# Five in a row - Pentaballs — Connect 5 Gomoku with rotation

> Strategic board game to connect five marbles with rotating quadrants. (iPhone/iPad app by Oval Software Oy.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-in-a-row-pentaballs/id462936390 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Oval Software Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1438258178)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Board, Puzzle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 321 App Store ratings · 64 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.0 · 3 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2011-12-05
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-in-a-row-pentaballs/id462936390/reviews.md

## What is Five in a row?

Pentaballs is a game where the players' aim is to connect 5 marbles on a board, but after each move, you're able to rotate one of the 4 quadrants on the board. The first player to reach 5 wins! Play against your friend or the phone.

## Key features

- Connect 5 marbles
- Rotate board quadrants
- Single-player vs AI
- Two-player local mode
- Strategic gameplay

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ad | $2.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Five in a row?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Fun and interesting strategy game
- 👍 Mentally challenging and thought-provoking
- 👍 Addictive and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Clear graphics
- 👍 Good free game
- 👍 Great for two players
- 👍 Simple concept, difficult execution

**Cons**

- 😞 Too many ads
- 😞 In-app purchases/premium model
- 😞 AI is too smart/difficult to win against
- 😞 Glitches and bugs
- 😞 Boring for some users
- 😞 Knock-off of Pentago (TM)
- 😞 Lacks difficulty options for AI
- 😞 Pass and play is painful
- 😞 Unfair advantage when playing against the phone (always first move)

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App glitches
- Doesn't let you twist a square
- Game crashes

**Most requested features**

- Remove ads and premium, unlock all modes
- Support watchOS3
- Add difficulty choices for AI
- Add Wi-Fi or Bluetooth two-player option
- Support Game Center

## Recent user reviews (10 of 64)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-in-a-row-pentaballs/id462936390/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Remove ads and premium and unlock all modes

*2025-01-26*

Please remove ads and the premium and unlock all modes

### 5/5 — Titre

*2023-10-12*

Bon game.

### 3/5 — Meh

*2022-02-14*

It’s alright but personally the AI is way to smart , it’s probably just me but I can’t win. Nothing else though so yeah :)

### 1/5 — Alot of ads and the app has inside fees (skip it)

*2020-09-17*

Skip the app and play something else 
The app kept nagging me about reviewing it while offering a lot fo dumb adds

The AI of the game is dumb too
So you will win in 10 sec and watch a 5 sec add

Thats stupid

### 1/5 — Payant

*2020-06-27*

Seulement le mode facile contre l’ordi est dispo sans payer.
Le bouton pour faire tourner le plateau est placer sur les plateaux du bas pour les joueurs sur IPhone 5 se

**Developer response:** Merci pour l'examen, un correctif est en cours!

### 5/5 — Challenging fun

*2020-05-23*

It’s a different strategy game lots of fun
Clear graphic

### 5/5 — pentago

*2018-10-14*

so easy to win
but intresting

### 4/5 — I salivate when I play this game

*2018-08-24*

4 times more exciting than tic tac toe!!!!

**Developer response:** Thank you for the review! Any way to make it a 5-star game? :-)

### 1/5 — Don’t buy lol

*2018-05-21*

Horrid

**Developer response:** Thanks for the review! Any suggestions on how we can improve the app?

### 1/5 — Pentago (TM) knock off

*2018-02-07*

It's seems to be a knock off of Pentago (TM), which I believe was invented in 2006. Even if I give this app developer the benefit of the doubt and assume they are not violating a copyright, they are still guilty of knocking off an award winning game and presenting it without any acknowledgement to the original creator- which I'm petty sure is called plagiarism.

## Frequently asked questions about Five in a row

### What is Five in a row - Pentaballs?

Five in a row - Pentaballs is a strategic board game where the objective is to connect five marbles in a row. A unique feature is the ability to rotate one of the four quadrants of the board after each move, adding a dynamic layer to gameplay.

### How do you win Pentaballs?

You win Pentaballs by being the first player to successfully connect five of your marbles in a straight line, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The rotating quadrants add a strategic element to achieving this goal.

### Can I play against a friend?

Yes, the game offers a mode to play against a friend locally on the same device. This allows for direct competition and shared strategic planning.

### Is Pentaballs free to play?

The application is free to download and play. It includes in-app purchases, which may offer additional content or features for players who wish to enhance their experience.

### What platforms is Pentaballs available on?

While specific platform details are not provided in the description, this type of mobile application is typically available on both iOS and Android devices. Users can check their respective app stores for compatibility.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.1.2 — 2022-10-11

Bug fixes and improvements

### 2.1.1 — 2020-06-29

Bug fixes and improvements

### 2.1 — 2020-06-23

Updated UI

### 2.0.7 — 2019-10-24

Bug fixes

### 2.0.6 — 2018-10-13

Bug fixes and improvements

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## More apps by Oval Software Oy

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All apps by Oval Software Oy: https://appshunter.io/developer/1438258178

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*