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Design a Connect-Four-like board game

Last updated: Apr 25, 2026

Quick Overview

This question evaluates object-oriented design, modularity, extensibility, and testability in modeling a turn-based, grid-based drop-token game, and is categorized under Software Engineering Fundamentals; it requires both conceptual architecture and practical application thinking.

  • hard
  • Airbnb
  • Software Engineering Fundamentals
  • Software Engineer

Design a Connect-Four-like board game

Company: Airbnb

Role: Software Engineer

Category: Software Engineering Fundamentals

Difficulty: hard

Interview Round: Onsite

Design an object-oriented model for a turn-based, grid-based “drop token” board game similar to Connect Four. Game rules (define these precisely in your design): - The board has `rows` and `cols`. - Players alternate turns. - A move chooses a column; the token falls to the lowest available row in that column. - If a column is full, the move is invalid. - A player wins by forming `K` consecutive tokens in a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). - The game ends when someone wins or the board is full (draw). Requirements: - Provide class/interface design (e.g., `Game`, `Board`, `Player`, `Move`, `Rules/WinCondition`). - Show key methods and responsibilities (no need for full code, but be concrete). - Make it easy to extend (e.g., different win conditions, different gravity direction, or different board sizes). - Discuss how you would test the win-checking logic and move validation.

Quick Answer: This question evaluates object-oriented design, modularity, extensibility, and testability in modeling a turn-based, grid-based drop-token game, and is categorized under Software Engineering Fundamentals; it requires both conceptual architecture and practical application thinking.

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|Home/Software Engineering Fundamentals/Airbnb

Design a Connect-Four-like board game

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Jan 19, 2026, 12:00 AM
hardSoftware EngineerOnsiteSoftware Engineering Fundamentals
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Design an object-oriented model for a turn-based, grid-based “drop token” board game similar to Connect Four.

Game rules (define these precisely in your design):

  • The board has rows and cols .
  • Players alternate turns.
  • A move chooses a column; the token falls to the lowest available row in that column.
  • If a column is full, the move is invalid.
  • A player wins by forming K consecutive tokens in a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal).
  • The game ends when someone wins or the board is full (draw).

Requirements:

  • Provide class/interface design (e.g., Game , Board , Player , Move , Rules/WinCondition ).
  • Show key methods and responsibilities (no need for full code, but be concrete).
  • Make it easy to extend (e.g., different win conditions, different gravity direction, or different board sizes).
  • Discuss how you would test the win-checking logic and move validation.
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