Connect (game)

Inside the original Connect game box, showing tiles

A game in action

Connect is a game consisting of square card pieces featuring different coloured tracks. It is based loosely on dominoes. It was designed by graphic designer Ken Garland in 1969 and produced by James Galt & Co Ltd. Connect enthusiasts praise the minimalistic design of the 1969 original and the highly regular collection of cards which nonetheless can be arranged to millions of final combinations.

Game play

There are 140 pieces in the game, 42 straight-track pieces, 56 curved pieces, 40 switch track pieces and 2 special split-route pieces.

Play consists of placing the cards next to one another to form a continuous track. Each card must match exactly the position and colours of the previous one. Play continues until one player has no cards left; he or she is then the winner.

Experienced players often vary the rules for making the game more challenging. One version provides for each player taking 35 cards (as long as 4 players are involved), displaying ten cards open in front of him/her and trying, when it is his/her turn, to place as many as possible. Afterwards he/she will refill his/her 10 cards from his/her private stack. A variation of the rules allows removing cards (if this leads to a more compact layout of routes, aiming at a final layout without gaps in the field) and adding the removed card to the next player's private stack.

Pieces

In more detail, Connect's overall 140 pieces include

a) Regular cards (continuous tracks)

a1) Mono-line

• 14 red cards (6 straight, 4 left turn, 4 right turn)
• 14 blue cards (6 straight, 4 left turn, 4 right turn)
• 14 black cards (6 straight, 8 curved; the black line is in the middle, therefore there is no difference between left and right turn cards)

a2) Double line

• 14 black-red cards (6 straight, 4 left turn, 4 right turn)
• 14 black-blue cards (6 straight, 4 left turn, 4 right turn)
• 14 blue-red cards (6 straight, 4 left turn, 4 right turn)

a3) Triple line

• 14 cards with lines in three colours (6 straight, 4 left turn, 4 right right)

b) 40 straight switch-track-cards where one or more colour lines stop whereas the other one(s) either continue or start. They can be grouped into 20 pairs similar but mirror-inverted cards.

c) Two split-route pieces which differ one from the other (they are not mirror-inverted) but can be attached one to another at their three-line-side.

Game designer

Ken Garland designed the game with Robert Chapman^[1] Garland produced more games for Galt Toys between 1964 and 1972.^[2]

In 1982 the licence for Connect game was transferred to this Ravensburger of Germany. In 1984 Garland agreed to a new version using the drawings of Josef Loeflath and it was renamed Rivers, Roads & Rails.^[3] Rivers, Roads & Rails is still produced by Ravensburger of Germany.^[4]

Trivia

Connect enthusiasts wonder if it is possible the arrange the 140 cards in a way so that all lines are closed, without any end left open, and the cards forming a square without a gap. A possible solution would include a square of 10 x 14 cards, which then would resemble the shape of the original cardboard box.

References

1. ^ .http://www.kengarland.co.uk/KGA%20toys%20and%20games/galt%20toys/galt%20toys%203.jpg.html
2. ^ http://www.kengarland.co.uk/KGA%20toys%20and%20games/galt%20toys/index.html
3. ^ http://www.kengarland.co.uk/KGA%20toys%20and%20games/ravensburger/index.html
4. ^ http://www.ravensburger.com/US/Rivers-Roads-Rails__2430009-2430056-2437313-2437314-2437321.html

External links

• http://www.kengarland.co.uk/
• http://www.ravensburger.com/