Lexic Review: iPhone Word Search

Analysts tell us we’re not using iPhone apps very long.  According to research by Pinch Media, 70% of their tracked iPhone apps are used the next day.  Lexic, now in version 1.3.3 is obviously not part of their study.

If Lexic were included, I suspect users would have reduced that 70% dramatically as the game is addicting.  The fast-paced word search game reflects everything that is great about the iPhone: great looks and a well-executed GUI.  The two combine in an ever-changing game that will have you playing anywhere you’ve got 10 seconds peace.

Upon clicking the icon, a boot-screen appears in understated tones.  About 4 seconds on average later, tiles descend from the top and layout in a 5 letters x 7 letters layout and the game has begun.  The objective in Lexic is to find as many words from the jumbled letter tiles.

For example, in the image above, you can see I’ve made the highly complex word, “homes” by starting on the “H” and dragging to the other letters.  Depending on the game I am playing, solving for this word will achieve different results.

There are three games included in this one application: Cascade, Blackout and Stasis; each with their own personality but along the same concept: drag your finger from one adjacent letter to the next to create words.

Cascade

In Cascade, as you complete words, the tiles fill in by droping from the top.  As you complete words, you are scored by their length and if any letters solved were a highlighted yellow bonus letter.  The game is timed with customizable times from 1-5 minutes or practice mode.

Cascade keeps things rattled as new letters drop in to fulfill your word plans or completely destroy them.  This is the classic Lexic game and I can’t stop playing it.

Blackout 

Blackout changes game play up quite a bit.  As you solve words in typical Lexic form, the word becomes blacked out and those tiles are not replaced.  The left over tiles settle downward if applicable, leaving you fewer tiles to work with.  This game takes a clever mind to try to create as many words as possible with the tiles on hand.

In Blackout, there is no time component.  For me, these games are short and often end in frustration.

Stasis

Stasis adds a new twist to the concept.  Instead of tiles that disappear after you use them, in Stasis the tiles are recycled and remain exactly where they started.  Your mission is to make as many words out of one group of 35 tiles as you can.

This game leaves me with the feel of the luck of the draw and stretches my word-search abilities unlike the other games.

Settings

The settings, like the rest of the game are elegantly executed and simple.  From Settings, users can control which game they are playing, tile color, which word list to use (TWL-the approved list for word game competitions in the US, Canada and oddly enough: Thailand or SOWPODS which is used in most other countries), sounds, scores and instructions on how to play.  Expect all your questions to be answered and there isn’t a feeling of insecurity anywhere to be found in this game.

Easter Eggs

There are some really cool features added into 1.3.3, the latest version.  The developers seems to share the sense that anything is possible with a touchscreen and have been playing according to the rules so far.

However, press and hold “new game” upon the completion of a game and you’ll get a great looking shortcut menu arrayed in a circle.  The menu is again simple and elegant.

Another great addition is a small button at the bottom of the screen at the end of the game that brings up the words you’ve solved in that game.  The developers again found a way to accomplish this in a very elegant manner.

Developer support looks to be impressive as this latest release added the two new sub games: Stasis and Blackout.  While these are not break-out hits in their own right, it is a great variation that was pushed out for free to current customers.

Overall, the game is compelling and is word searches are the least bit attractive to you, this is one to get.

Lexic is available on the iTunes App Store. It is priced at $2.99.

share permalink ping 1 Comment