So I just got a CD-i today. I've been looking for one for YEARS, and while the systems legacy today lies within the infamous licensed Nintendo titles, those weren't the reason why I was looking so hard. It was the stranger, more obscure titles in the library that hooked me in. Like this game right here: Connect Four. When I was alphabetically scrolling through the CD-i library back in the day and I saw this, I was so simultaneously confused and intrigued. Were people in 1991 really spending full-ass game money on a game for a system that uses the latest-and-greatest optical media technology just to play ONE extremely simple board game?
On one hand, I get it. The CD-i was supposed to be more than just a game console catering to hardcore gaming gamers, and rather be an all-in-one media box that can handle your disc-based music, photos, and movies (provided you have the expansion cart to do so), with the games being an extra side bonus. It makes sense for a more casual, relatable game like connect four to be a standalone release on the console to attract them non-gamers to the world of interactive media. But at the same time, I feel like Connect Four being a standalone title makes sense more on something like the atari 2600. But I guess considering that system was also targeting the same crowd of non-gamers (seeing as in that time, there weren't any "core gamers") it all comes around full circle.
As for the game itself: it is precisely what it says on the box. There are a few vibin early-90s FMV intros, a smooth-voiced narrator that explains the controls, you pick one out of eight(!) colors to use, and you play against either the computer or another person in that game you see in every doctors office waiting room. No extra skins, no music, just connect four in the grey CD-i world. I don't have either a second controller nor a second player to do the 2 player, so I played against the CPU. I suck at connect four, even the easiest AI kept kicking my ass. Eventually I got a few games off of them, but the CD-i def got hands. There is an undo move button that you can use as much as you want, which means if you really want you can just spam it and TAS-twerk on the hardest difficulty CPU no problem, but I am a man of connect four bushido honor. Once you've had your fill of connecting four, selecting "no" to playing again not only plays the entire credits, but also kicks you back out to the CD-i boot menu. In one sense it's kinda raw that the game goes "okay, goodbye" and confidently exits itself when you've had enough, but also there were times where I accidentally hit no when I meant to hit yes and had to reboot the whole ass system. The credits even have a special thanks section of 4 people in it. I wonder what those people did to get themselves credited that way in this game... A true gaming mystery of all time.
It's a very nothing game but like what the hell do you expect from connect four. Can't say I can really recommend it in any capacity due to the hassle that is (and I assume even for its time, was) getting the ability to play CD-i games. If you really want to play Connect four, play the real ass board game, it's probably at your local goodwill if you don't have it. There are probably WEBSITES that offer more featured connect four than this in our current modern age. But on a personal sense I'm extremely glad I have a CD-i now so I can satiate that years-long curiosity I have had for games like this. I'm not even joking, I was more hyped to play this than I have been for ANY PS5 game. I hope to review more CD-i games (including those four titles, despite how beaten those dead horses are), but knowing my backlog things will prob be sporadic. I paid 300 dollars to play mfin connect four. Sometimes even I question my taste in games.
On one hand, I get it. The CD-i was supposed to be more than just a game console catering to hardcore gaming gamers, and rather be an all-in-one media box that can handle your disc-based music, photos, and movies (provided you have the expansion cart to do so), with the games being an extra side bonus. It makes sense for a more casual, relatable game like connect four to be a standalone release on the console to attract them non-gamers to the world of interactive media. But at the same time, I feel like Connect Four being a standalone title makes sense more on something like the atari 2600. But I guess considering that system was also targeting the same crowd of non-gamers (seeing as in that time, there weren't any "core gamers") it all comes around full circle.
As for the game itself: it is precisely what it says on the box. There are a few vibin early-90s FMV intros, a smooth-voiced narrator that explains the controls, you pick one out of eight(!) colors to use, and you play against either the computer or another person in that game you see in every doctors office waiting room. No extra skins, no music, just connect four in the grey CD-i world. I don't have either a second controller nor a second player to do the 2 player, so I played against the CPU. I suck at connect four, even the easiest AI kept kicking my ass. Eventually I got a few games off of them, but the CD-i def got hands. There is an undo move button that you can use as much as you want, which means if you really want you can just spam it and TAS-twerk on the hardest difficulty CPU no problem, but I am a man of connect four bushido honor. Once you've had your fill of connecting four, selecting "no" to playing again not only plays the entire credits, but also kicks you back out to the CD-i boot menu. In one sense it's kinda raw that the game goes "okay, goodbye" and confidently exits itself when you've had enough, but also there were times where I accidentally hit no when I meant to hit yes and had to reboot the whole ass system. The credits even have a special thanks section of 4 people in it. I wonder what those people did to get themselves credited that way in this game... A true gaming mystery of all time.
It's a very nothing game but like what the hell do you expect from connect four. Can't say I can really recommend it in any capacity due to the hassle that is (and I assume even for its time, was) getting the ability to play CD-i games. If you really want to play Connect four, play the real ass board game, it's probably at your local goodwill if you don't have it. There are probably WEBSITES that offer more featured connect four than this in our current modern age. But on a personal sense I'm extremely glad I have a CD-i now so I can satiate that years-long curiosity I have had for games like this. I'm not even joking, I was more hyped to play this than I have been for ANY PS5 game. I hope to review more CD-i games (including those four titles, despite how beaten those dead horses are), but knowing my backlog things will prob be sporadic. I paid 300 dollars to play mfin connect four. Sometimes even I question my taste in games.