Frequently Asked Questions
Most-asked — in one place.
How is this different from the classic Color Lines?
The core rules are the same — 9×9 board, seven colors, five or more in a row. The main difference is the lab theme: seven microbes instead of balls, 16 unique achievements, and a refreshed visual style.
How many microbes do I need to clear a line?
Five or more microbes of the same color in a row — horizontal, vertical or diagonal. This is the genre canon, unchanged since Lines 1992.
Do diagonal lines count?
Yes — diagonals count, just like in the original. Historically they were actually more profitable: in the 1992 DOS version, due to the placement algorithm, horizontal and vertical lines got broken more often than diagonals.
What does the "98" in Lines 98 mean?
It refers to Windows 98 — the OS dominant when the game was published in 1998 by independent publisher Sorcerer Software. The game is not directly tied to Microsoft, and contrary to popular belief, it was never part of the Microsoft Entertainment Pack.
Who invented Color Lines?
The 1992 original was made by three employees of a Moscow research institute: programmer Oleg Dyomin and artists Gennady Denisov and Igor Ivkin. The publisher was Gamos. English-language sources often list "Olga Demina" — that was a pseudonym (Oleg’s wife); the real authors are Dyomin, Denisov and Ivkin.
Can I play without internet?
Yes, the gameplay is fully offline. Internet is only needed for submitting scores to the global leaderboard and syncing achievements with Play Games.
What platforms is the game on?
Android — via Google Play and RuStore. No iOS version yet.
Is the game free?
Yes, it’s free to play. Ads are rare and unobtrusive, and there are no in-app purchases.
How do I change the game language?
The game follows your system language. Russian, English, Spanish, and Chinese are supported.
Where can I see the leaderboard?
Through Google Play Games integration — there’s a Leaderboard button inside the game menu.