Drop Four

About Drop Four

Drop Four was published by Milton Bradley in 1974 and quickly became one of the most popular two-player strategy games of the late 20th century. In 1988, computer scientist James D. Allen and, independently, Victor Allis proved the game is a forced win for the first player with perfect play — yet it remains enormously enjoyable for casual players.

Our browser version supports local two-player matches or games against an AI with adjustable difficulty. The vertical gravity of the board creates a puzzle unique to Drop Four: every piece you drop changes what the opponent can do on the next move, and every column choice sets up or blocks future threats.

How to Play

Controls: Click or tap a column to drop your piece. Pieces slide to the lowest empty row in the selected column. In AI mode, the computer plays automatically after your move.

Objective: Be the first to line up four of your own pieces in a row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. A full board with no four-in-a-row ends in a draw.

Tips & Strategy

• Play the center column first. It is part of more winning lines than any other column.
• Create double threats — two ways to win with one move that the opponent cannot block both of.
• Always scan for the opponent's three-in-a-row before you play your own move.
• Think vertically. New players tend to focus on horizontal rows and miss stacked wins above.
• Avoid playing directly below a square that would give the opponent a four-in-a-row on the next drop.