Connect 4: Card Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Object
• Setup: The First Time You Play
• Let's Play!
• Examples of Tile Placement
• Missions
• Winning
• Power-Ups
• Tips
• Other Ways to Play
  • Younger Players
  • Open Missions
  • Double-Handed

Contents

• 55 Connect 4 tiles
• 24 Mission cards

Object

Complete four Connect 4 missions to win!

Setup: The First Time You Play

1. Shuffle the Mission cards and deal two to each player, face down. Place the rest of the Mission cards face down.
2. Players each look at their two Mission cards, but keep them secret! See Missions for more information.
3. Shuffle the square Connect 4 tiles and place them face down. This is your draw deck.
4. Flip over the top Connect 4 tile and place it in the center of your play area. This is your start tile.

Let's Play!

The youngest player goes first.

On your turn:

1. Flip over the top Connect 4 tile in the draw deck and place it next to any tile already in play. Tiles must touch each other on at least one side.
2. Try to form a pattern that matches either of your Mission cards. If your tiles have Power-Ups, you can choose to take an extra action on your turn. See Power-Ups for more information.
3. Did you complete a mission?
   • YES! Congratulations! Place your completed Mission card face up in front of you and draw a new Mission card from the deck.
   • NO! Better luck next time.
4. It's the next player's turn. Play passes to the left.

Examples of Tile Placement

The printed sheet shows examples of correct and incorrect tile placement around the center tile in play. The examples are illustrated only, and their marks are: correct placements are marked with a green check, and incorrect placements with a red X.

Missions

Each Mission card shows a pattern of four connected tiles of one color. The matching patterns are:

• Four in a row: Horizontal, vertical, or diagonal in any one color (red, yellow, green, or purple).
• Four in a square: In any one color (red, yellow, green, or purple).
• Four in an L shape: In any orientation, in any one color (red, yellow, green, or purple).

Winning

The first player to complete four Missions is the winner!

Power-Ups

Some Connect 4 tiles have Power-Ups. These allow you to take a one-time extra action on your turn. The Power-Up icons are:

• Blank space: This is a blank space. It has no special power.
• Rotate: Rotate any tile in play, as long as it's not completely surrounded.
• Cross: Place this tile on top of any other tile in play.
• Minus: Remove one tile in play. Put it at the bottom of the draw deck.
• Four-color dot: This dot can be any color you choose for the rest of the game.

Tips

• You cannot win a Mission for a pattern made on a previous turn.
• You cannot win a Mission with a pattern made by another player.
• Blocking other players is just as important as completing Missions. Try to figure out what other players are planning and block them!
• You can use a Power-Up to help you complete a Mission or to stop other players from making connections!
• If two players have the same Mission, the player who placed the winning tile wins the game.

Other Ways to Play

Younger Players

• Play as outlined, but without specific Mission cards. Simply complete any four in a row, square, or L shape on your turn.
• Take a Mission card (face down) each time you get a connection. The first player to earn four Mission cards wins!

Open Missions

Play with your Mission cards face up so everyone can see what connections everyone else is trying to make!

Double-Handed

Pick up two Connect 4 tiles per turn to give you more choice, then discard the unplayed tile. (You still play one tile per turn.)