How to Play Chain Reaction: Rules, Game Modes and 5 Tips to Win

Chain Reaction is one of those games you learn in a minute and keep playing for years. There’s no luck and no dice. Every move is yours, and one well-placed orb can flip the whole board. This guide covers the rules, the ways to play and a few tips that will win you more games.

What is Chain Reaction?

Chain Reaction is a free turn-based strategy game for 2 to 4 players. Players take turns placing colored orbs on a grid. When a cell holds too many orbs, it explodes, pushing orbs into the cells around it and capturing them, which can set off more explosions. The last color left on the board wins. You can play it on Android or in your browser, with no account needed.

The rules in 60 seconds

1. On your turn, tap an empty cell or a cell that already has your orbs to add one orb.
2. Every cell has a limit based on how many neighbors it has. A corner cell explodes when it holds 2 orbs, an edge cell at 3, and a middle cell at 4.
3. When a cell explodes, it sends one orb into each neighboring cell, and those cells become your color, including any orbs your opponent had there.
4. If a neighbor fills up too, it explodes as well. That’s the chain reaction, and a single tap can cascade across the board.
5. Once everyone has moved, any player with no orbs left is out. The last color standing wins.

Ways to play

• Vs. the computer: play an AI opponent on Easy, Medium or Hard. It gets tougher as you beat it, so there’s always a challenge.
• Pass-and-play: 2 to 4 players share one phone or screen. It’s great for a table of friends.
• Online with friends: create a room, share the 4-letter room code, and play together from different devices. Android and browser players can join the same room.

Games are played on a 6×9 board. On tablets and larger screens you can switch to a bigger 10×10 board for longer battles. There’s also an undo button for when a move goes badly, and a short How to Play guide inside the game.

5 tips to win more games

1. Start in the corners. Corners explode after just two orbs, so they’re the quickest way to start a chain.
2. Don’t sit next to a loaded enemy cell. If your opponent’s cell is one orb from exploding, any of your cells beside it are about to change color.
3. Load up, then strike. Build several cells that are one orb from exploding, then set off the one that starts the longest chain.
4. Count before you tap. Before each move, check whether it hands your opponent an explosion on their next turn.
5. Play the long game in the middle. Middle cells take four orbs to explode, so they make strong, slow-building reserves late in the game.

Why people love it

• Easy to learn, hard to master. Anyone can learn the rules in a minute, but good players are still finding new tactics.
• Quick rounds. A game on the small board takes just a few minutes, which is perfect for a break.
• Satisfying to watch. Explosions ripple across the board with animations and a little confetti when you win.
• Private by design. There’s no sign-up and no profile, and the game collects as little data as possible. See the privacy policy.

Play Chain Reaction now

Chain Reaction is free on Google Play and plays instantly in your browser. Start a game against the computer, or grab a friend, share a room code and see who causes the biggest chain reaction.