Ah, cell phone games. I admit, I usually don’t like you. You control poorly and my game gear has more power and is less prone to crashing, plus it’s so much easier to install.
But damn it, when Bookworm goes mobile, I have to reconsider my opinion on the format.
Bookworm is a simple enough game. You have a set of tiles, you form words by connecting tiles, those disappear, new ones fall in from the top. Spelling big words gets bonuses, small words result in burning tiles, which will destroy one tile under them until they hit the bottom. If not used by then, game over man, game over! For a change of pace, there’s action mode, where you have constantly moving burning tiles, meaning quickly making new words with those tiles is priority.
Yes, it’s classic, simple PopCap. Very classic, really, as it first came out in 2003. It’s refined, it’s fun, it’s addictive, and holds up very well thanks to the predictive text input the game allows, particularly useful with action mode. While players can use the keys as a cursor, it’s a bit slow, cumbersome, and definitely a liability in action mode. Single or multi-tap input is available, and for those who live by text message or instant messenger(like myself), it’s wonderful. Single tap wraps around the potential words you’re forming, at least that are possible within the letters available, and one can scroll through the options with the # and * keys. It’s a little cheaty, at points, when multiple combinations show and reveal easy answers, but it really speeds up the game and makes it feel natural. Of course, for those with too much money and a full keypad built into the phone, the game will take that input too.
That’s just about all there is to Bookworm. Special bonus tiles give more points and can delay burning tiles by using special combination words earned by long words. Burning tiles are bad, and to be removed ASAP. More combinations for long words start to show as levels advance, but so do burning tiles. It’s a trade off!
Bookworm is a simple game, easy to pick up and hard to put down. If you don’t mind some massive battery drain, it’s an easy purchase. Go ahead, try it. Aside from less sound effects and visual effects, it’s the same game, and will keep you playing a long time.
Bookworm for mobile phones/PDA/Blackberry gets 4 out of 5 canes. A few more bells and whistles, video and audio effects would have been nice, but the core game is strong and addictive as ever. Really, I’ve worn my battery out three times today.
