COMPARE
VS
★ 7 WONDERS WINS
7 WONDERS VS CONNECT FOUR
3–7
PLAYERS
2
30–45 min
PLAY TIME
5–15 min
10+
AGE
6+
2.3 / 5
COMPLEXITY
1.0 / 5
Antoine Bauza
DESIGNER
Howard Wexler
2010
YEAR
1974
8.9 / 10
COMMUNITY SCORE
6.7 / 10
7 WONDERS VERDICT
The best 7-player Euro on the market — and one of the best 4-5 player Euros too. Almost mandatory if your group ever exceeds 4.
CONNECT FOUR VERDICT
Solved by computer in 1988 — first player always wins with perfect play. Still a wonderful first strategy game for kids, terrible for adults who know the centre-column rule.
7 WONDERS
✓ PROS
- Plays in the same 30 minutes at 3 players or 7
- Simultaneous drafting eliminates downtime
- Multiple viable strategies (military, science, civil, commerce)
- Duel (2-player variant) is excellent in its own right
✗ CONS
- Iconography is dense — first game is steep
- Military scoring feels swingy at high player counts
- Hard to teach all paths in one game; new players miss strategies
CONNECT FOUR
✓ PROS
- Teaches 2D pattern recognition under a 60-second teach
- Travel-friendly versions exist (peg-board, magnetic)
- Genuine 'aha' moment for kids when they spot a fork
- Quick enough to play 5 games in 30 minutes
✗ CONS
- First-player advantage is overwhelming if both players know the centre rule
- Game is mathematically solved — no remaining strategic depth for adults
- Stalemates happen when both players know optimal defence
★ WHICH ONE FOR YOU?
- 7 WONDERSHigher overall score (8.9/10 vs 6.7/10)
- CONNECT FOURShorter session (5–15 min vs 30–45 min)
- CONNECT FOUREasier to teach — complexity 1.0 vs 2.3 (7 WONDERS is heavier)
- 7 WONDERSMore strategic depth — complexity 2.3 vs 1.0
- 7 WONDERSScales to more players (3–7 vs 2)
- CONNECT FOURFamily-friendly — kids can play
- 7 WONDERSMore modern design (2010 vs 1974)
