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Product Description
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Product Description
Have an appetite for words? Then join Lex the Bookworm in the hit word puzzle game created by PopCap for your Nintendo DS! Link letter tiles left, right, up and down to spell words and keep your bookworm smiling. Spell words to fill your bookshelves, unlock 20 themed folios, and build out 18 unique library rooms. Boost your score using Word of the Day then track your progress with the all-new Lex-Ray to see how big your Bookworm brain can be! Work wordy wonders in three game modes: Start with Classic for the most popular Bookworm experience. When you're ready to test your skills, speed through the fast-paced Action mode. And if you want to compete with friends, match wits in Multiplayer mode. No matter which mode you like best, you'll relax and tune up your brain every time you play!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
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Fun:
From PopCap Games, makers of the fun and addictive Zuma and Plants vs Zombies, comes Bookworm, another challenging puzzle game for casual players. It's a good way to work your brain as well as make the time go faster on commutes, while waiting at the doctor's office, or exercising on the treadmill.
The idea is simple. The goal is to string together tiles to form words of 3 letters or more. The longer the word, the bigger the score. A free Flash version is available on PopCap's website, but the DS version has many more features, like an Arcade Mode, Library, and 2 Players Mode. You only need 1 copy of the game to play against a friend. In the Library, you can keep track of your stats like how many words you created, secret word books, and room backgrounds you've unlocked. All together, there are 20 secret books to unlock, with 12 words each. It's very hard to get all the words, and there's no reward of any kind for completing each book, besides bonus points. You don't get any special animation, fun pictures, or unlockable secret options. Zilch.
One thing I don't like is that you have to hold the DS sideways, like a book. Very few games do this (most notably, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword and Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!) and there's really no reason for it. The gameboard could simply have been arranged horizontally to allow ambidextrous play. I find it less comfortable to hold the DS upright, and it also prevents lefties from playing.
Another big design flaw is the harsh penalty system. Burning tiles will start falling with increasing frequency if you make 3 letter words. The chance of being penalized rises with each level, and by 10+, I'm getting penalized almost with 100% probability. If you don't clear them right away, they'll start burning down your column of tiles. When they reach the bottom, it's game over. It is not explained in the manual that the game penalizes you for short words. At lower levels, this is infrequent, but at higher levels (9+), this becomes a huge turn-off, as almost every 3-letter word causes a fire tile to appear, making this game unfit for younger kids with limited vocabularies. Sometimes 4-5 letter words cause fire tiles. Then it degenerates into a frustrating game of clearing the penalty letters first instead of leisurely clearing letters to make words at your own pace.
To make things worse, the letters are not weighted, so you're just as likely to get a tough letter like J, V, Qu, X, Y, or Z as you are to get a commonly used and easier to combine letter like R, S, T, L, N, E. For example, I got 3 burning V's in a row in one game. When you clear a column of letters, if you are going to be penalized, the red tile will always appear at the bottom of the new stack of falling letters. If you are stuck, you can scramble the board an unlimited number of times, but this penalizes you by also dropping burning tiles. By level 10, I'm getting 4 burning tiles with each scramble. At higher levels, I got 6 or 7 burning tiles. If you need to scramble the board, that means you are stuck with bad letters that you can't combine. But scrambling causes you to be put in an even worse situation. A scramble is seldom ever helpful. It doesn't simply rearrange all the existing letters on the board. It shuffles all the tiles randomly into new letters. Secondly, it is counted as a turn, so any burning letters already on the board will burn down 1 block after the scramble. I find this sadistic and not fun at all. Players should not be punished for playing. A better system would have been to give you a finite number of scrambles (like 3), which you can use at any time without penalty, then let you earn more as you hit score milestones (say, every 20,000 points).
Unlike the online version, there's no way to tell how much the letters are worth. The web version has dots under the letters to indicate their worth (1 to 3 dots). The DS version only shows you the points after you create a word.
Lastly is the strange dictionary where words like "Luo (an African tribe), haka (traditional Maori dance), loa (Haitian voodoo spirits), lek and som (unit of money in Albania and Kyrgyzstan, respectively) are accepted, but words like "India", "Rome", "dork", and "dong" (Vietnamese currency unit) and not. "Moo" (cow sound) is accepted, but "poof" and "Saturn" are not. With certain words, a definition pops up, but I am at a loss to explain how these words were chosen. Usually, these are very obscure 3-4 letter words, like "qua", international monetary units, or little-known animals, and names of esoteric native peoples. "Vat" is defined as a tax (value added tax) instead of the more common meaning of "container" (like "a vat of chocolate"). No definition is given for longer words.
