Lines 98

Lines 98 brings the beloved color-lining puzzle of old computers to your browser. On a gray board you move colored balls and build lines of five of the same color.

About Lines 98

When you click a ball, it starts bouncing in place; then you click the empty square you want it to go to. The ball does not fly, though. It can only move if there is an open path on the board. When five or more balls of the same color line up horizontally, vertically or diagonally, the line pops and you score points.

Every move has a cost: after each move that does not complete a line, new balls drop onto the board. So the board slowly fills up and paths close. This is where the thinking happens; while building lines you also have to keep corridors open for balls to pass. When no moves remain, the game ends and your score is saved.

Why do kids love this game?

Placing the fifth ball and seeing the line pop like a bubble is satisfying every time. A single game can last a long time, and you can push your record a little higher on each try.

Is this game safe for kids?

Yes. The game is just colored balls and a gray board, with not even a timer. Many parents remember this game from their own childhood too, so it is a nice choice to play together.

1. Look at where the colored balls sit on the board.
2. Click or tap the ball you want to move, and it starts to bounce.
3. Click the empty square you want, and the ball goes there if there is an open path.
4. Line up five or more balls of the same color horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
5. A completed line pops and frees up space on the board.
6. Remember that new balls arrive after every move that does not complete a line.
7. Keep building lines until the board is full and no moves remain.

• Leave a corridor: an empty path through the middle of the board is essential for moving balls anywhere.
• Zone the colors: gathering each color in a certain corner of the board speeds up building lines.
• Do not sit on a four: do not leave a four-ball line waiting too long, since new balls can block that path.
• Build long lines: popping more than five balls at once earns far more points.
• Do not forget diagonals: diagonal lines are easy to miss but can be the simplest solution in tight spaces.

• Classic rules: five or more balls of the same color make a line.
• Path rule: balls only move if there is an open path.
• New ball rain: balls are added after moves that make no line.
• Lines in three directions: horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines all count.
• Leaderboard: your score appears in the rankings.
• Mouse and touch: click on a computer, tap on mobile.