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63 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Works with Windows XP, December 15, 2006
This review is from: Scrabble Champion Edition (Video Game)
Having read the reviews for other versions of Scrabble for the PC, I learned that most versions of this game do not work well on Windows XP, even though the box explicitly says it does. Well, I am pleased to say that I took the plunge on this newest version and it does run well on XP Pro SP2. Apparently Encore finally rewrote the software to work after getting so many complaints.
I like the game overall. It lets you choose how you want to play, with many options. You can play a leisurely untimed game at Beginner, Apprentice, Intermediate, Veteran, Smart, Elite, Master, or Genius setting; or, alternatively, you can play challenging timed tournament or blitz games. It keeps track of your high scores including the dates. You can also choose whether you want to receive help with words in the game. When the game runs the first time it opens in full screen mode, which I didn't like since I am a multitasker doing other things on my computer while I play. I was pleased to discover I could change that setting in the Options area, so now I can play in a smaller window and surf the web between turns.
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but disappointing, January 1, 2007
This review is from: Scrabble Champion Edition (Video Game)
I own two previous versions of Scrabble. Version 1 is called "blue" as it came in a blue box. It was a basic game with online capability. Version 2 was called "red" as it came in a red box. The dictionary was updated, graphics redone and cool mini games were added. This truly allowed you to increase skill.
There is Scrabble Online which I do not own, however this one was marketed as "Champion Edition", so I went straight for it. Graphics are great and you can play a relaxed game or a timed one which can go strict tournament mode (25 minutes total per player) or a timer based on a per-turn basis. Multiple computer levels let you find an opponent that will challenge you but not necessarily intimidate. The dictionary has been updated again to OPSD4 which will mean a lot to the scrabbleholics out there (present company included). To the unfamiliar, words like KA, QI, OI and KI are now valid.
Where this game falls short is in skill building. The minigames are gone. You can get hints when in not in tournament mode, and regardless of your playing preference you will get a pleasant chime when you have made the play the computer would suggest (which, by the way is based not only on score but the tiles you leave in your rack and the scoring opportunities left for your opponent). After the game is complete you can look back through the game history. It would have been nice to see what the computer would have suggested at each turn but this is not an option. A champion (or a budding one) could make great use of such a simple addition. After a tournament match you are ranked according to National Scrabble Association rules. It takes a few games for the rank to become relevant. Of course this is not applicable to true NSA rankings, but it gives you an idea how you might rate.
There is no online option either. For this I suppose it is necessary to purchase the other "Scrabble Online". I suppose Champions are not interested in playing online.
As I browsed the folder where Scrabble Champion Edition was installed, I was suprised to see a "Quackle" licensing readme. For the uninitiated, Quackle is a freely developed program for Mac/Windows/Unix that is considered the smartest computer player available. It seems that Scrabble Champion Edition might little more than a pretty graphical frontend for a freely available program. I have used Quackle and the user interface is lacking in some areas. The notion that I may have bought free program does bug me, however Scrabble is noticeably easier to work with than Quackle.
Pros: Graphically pleasing, multiple computer skill levels, hints in non-tournament mode.
Cons: No online play. No skill building mini-games. No computer suggestions when reviewing games (which is available in Quackle). Is it just a pretty face for an otherwise free program?
For a casual player this could be what you're looking for. If you aspire to tournament level you might find this so-called "Champion Edition" lacking.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent SCRABBLE!, January 25, 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
This review is from: Scrabble Champion Edition (Video Game)
This is a great version of SCRABBLE. I bought one for a friend, also, and we are both delighted with it. I love the dictionary feature, which allows you to look up words by inserting a question mark for the unknown letter, i.e., typing in "?v?" will give a response of all 3-letter words having a "v" as the middle letter. My only complaint is that, although the game is loaded on my computer's hard drive, it is necessary to have the original CD in when you start the game.
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