Verdict: it's fun for a little while, but gameplay gets very repetitive. The overly-punishing penalty system really drags down my rating, and makes this game too difficult for younger players. At higher levels, it's no longer very much fun due to the frequency of the fire tiles and lack of a rich reward system. The music is also monotonous and somewhat irritating. It's very low-fi sounding and one of the percussion instruments just sounds like static. Overall, it's fun for maybe 30 minutes at a time only.
The idea is simple. The goal is to string together tiles to form words of 3 letters or more. The longer the word, the bigger the score. A free Flash version is available on PopCap's website, but the DS version has many more features, like an Arcade Mode, Library, and 2 Players Mode. You only need 1 copy of the game to play against a friend. In the Library, you can keep track of your stats like how many words you created, secret word books, and room backgrounds you've unlocked. All together, there are 20 secret books to unlock, with 12 words each. It's very hard to get all the words, and there's no reward of any kind for completing each book, besides bonus points. You don't get any special animation, fun pictures, or unlockable secret options. Zilch.
One thing I don't like is that you have to hold the DS sideways, like a book. Very few games do this (most notably, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword and Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!) and there's really no reason for it. The gameboard could simply have been arranged horizontally to allow ambidextrous play. I find it less comfortable to hold the DS upright, and it also prevents lefties from playing.
Another big design flaw is the harsh penalty system. Burning tiles will start falling with increasing frequency if you make 3 letter words. The chance of being penalized rises with each level, and by 10+, I'm getting penalized almost with 100% probability. If you don't clear them right away, they'll start burning down your column of tiles. When they reach the bottom, it's game over. It is not explained in the manual that the game penalizes you for short words. At lower levels, this is infrequent, but at higher levels (9+), this becomes a huge turn-off, as almost every 3-letter word causes a fire tile to appear, making this game unfit for younger kids with limited vocabularies. Sometimes 4-5 letter words cause fire tiles. Then it degenerates into a frustrating game of clearing the penalty letters first instead of leisurely clearing letters to make words at your own pace.
To make things worse, the letters are not weighted, so you're just as likely to get a tough letter like J, V, Qu, X, Y, or Z as you are to get a commonly used and easier to combine letter like R, S, T, L, N, E. For example, I got 3 burning V's in a row in one game. When you clear a column of letters, if you are going to be penalized, the red tile will always appear at the bottom of the new stack of falling letters. If you are stuck, you can scramble the board an unlimited number of times, but this penalizes you by also dropping burning tiles. By level 10, I'm getting 4 burning tiles with each scramble. At higher levels, I got 6 or 7 burning tiles. If you need to scramble the board, that means you are stuck with bad letters that you can't combine. But scrambling causes you to be put in an even worse situation. A scramble is seldom ever helpful. It doesn't simply rearrange all the existing letters on the board. It shuffles all the tiles randomly into new letters. Secondly, it is counted as a turn, so any burning letters already on the board will burn down 1 block after the scramble. I find this sadistic and not fun at all. Players should not be punished for playing. A better system would have been to give you a finite number of scrambles (like 3), which you can use at any time without penalty, then let you earn more as you hit score milestones (say, every 20,000 points).
Unlike the online version, there's no way to tell how much the letters are worth. The web version has dots under the letters to indicate their worth (1 to 3 dots). The DS version only shows you the points after you create a word.
Lastly is the strange dictionary where words like "Luo (an African tribe), haka (traditional Maori dance), loa (Haitian voodoo spirits), lek and som (unit of money in Albania and Kyrgyzstan, respectively) are accepted, but words like "India", "Rome", "dork", and "dong" (Vietnamese currency unit) and not. "Moo" (cow sound) is accepted, but "poof" and "Saturn" are not. With certain words, a definition pops up, but I am at a loss to explain how these words were chosen. Usually, these are very obscure 3-4 letter words, like "qua", international monetary units, or little-known animals, and names of esoteric native peoples. "Vat" is defined as a tax (value added tax) instead of the more common meaning of "container" (like "a vat of chocolate"). No definition is given for longer words.
Verdict: it's fun for a little while, but gameplay gets very repetitive. The overly-punishing penalty system really drags down my rating, and makes this game too difficult for younger players. At higher levels, it's no longer very much fun due to the frequency of the fire tiles and lack of a rich reward system. The music is also monotonous and somewhat irritating. It's very low-fi sounding and one of the percussion instruments just sounds like static. Overall, it's fun for maybe 30 minutes at a time only.
37 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Fun:
I love Bookworm online, as well as the deluxe version for PC and Mac, so I was very excited to try it on my DS, since I can take it anywhere. I am thrilled with it! Everything you love about Bookworm is here, along with a few extra fun things.
Create words from the adjacent tiles to clear them from the board and earn points and books to put on shelves in your library. As you earn books and fill the shelves, you fill up and complete rooms in your library. Each room has a different theme and you get a little bonus when each is finished. As you complete more rooms, your library expands. You can visit the rooms on your map and see what you have accomplished!
