Two-player game · Indian edition available
Strike 4
Drop discs, block your rival and line up four first
- 2best with 2
- 5–15 minper game
- Under a minuteto set up
- 6+years
- Very easy
- Nonereading
The Indian edition, on Amazon.in
We matched this listing to the edition made and sold in India. Amazon shows today's price, the seller and delivery.
Paid link. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The game in a nutshell
Strike 4 is Funskool's own version of the classic four-in-a-row game. Two players take turns dropping red and yellow discs into an upright grid, and the first to line up four of their colour wins. It plays exactly like Hasbro's Connect 4: a minute to learn, a few minutes a game, and a good fit for children from 6 playing with a sibling or parent. It's made in India, and the grid folds out of its own storage tray.
Is Strike 4 right for you?
Great if
- Children from 6 who are ready for a real thinking game but not long rules
- Quick games between siblings, or a parent and child, after homework
- Teaching children to look ahead and block the other player's lines
- Families who want the four-in-a-row game from an Indian maker, with a tray that holds the discs
Skip it if
- You need a game for three or more; with a group, the others can only wait for 'winner stays on'
- You want lots of variety; every game uses the same simple rule
- You specifically want Hasbro's Connect 4 with its legs and slider bar; that's a separate product
How Strike 4 plays
Set-up: slide the grid out of the tray, tilt it upright, and it clips onto two pegs on the sides of the tray. One player takes the 21 red discs and the other the 21 yellow.
- Time to teach: about 2 minutes.
- Reading and language: There's nothing to read during play. Once someone explains the one rule, the game works in any language; only the rules sheet is in English.
Strike 4 - Funskool Games · Funskool Official · Official
Choose a video · Watch right here
If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.
Your turn, step by step
- 1Drop
On your turn, drop one disc of your colour into any column that isn't full. It falls to the lowest empty space.
- 2Block
Watch the other player's discs. If they have three in a line with a space they can reach, put your disc there to stop them.
- 3Win
The first to get four of their colour in a row, across, up and down or diagonally, wins. Lift and tip the grid to empty it, and swap who goes first.
The full explanation: how a game of Strike 4 goes
Take turns dropping one disc into any slot at the top of the grid. It falls to the lowest empty space in that column, so the grid fills from the bottom up.
The first player to get four discs of their colour in a line wins: across, up and down, or diagonally. Much of the game is blocking. If the other player has three in a row with an open space, drop your disc there.
When the game ends, lift the grid upward and swing it at an angle so the discs fall out. Funskool's rules say whoever went first should go second in the next game, which keeps things fair, as going first is an advantage.
Tip: the middle column is part of the most possible lines, so it's a strong place to start. Good players set up two threats at once, because the other player can block only one of them.
What's in the box
- 1Strike 4 unit
a storage tray with a grid that slides out, stands upright and clips onto the tray; you empty it by lifting and tipping - 21Red discs
called tokens in the rules sheet - 21Yellow discs
- 1Rules sheet
one page, English, with assembly pictures
Box: 40 × 26 cm. Handy to know for gifting and travel.
This list is from Funskool's rules sheet ('1 Strike4 unit (Tray & Grid), 21 Red tokens, 21 Yellow tokens') and the box back shown in Funskool's product images. Hasbro's Connect 4 has the same 21 + 21 discs but uses a grid on two legs with a slider bar instead.
Where to buy
The Indian edition, on Amazon.in
We matched this listing to the edition made and sold in India. Amazon shows today's price, the seller and delivery.
Opens Amazon.in in a new tab.
Strike 4 is Funskool's own game, made in India (Funskool gives India as the country of origin), so there's no imported version to weigh up. Our Amazon.in button goes to the listing titled 'Strike 4, New and Improved'. If you'd rather have Hasbro's Connect 4, it is a separate product, also made in India, with legs and a slider bar; it has its own page here. Both play exactly the same game.
How to make sure you get a genuine copyA little care before you click.
