Color Link is a free puzzle where you join pairs of matching dots with coloured pipes. Every square on the board has to be filled and no two pipes may cross. It runs in your browser with no download or sign up, works on phone and desktop, and keeps working offline after the first load.
Inspired by: Pipe connecting puzzles such as Flow Free (2012) and Numberlink puzzles.
How to play Color Link
- Press on a dot and drag to draw a pipe. Let go when you want to stop.
- Draw each pipe until it reaches the dot with the same colour.
- Pipes cannot cross. If you drag over another pipe, that pipe is cut back.
- To fix a mistake, drag back along your own pipe or start again from the dot.
- A board is solved when every pair is linked and every square has colour in it.
Controls
- Keyboard: This game is played with the mouse. P or Esc pauses.
- Mouse: Click a dot, hold and drag through the squares. Use the buttons under the board to clear it or to get a hint.
- Touch screen: Put your finger on a dot and slide through the squares. Tap Clear board or Hint under the grid.
Tips to score higher
- Start with dots in the corners and along the edges. Their pipes have very few choices.
- Hug the walls with a pipe so that you do not leave single empty squares behind.
- If a square can only be reached by one colour, link that colour through it first.
- Use a hint only when you are stuck. It places one pipe but lowers your score for that board.
The story behind Color Link
Connect the dots puzzles with a rule that every square must be filled have been printed in puzzle magazines for a long time, often under the name Numberlink. They became a hit on phones around 2012, when Flow Free arrived with its bright colours and simple drag controls. The idea suits a small screen, because each board takes only a minute or two and the solution feels satisfying once the last gap closes. Color Link creates fresh boards of growing size, from five by five up to eight by eight, so there is always another one to try on a long bus ride or a short break.
Questions players ask
Is Color Link free to play?
Yes. It is free, with no sign up, no download and no purchases.
Do I have to fill every square?
Yes. A board only counts as solved when every pair is linked and every square is covered by a pipe.
Can pipes cross each other?
No. If you drag over another pipe, that pipe is shortened. Plan your route so each colour has its own path.
How many levels are there?
Boards are made as you go, and they grow from 5 by 5 to 8 by 8 squares. Your level number is saved in your browser.
Does the game have hints?
Yes. Press Hint under the board to place one correct pipe. It costs you some points on that board.