Wordz

Game Description: Rearrange the white letters to make mystery words. Compete with players from all around the world in real-time!

How to Play Wordz:

• If you are asked to do so, enter a name in the 'New Player' box. The player name is the name you will go by when you play the game. It is also the name your opponent will see on their screen. Many people use their first name. For instance, I usually use Richard. Sometimes I just use the letter 'R'. Whatever you decide, simply type your player name in the box. Then, click the 'Accept' button. Incidentally, you can easily change to a new player name later if you wish.
• Now that you have a player name you are ready to play! Click the 'Play Online' button.
• Select a language: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian or Russian. Then, click the 'Accept' button.
• The next thing you may see is a 'How to Play' window. After watching this for a moment, click the 'Close' button. Next, you may see a brief message that says 'Connecting to Server.' This should only take a moment.
• Your goal is to find all of the mystery words by swapping the white letters. You are also racing against your online opponent!
• Only the white letters may be moved.
• To move a white letter you will swap their positions. First, click on a white letter. Then, click on a second white letter and the two letters will swap positions.
• Each mystery word is color-coded. Only blocks of the same color belong to that word. (This can get rather confusing, when you get to the higher levels, because the blocks of words sort of get crammed together. Just try to remember that each word has its own separate color, and you'll be okay).
• In the English language version of Wordz, the only version I am capable of playing, some words are spelled across, from left to right. Other words are spelled down, from top to bottom.
• Each time you successfully solve a word you will hear a chiming sound. This sound lets you know that the word is solved. You will also notice that now since the word is solved, there are no longer any white letters remaining in the word. (The white letters have changed their color and now match the other letters of the mystery word). So, now you can concentrate solely on the remaining words that still have white letters.
• Your words are on the left. You can also see your opponents board on the right. Your opponent will also see your board at the right of his screen. This allows both you, and your opponent, to see each others game progress in real-time! (Both you, and your opponent can actually see each other swap letters. You can also see which words your opponent has solved, and vice versa, because each time a word is solved it will change its color on the right. Furthermore, your score is at the bottom left, below your words. Your opponent's score is at the bottom right, below his board).
• Score points for each word you solve.
• Score double points if you are able to finish a level before your opponent does!
• To complete a level, you must solve all of the mystery words.
• To continue playing, click the 'Level Complete Click To Continue' button.
• After you see your score, click the 'Next Level' button to advance to the next level.
• Any points you earned from earlier levels will carry over to the next level.
• I am not sure how many levels there are. In testing this game I proceeded through 20 levels. And, yes, level 21 did come up next. I suspect, although this is simply a guess on my part, that there could be perhaps an unlimited number of levels.

Wordz Game Options: The game options may be accessed from the main menu by clicking the 'Options' button. The options are as follows:

• The sound volume may be adjusted from 100% to Off.
• The music volume may be adjusted from 100% to Off.
• The Full Screen option will not work on here on Richard's Game Reviews. However, you can always increase the zoom level on your computer to make the game bigger. I personally recommend increasing the zoom level to 125% which makes the game screen nice and big!

Wordz Playing Tips:

• To repeat, I highly recommend increasing the zoom level on your computer to 125%. The reason is this. As you go up in the levels the words get longer and each letter gets smaller. If you increase your zoom level to 125% everything is nice and big. This will make it much more pleasant to play the game and prevent eye strain. I also recommend that you increase the zoom level before you start playing the game. This way, you will not risk losing any of your game progress.
• Wordz seems to attract a lot of very experienced players. I would say, in my brief time playing, that at least 80 to 90 percent of the time I was matched up with a highly experienced player. Because these people have obviously played the game numerous times before, they know the game very well. They are able to recognize common repeated words and patterns. I have come up against opponents that can solve even the most difficult levels in less than a minute. (While it may sometimes take me ten minutes, or more). If you come up against such players, and you will, don't let this intimidate you, or bother you in the least. Simply go about your business and solve the puzzles at a leisurely pace.
• As you play Wordz you may notice that some words seem to be repeated more often than others. Here is list of words, that I have noticed, that seem to come up rather often: EYE, ICE, ICY, ONE, PIE, SKI, BANK, BARK, BOLT, CITY, LENS, RICE, ABOVE, BEECH, BIRCH, BRUSH, CHECK, CHEEK, EARTH, FRUIT, HEART, MOUSE, MOVIE, ONION, OPERA, PEACH, SHORE, SHORT, COFFEE, COMBING, KETCHUP, NECKTIE, and PLUMBER. I suggest that you compile your own list of commonly repeated words and write them down on a piece of paper.
• Try to look for common letter combinations, such as ING, when forming words.

Richard's Rating: 4 out of 5.

Comments: As you go up to the higher levels the words get longer, and Wordz becomes increasingly more challenging. And, that's where the fun really begins! How satisfying it is, after struggling for several minutes, to finally solve some of the more difficult puzzles. Wordz is simply a splendid word game!