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Through the countless genres of games available for the iPhone or iTouch, it pains me to say that some of the most addicting are word games. Generally speaking, I tend to look for the shooter and action games. However, I will admit that word games are often more addicting and a better value for the money. But you have to be careful about which word game you pick. Some are poorly constructed and thrown together, and some have been built to expose the true wonder of words. In my opinion, one of the best word games out there is Bookworm.

Bookworm, by Pop Cap Games, is a game in which players strive to connect lettered tiles in order to construct a word. But that’s not all this game is. For starters, it comes with more personality. When starting this game for the first time, you’ll be introduced to a friendly, green bookworm named Lex. The goal of the game is to feed Lex by spelling words with the lettered tiles. There’ s a few rules you have to follow while spelling the words. One, to connect one letter to another, the first letter must be in some way touching the second. Two, you must spell a word recognized by the English dictionary. And three, words must be three or more letters long.

This game offers a classic and timed version. In the classic version, you’ll strive to reach a set score. Reach that score and you’ll move on to the next level. In the timed version, you must fight against the clock in a spelling frenzy. You can rack up extra points in both of the versions by finding the bonus word in the top right corner of the screen.

The interface for this app is one of the most user-friendly, attractive interfaces I’ve seen in awhile. The rows of clearly marked tiles dominate the majority of the screen. To connect letters simply tap on them. As you connect letters the word you are trying to spell will be written across the top of the screen. Then tap the word to submit it for points! Along the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the total amount of points you’ve racked up, as well as your current level and the menu option. One of the most impressive features of this game is the level of personality added by Lex. You even have the option of having Lex randomly yell out different definitions to words you’ve spelled!

All in all this is an extremely well done, developed game. It’s obvious how much work the developers put into this game. At the price of $4.99, it is on the high side. However, when you consider the hours of entertainment this game can provide, it’s definitely worth it!

Verdict: 5/5 Stars