Four-in-a-row is an open source piece of software that provides users with a board game where the player has to build a line of four marbles of the same color, while trying to stop the opponent from building a line of her/his own.
The created lines can be diagonal, vertical or horizontal. The player who gets the highest score will win the game. Users can play with another human or with the built-in AI engine that features three levels of difficulty.
The game is played on a 7×7 grid
The game is played on a 7×7 grid and features a modern graphical user interface that integrates well with the GNOME desktop environment. Next to the grid, it displays a hint button, the undo function, as well a reload/start new game button.
In order to play a game, you can simply click on an empty box, trying to create a single line of four marbles of the same type. Your opponent will do the same, trying to block your every move. When one of the players (human or computer) creates a line of four identical marbles, automatically wins the match.
It is also possible for a match to end with a draw. The score is automatically saved in the integrated score board, which can be accessed at any time. From the Preferences dialog, users can set a human or AI opponent, enable or disable sounds, modify keyboard shortcuts, as well as to choose between five different themes for the marbles.
Designed for GNOME
As mentioned, the game has been designed from the ground up for the GNOME desktop environment, with which it integrates well, allowing users to access the game’s main functions from the App Menu via the GNOME Panel.
There’s no time limit or pause functionality implemented at this time. However, you can find comprehensive documentation by accessing the Help option on the App Menu. Four-in-a-row is part of the GNOME Games project and distributed as a standalone application.