My favorite new and challenging feature is collecting books and words. There are twenty books, each containing twelve words. When you create a word in one of the books, the book is unlocked and you can see the rest of the words needed to complete the book. For example, I unlocked the book "Insects" by making the word "ant". To complete the book I need to create "bee, wasp, roach, ladybug", etc. This is not as easy as it seems!! There are many fun collections to complete, and while I haven't finished a book yet, I imagine there will be a fun bonus when I do! Books are easily accessible from the main screen so you can check to see which books still needs words, and what words are needed.
My only teeny tiny complaint with this game is barely a blip on the radar, however I'm just a slight bit annoyed that when clearing tiles an extra tap is required after the word is finished. On the computer version, holding the mouse button while making words, and then just releasing it will clear the word. While holding the stylus to make the word on the DS, it has to be lifted and then tapped at the end of the word. Very picky, but it is what it is.
There is not a left-handed option on this game that I can find. That seems an obvious necessity, but for some reason was not included in this version.
Overall this game is fantastic, I am completely addicted!!
Create words from the adjacent tiles to clear them from the board and earn points and books to put on shelves in your library. As you earn books and fill the shelves, you fill up and complete rooms in your library. Each room has a different theme and you get a little bonus when each is finished. As you complete more rooms, your library expands. You can visit the rooms on your map and see what you have accomplished!
My favorite new and challenging feature is collecting books and words. There are twenty books, each containing twelve words. When you create a word in one of the books, the book is unlocked and you can see the rest of the words needed to complete the book. For example, I unlocked the book "Insects" by making the word "ant". To complete the book I need to create "bee, wasp, roach, ladybug", etc. This is not as easy as it seems!! There are many fun collections to complete, and while I haven't finished a book yet, I imagine there will be a fun bonus when I do! Books are easily accessible from the main screen so you can check to see which books still needs words, and what words are needed.
My only teeny tiny complaint with this game is barely a blip on the radar, however I'm just a slight bit annoyed that when clearing tiles an extra tap is required after the word is finished. On the computer version, holding the mouse button while making words, and then just releasing it will clear the word. While holding the stylus to make the word on the DS, it has to be lifted and then tapped at the end of the word. Very picky, but it is what it is.
There is not a left-handed option on this game that I can find. That seems an obvious necessity, but for some reason was not included in this version.
Overall this game is fantastic, I am completely addicted!!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
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Fun:
Thought this would be something educational for our five year old grandson. He is a DS lover and most of the games he has are age appropriate for him. When this arrived and I read the cover etc. I was convinced this should be for older children who are further along on the learning curve. The previous reviews left me feeling a little "iffy" as apparently some kids take to this and others not so well. When he first started playing, I think he was getting a little frustrated and was concerned that it was a waste of money. I spent just a small amount time with him hoping to instill a bit of confidence. Was not much longer and he was off and on his own, having a lot of fun. Fun while being challenged and learning at the same just seems to make this a great item for kids. I know all kids will not find this at the same action fun level as other games and possibly frustrating. Spending the time with him at the very beginning, I think, made this a very worthwhile and fun experience. Hoping you will find this as rewarding as I.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great Game
We bought this for my 7 year old son and we all love it. He has shared it with me, my husband and my 10 year old son. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Dr, B
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is an AWESOME game. Be prepared to get ADDICTED. You won't be able to put it down. If you like scrabble with a twist, you will love this. It is also, very educational. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sunshine
bookworm, loved it
anyone who has played this on the web will like this one better. It is nice to have a portable one in my pocket without having to lug the computer around with me all day. Read more
Published 4 months ago by jocelyn
Fun and Addicting...Where's Bookworm II?
Love the game and it's very addicting. Unfortunately, it's a bit too simple. Once you hit a million, it's hard not to do it again and again. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Cordelia Ryan
smarter fun
This game certainly is a must for scrabble players looking to hone their skills and sharpen minds--fun too. The action mode is not for the feint of heart!
Published 4 months ago by woodsie
Awesome game
I bought the game for my 10 yr old daughter to help her with her reading and spelling skills. And she loves it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sandra
Great for the family
Bought this for our 6 yr old daughter and she loves it. my wife and i have started playing as well. great game for the family.
Published 5 months ago by Bryan K
Very Addicting
Bought this game for my 6 year old after we both got addicted to it on the internet. Now he is spelling everything! Great education gift. The whole family loves this game. Read more
Published 5 months ago by T. Skaats
I can't stop!
I love this game! I play it all the time. I bought it for my son because he is learning to read and spell but am addicted to it myself and have claimed it! Read more
Published 7 months ago by Cameronsmommy
Little ADDICTING worm!!
I had never played BOOKWORM on any format before so didn't know what I was in for. I have always loved Scrabble but this is a far faster thinking game. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mary Lou Burch
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