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55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting variation of the classic word game, February 1, 2004
Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars
As with so many closely related products, it is unfair to compare Upwords with the its classic predecessor, Scrabble. Both games are based on letter tiles and crossword puzzles, but the similarity ends right there.In most respects, Upwords is a simpler game. Scoring is much easier, as each letter tile only counts for either one or two points, depending on how it is used. (There is, of course, one exception.) The game board itself is more restrictive, with the 10 by 10 square size forcing players to build vertically, whether they wish to or not. However, among two or more evenly matched players, the strategy can be just as demanding and the competition just as fierce as in Scrabble. The downside to Upwords is in the physical quality of the product. The game board is of rather light construction, as are the letter tiles. The letter trays are a bit too small to properly hold the tiles. In fact, most of the little quality touches that one generally expects from Parker Brothers products are conspicuously lacking in Upwords, to the point of the game not even having a storage bag for the letter tiles. It seems that, in the effort to hold down costs, Parker Brothers unfortunately crossed that fine line from inexpensive to cheap. That said, Upwords is a lot of fun. It teaches three dimensional thinking and forces players to plan well ahead of their next move. The game is an excellent way to turn a fun family evening into a vocabulary and spelling lesson, without the students even realizing it. Considering that Parker Brothers did manage to keep the price very reasonable, Upwords is a true bargain in the world of family and table games.
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