Phive, a Gomoku-like game to play with friends or solo

One developer saw their family obsessed with a Gomoku-style game called OK Play and thought "I can build that better." So they did. Phive is a two-phase five-in-a-row game where players first take turns placing pieces edge-to-edge—no corner shortcuts allowed—then transition into a movement phase where you slide your pieces around the board, except you can't disconnect any pieces during the move. That's the twist. It's not just about getting five in a row; it's about understanding connectivity and leaving your opponent with no good moves.

Built with Elixir's Phoenix framework because why not use a functional programming language for a board game? The developer freely admits they're "by no means a frontend developer," but they nailed mobile-first design with light and dark mode support. You can play against the AI, create a game link for a friend, or start a fresh match. It's free, it's open, and it's running on Gigalixir's generous free tier.

This is what Hacker News produces best: someone scratching their own itch and sharing it with the world. No VC pitch, no growth metrics, just a working game you can play with your family after the kids go to bed.