Connect 4 in Google Sheets
Chris Brownell (and Sunil Singh)’s book Math Recess is a bad influence on me 🙂 In the book there is a list of games you can play to have fun with math. If I want to play these games asynchronously with someone who isn’t physically with me, Google Sheets is an excellent option. Previously I created Yahtzee (alicekeeler.com/yahtzee) in Google Sheets. Then reading Math Recess and it’s suggestion to play Connect Four as a strategizing game, I made a Google Sheets version of that too.
Template
Trick to Asynchronous Game Play
When using Google Sheets (or other Google App) for asynchronous collaboration I recommend using the FILE menu to “Email collaborators.” This will allow you to send a message like “Your turn” along with the link to the game itself.
Play Menu
In the game a Play menu will eventually load next to the Help menu.
Dots
To play your chip either click on the column to which you want to play and click on the large black or red dots on the side. Alternatively, you can click the small chips above each column to place a chip.
Rules
The objective is to get 4 of your chips in a row: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Each player plays one chip at a time by dropping their chip into the board and gravity brings it to the bottom. Thus chips build from the bottom up.