve as the playing board. The visual language of skyscrapers, bridges, and city skylines evokes a sense of building a metropolis through tactical placement, mirroring the underlying mechanic of aligning four checkers.

The wild checkers (Drill, Cha‑Cha, Anvil, Boom, Helium, Wood, etc.) act as metaphorical “construction tools” that can drill down, float upward, or explode, reinforcing the theme of manipulating a city’s infrastructure to outwit an opponent. The game’s UI—point‑and‑select with a side‑view perspective—keeps the focus on the board while allowing the city graphics to provide a subtle narrative backdrop: each win feels like a small triumph of urban planning over a rival developer.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loop

1. Select a checker from the dial in the upper‑left corner.
2. Click above a column to drop the piece; it falls until it contacts the bottom or another piece.
3. Check for a four‑in‑a‑row (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal).
4. Earn money for each successful line; the first player to reach a preset dollar target wins the round and unlocks the next building.

Game Modes

Mode	Description	Notable Features
Classic	Traditional 7×6 grid against AI.	Pure Connect Four with increasing AI difficulty.
Cities	Travel through six U.S. cities, each with ten custom boards (60 total).	Boards feature arrows, obstacles, and themed graphics; each city introduces new board layouts.
Multiplayer (Online)	Matchmaking lobby for head‑to‑head play in either Classic or Cities mode.	Player‑generated codes for private matches; chat option.

Special Checkers (20+ Types)

Checker	Function	Tactical Impact
Drill	Pushes down into the piece below, taking its place.	Breaks opponent’s vertical stacks.
Cha‑Cha	Slides all pieces in its row left or right (direction indicated by feet).	Alters horizontal alignment possibilities.
Anvil	Drops straight to the column’s bottom, ignoring intermediate spaces.	Guarantees a stable foothold.
Boom	Explodes, removing adjacent pieces.	Clears congested areas, resets board dynamics.
Helium	Rises to the top of the column, floating upward.	Counteracts gravity‑based strategies.
Wood	Cannot be used to form a Connect Four for either player.	Acts as a blocker or “dead” space.

These wild checkers introduce layered strategy far beyond the original game’s simple placement, forcing players to anticipate both immediate board changes and longer‑term board evolution.

UI & Controls

• Input: Mouse (point‑and‑click) and optional keyboard shortcuts.
• Perspective: Side view, static camera; the board occupies most of the screen, with city graphics framing the edges.
• Interface: Simple dial for checker selection, clear turn indicator, and a monetary meter that tracks progress toward the round goal.

Multiplayer Architecture

The game uses PlayFirst’s Playground engine networking layer. Players join a lobby, select a city board, and are paired via a matchmaking server (hosted by PlayFirst). The system supports two‑player online matches only; no local “same‑screen” hot‑seat mode is available, a point noted by critics.

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World‑Building, Art & Sound

Visual Direction

Art Director Nicholas Stern oversaw a visual style that blends cartoonish charm with city‑specific architectural motifs. Each city’s board incorporates recognizable landmarks—e.g., the Statue of Liberty silhouette for New York, the Golden Gate Bridge for San Francisco—rendered in bright, saturated colors that contrast sharply with the dark checkers. The 60 custom buildings provide visual variety, ensuring that matches never feel visually stale.

Animation & Effects

Additional animation work from Animotion Studios adds subtle particle effects when wild checkers are deployed (e.g., a small explosion for Boom, a puff of smoke for Drill). The board’s arrows and moving parts animate smoothly, reinforcing the feeling that the city itself is a living, reactive environment.

Audio Design

SomeTone Productions supplied a concise sound palette: crisp disc‑drop thuds, whimsical “cha‑cha” footstep sounds, and a light, jazzy background loop that adapts to the city theme. While not a full musical score, the audio cues are functional and pleasant, providing feedback without overwhelming the player.

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Reception & Legacy

Critical Reception

Outlet	Score	Key Praise	Notable Criticisms
GameDaily	80 %	Polished, attractive, addictive; “perfect for 10‑minute play.”	Missing same‑screen multiplayer; no online Classic mode; no custom mode creation.
GameZebo	80 % (4/5)	“Highly polished, attractive and addictive spin on an old favorite.”	Same minor quibbles as above.
Inside Mac Games	70 % (7/10)	“Excellent rendition of the popular Connect 4 game with special pieces that mix up the action.”	Minor UI and feature limitations.

Overall MobyGames average 77 % from three critic reviews. Player‑generated scores are sparse (2 / 5 from a single rating), indicating limited community engagement beyond the initial launch.

Commercial Performance & Community

The game was sold as a commercial download on Windows and later on Macintosh, with distribution also via Trymedia Systems for a brief electronic release. While not a blockbuster, the title amassed a modest player base, enough to sustain online matchmaking for a few years. Its online lobby was a pioneering effort for a board‑game‑style title at the time, predating later casual‑multiplayer platforms.

Influence

Connect Four Cities did not spawn a direct sequel, but it contributed to the casual‑strategy renaissance of the late 2000s, demonstrating that classic board games could be revitalized with thematic skins and online play. Its use of wild checkers foreshadowed later “power‑up” mechanics in digital board games and puzzle titles (e.g., Bejeweled variations, Puzzle Quest). The city‑themed board concept also hinted at the later popularity of location‑based puzzle games.

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Conclusion

Connect Four Cities stands as a well‑executed, modestly ambitious reinterpretation of a timeless board game. By layering 20+ special checkers, 60 uniquely themed city boards, and a simple online multiplayer system onto the classic Connect Four formula, PlayFirst delivered a product that feels both familiar and fresh. Its visual polish, sound design, and tight turn‑based gameplay make it an excellent choice for short, repeatable sessions—a digital “snack” that satisfies a quick craving for strategic thinking.

The game’s shortcomings—the absence of local hot‑seat play, limited customization, and a modest player community—prevent it from achieving classic status. Nevertheless, its innovation within constraints, high production values, and positive critical reception secure its place as a noteworthy footnote in the evolution of casual digital board games. For historians of the genre, Connect Four Cities offers a clear snapshot of how mid‑2000s developers experimented with blending nostalgia, thematic depth, and nascent online features to keep simple mechanics relevant in an increasingly connected world.

Verdict: Connect Four Cities is a highly polished, enjoyable, and historically interesting title that deserves recognition as a pioneer of online casual board‑game adaptations, even if it never rose to mainstream prominence.