Hasbro’s app version of Scrabble has brought my favorite board game into the digital age. With several modes of play (solo, against the computer, via Facebook, across Wi-Fi, or by passing the phone) there’s a way for everyone to get in on the fun.
Using the iPhone’s dragging technology, players tap and drag letters onto the board, which then auto-zooms into your playing area. You pinch and pull to move the game board around and shake the device to shuffle your letters.
I could see this app being a great time-occupier for children on a long car trip, but its $4.99 price tag will turn many people off. Its whopping 9.3 MB file size takes up space and makes for a super-slow initial load time. This is especially annoying if you have to duck out of the game to check e-mail or reply to a text. Another issue: My battery drained much faster while Scrabble was running.
The biggest downfall of Scrabble’s app is its questionable dictionary —Zen is not an acceptable word, apparently — and the computer often spells words that I can’t find in any other dictionary. The app won’t let you play words not in its dictionary, which takes away the fun of trying to sneak in made-up words when you’re playing friends.
Starting a game through Facebook was simple: Log in to the social site, select the game type and name your opponent. Notifications are then sent to that person that a game has begun. The update time while playing an online opponent is pretty fast, too. Facebook mode also offers a usable dictionary, a “teacher” feature that shows the word you should’ve spelled after you’ve taken your turn, and a chat function.
Scrabble is a fun app with a few kinks, and by playing on your iPhone you don’t have to worry about losing any of those little tiles.