- The box should show the Funskool logo and 'Strike 4', with 'A challenging game of disc dropping fun!' and an Ages 6+ badge
- The back should list 1 Strike 4 unit, 21 red discs and 21 yellow discs
- The grid folds out of a storage tray and clips onto it. There are no separate legs or slider bar; you empty it by lifting the grid and tipping the discs out.
- Funskool's item code is 9774600
- A very cheap 'Strike 4' or 'Connect 4' set with no brand on the box is an unbranded copy, not Funskool's game
We link to one Amazon.in listing that we've checked against the maker's own information. We don't show prices: Amazon shows today's price, the seller and delivery. Paid link. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
What reviewers and players say
We found no independent reviews of Funskool's Strike 4 itself, so this is what reviewers say about the four-in-a-row game it shares with Connect 4. It's about as simple as a real strategy game gets: one rule, a few minutes a game, and a six-year-old can play properly against a parent. Child-development reviewers like that it builds planning, pattern-spotting and concentration. The catches are that only two can play, it can feel samey after many games, and with perfect play the first player always wins, so take turns going first.
What people love
- Learn it in a minute and finish a game in a few, which makes it easy to fit in
- It gets children thinking ahead, spotting patterns and blocking
- Adults enjoy it too: there's real strategy, and the game was even studied and solved by mathematicians
Common complaints
- Strictly two players, so the rest of a group has to wait
- It can feel samey after many games
- With perfect play, the first player always wins, so serious players take turns going first
Based on 5 reviews and discussions
- Review Connect 4 Game (no author shown, page updated September 2024) · The Good Play Guide (UK)
- Players Optimal Strategy for Connect 4 (discussion thread, 2026) · Hacker News
- Reference Connect Four · Wikipedia
- Reference Funskool Strike 4 Games (product description) · Toycra
- Reference Strike 4 (maker's product page) · Funskool
Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.
More like Strike 4
Our picks if Strike 4 isn't quite right
| Feature |
Strike 4 |
Connect 4 |
Othello |
Tic Tac Toe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Best with | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Play time | 5–15 min | 5–15 min | 15–30 min | 1–5 min |
| Age | 6+ | 6+ | 8+ | 5+ |
| Rules | Easy | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Indian edition | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Why look at it | This page | Hasbro's original version of the same game, with legs and a slider bar; also made in India | Another quick two-player classic on a grid, where discs flip colour | The simplest lining-up game, for younger children |
More pure strategy games
See all
Blokus
Fit your pieces on the board, corners only, and box others out
Connect 4
Drop discs, block your rival and get four in a row
Qwirkle
Match colours or shapes to build lines of six tiles
Othello
Trap a line of discs, flip them to your colour
Tic Tac Toe
Three in a row wins: every child's first strategy game
Questions people ask about Strike 4
Is Strike 4 the same as Connect 4?
It's the same game: drop discs into an upright grid and get four in a row. Strike 4 is Funskool's own product, made in India under its own name, while Connect 4 is Hasbro's. The difference is the frame: Strike 4's grid folds out of a storage tray and you empty it by tipping, while Connect 4 stands on legs and has a slider bar.
How do you empty the Strike 4 grid?
Lift the grid upward and swing it at an angle, and the discs fall out into the tray. Funskool's rules sheet shows this with pictures. The discs then store in the tray, which is part of the box.
What age is Strike 4 for?
Funskool says 6 and up (its rules sheet shows both 6+ and 7+). Six-year-olds can learn to spot and block lines of three, and adults enjoy it too. The discs are small, so keep them away from toddlers.
Can adults enjoy Strike 4, or is it only for children?
Adults enjoy it too. The rule takes a minute to learn, but good play means looking a few moves ahead and setting up two threats at once, so a parent and an older child can have a real contest. Games are short, so 'best of five' after dinner works well.
Game facts
- Publisher
- Funskool
- In India
- Funskool (India) Ltd, Chennai
- Players
- 2
- Barcode
- 8901383977465
- Language
- No reading – There's nothing to read during play. Once someone explains the one rule, the game works in any language; only the rules sheet is in English.
- Box size and weight
- 40 × 26 cm
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.
Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.