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jtp122's Bookworm Deluxe (Web)
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| [February 5, 2012 11:41:45 PM]
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In the previous log, I described the gameplay associated with Bookworm Deluxe. I will now analyze the overall design and possible improvements to the game.
The game contains only one screen; brown tiles are displayed on the right, and a bar with the score, level, and a couple menu buttons are displayed on the left. The gameplay demands that only one screen be used, but a possible improvement might be an option to change the color scheme of the display. The game also has no background music; some light and inquisitive music in the background could improve the mood of the game. Additionally, gameplay might be improved by an ability to set the difficulty. This game could easily be played by young children assuming the number of spawned fiery tiles is low. At the same time, a game with high numbers of fiery tiles may be more inclined to keep experienced gamers interested. Currently, the game's difficulty remains unchangeable somewhere between those two extremes. The online version of the game has no ability to save progress, but this feature is available in the purchased versions of the game.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the game is that a definition for a word appears occasionally. For the curious gamer, like myself, the game should really display the definition of every word selected. Such an addition would transform this puzzle game into a highly educational game. Through playing the game, the user could expand their vocabulary. In its current state, the gamer does learn new words but will never learn what they mean unless he is curious enough to look them up. However, this change would need to be instituted with younger players in mind; parents may not want their children to learn the meanings behind words with more adult themes.
The online version of this game is fun, but I can guess that this game really shines on mobile phone platforms. Users could pull out their phone anywhere, take a couple of words while waiting for friend, and save their place for the next time they have a free minute. At only $2.99 for the iPhone version, I would probably purchase this game if I had a compatible mobile device.
Overall, this game is still well designed. It can appeal to a wide audience, it's simple to learn, and can be played for a few minutes or a few hours. It's that very simplicity that makes it so addictive.
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| [February 5, 2012 11:41:27 PM]
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Today's GameLog is for a web-based game called Bookworm Deluxe. This game may be played online on www.popcap.com. While this game is available to PC, Mac, and several mobile platforms, it is available to play freely online. I chose this game because I played it several years ago and found it strangely addicting.
Gameplay centers on a single screen with lettered tiles. The game is a puzzle game; the player strings adjacent letters together in order to form words. Words must be three to twelve letters in length. For each word formed, the player gets points, and the letters are removed from board. The tiles above the removed letters fall into their place, and a set of new random tiles appears at the top.
Complicating gameplay, fiery tiles and jeweled tiles sometimes appear. The fiery tiles burn through the tile below it each time the play chooses a word, but they may be used in words just like any other tile. If these tiles are allowed to reach the bottom of the screen, the player loses the game. The jeweled tiles provide extra points and extra protection against the fiery tiles; they can survive multiple turns with a fiery tile sitting above them. These tiles come in the form green tiles (which seem to appear randomly), gold, sapphire, and diamond tiles. The last three appear only when the player takes a very large word (11-12 letters to get a diamond) or through taking a word with multiple jeweled tiles (Using two sapphire tiles in a word forms a diamond).
The final option the user has is a scramble button; this button will change every normal and jeweled tile on the board into random regular tiles. This button can be useful if the player is having difficulty getting rid of a fiery tile; however, it must be used with caution as scrambling is also considered a turn (so the fiery tiles will burn through another letter).
Much of the appeal in this game lies in its simplicity. This is the kind of game someone can play while doing other things; they can have a game open while they are cooking or doing laundry. It does not even need to be paused. The player can learn the rules in a matter of minutes, and I often found my parents and siblings hovering over my shoulder picking out words.
Despite its simplicity, there is some strategy to be learned over time. When I first played this game, I lost rather quickly. I later learned to build a "cushion" of jeweled tiles at the bottom of the stage to protect myself. I also gradually learned many of the three-letter words in the dictionary. There can always be a challenge in this game, though; as I played this game longer, I developed a desire to create words with the highest possible number of points. This requires building up layers of jeweled tiles, and gradually building very long words from them.
Playing Bookworm Deluxe again after years away from it, I still find this game addicting. I glance at the tiles, and I just want to take one more word before I quit.
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jtp122's Bookworm Deluxe (Web)
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Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Saturday 4 February, 2012
GameLog closed on: Sunday 5 February, 2012 |
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This is the only GameLog for Bookworm Deluxe. |
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