Overview: *Connect 4 Launchers *turns a classic board game on its head by reinventing itself as a dexterity game. The core concept is still there: place four of your discs in a row, but instead of dropping in pieces to execute carefully-plotted moves, you'll find yourself frantically flinging plastic discs into a grid of trays.
__Players: __2+
Ages: 5 to adult
__Playing Time: __5 minutes
__Retail: __$19.99
Rating: Light and fun. A solid appetizer to start off your family game night.
Who Will Like It? Connect 4 Launchers is definitely a game that young children will enjoy, as it is a pure hands-on experience where rules rarely get in the way.
__Components: __
- __ __21 red checkers
- 21 yellow checkers
- 4 pillar pieces
- 2 clear grid trays
- 1 red checker launcher
- 1 yellow checker launcher
Looking at this game, you will instantly notice that it requires a bit of setup in order to get going. Luckily, the grid trays snap into the pillar pieces with almost no effort, taking only seconds to assemble the bi-level board. Even more surprisingly, everything tucks neatly back into the box without having to engage in a side-game of Tetris.
All of the pieces used in Connect 4 Launchers, whether they be the discs, launchers or the tower itself, are made using a sturdy plastic. This game should hold up for a long time, even in the face of rough play. The launchers themselves are a wonderfully designed game piece, as their slanted nose allows them to be tipped forward to gain additional angles. This can be crucial for making low-angle shots to reach rear trays in the lower level, and demonstrates how winning *Connect 4 Launchers *does require some skill.
__Gameplay: __There are two different styles of play that can be used in Connect 4 Launchers, simultaneous and turn-based play. For simultaneous play, the action is real-time and players are simply racing to fling their discs into the trays. The first person to get four in a row and yell out "Connect 4!" is the winner. For a longer experience, the game can be played until one player reaches 5 points, where four discs in a row are worth two points on the top level and one point down below. After each scoring, the board is cleared and play starts fresh, while the score is tracked on a slider underneath the launcher handle.
Throughout the frantic flinging of discs, there are not many rules to get in the way. There are no limitations on where players can stand or how far they must be from the tower, so this really is an "anything goes" situation. Discs that miss the board can be recollected and shot over again, while those that reach the board yet do not fall into a tray must remain in play.
As an alternative to the real-time fun, the game can be slowed down for turn-based play. In order to keep a strategic *Connect 4 *feel, each player receives a small stack of special power discs that can be used only once during each game. These discs, if successfully landed in a tray, have the ability to remove groups of disks from the board or grant the controlling player an additional turn.
__Conclusion: __*Connect 4 Launchers *is a solid game because at its core, it is 100% a test of skill. Yes, math geeks will still prefer the original, as this has new version has reduced a chess match to the complexity of tic-tac-toe, but Connect 4 Launchers is still a deterministic game that successfully manages to blend decision-making with dexterity. More importantly, it's something enjoyable you could play with a five-year-old that is not simply drawing cards and moving a la *Candyland. *
The game is best played as a warmup to your family game night, rather than as the focus of your gaming. While it can entertain a small group of children for quite a while, the game is unlikely to come out in those larger group situations because it is best played with only two players. Rules are included for a team mode, but ultimately the game is not nearly as much fun once players have extra wait time added in. However, the warmup scenario fits perfectly because of its short playtime and hands-on nature. Flinging the discs around will definitely get the blood pumping, most likely enough to carry players through a longer and more low-key game.
A nod is also due to the fact that this game stands on its own legs as a re-invented original Hasbro title without the need for any licensing to spice it up. Constant branding can drive parents mad, and this serves as a welcome break.
__Wired: __Quick setup, quick game, easy to teach, mixes mental skill with dexterity
__Tired: __Won't be the meat of your family game night, does not scale well when adding more players
Disclosure: GeekDad received a review copy of this game.
