Anagramble is a Windows Phone word game that gives you two minutes, thirty words and the task of finding anagrams within those words. Anagrams are words created by re-arranging the letters of a word.
For example an anagram for Mary would be Army.
Available for 512MB devices, Anagramble is a simple word game that comes across as a fun time waster of a game for your Windows Phone. There is a bit of challenge to the game and a faint educational value in finding those hidden words.
Simple layout, simple game mechanics, challenging game play
There really isn't much to the layout of Anagramble (and that's not necessarily a bad thing). The main menu has four options - play the game, access the options, exit the game and access the help screens. Even the options are minimal with the only setting present is muting the sound.
Continuing with the simple theme, the game presents you with thirty words and a two minute timer. Words are presented one at a time and you simply tap and drag the letters to create your anagram. If you screw up and need to wipe the slate clean, you have a Refresh button just below the anagram field (next to the Submit button).
Speaking of which, once you have your anagram created tap the Submit button to move on to the next word. If you've misspelled your anagram or created a word that doesn't exist, the game will not accept your submission.
As far as your gaming score is concerned, Anagramble uses a Scrabble type points system. Each letter is assigned a point value and the score for each word is the cumulative of the letter values. Anagrams can be as short as two letters or as long as seven.
Should you draw a blank with a word and cannot come up with an anagram, you can always tap the skip button (or pause the game and look up an anagram online).
You do have a high score listed on the gaming screen but no online or local leaderboards that can be used for bragging rights. Scores can be shared though.
While the game description doesn't nail down an exact number, the game is reported to have thousands of words in its database to build anagrams from. Over the past few days of playing Anagramble, I cannot say that I have seen a word repeated.
Overall Impression
Anagramble comes across as an entertaining, challenging, fast-paced word game. Everything about the game is simple except mastering it.
The two minute gaming format gives Anagramble a bit of flexibility in that it can help you pass short bits of time or stand up to longer gaming sessions. And it is a little surprising how fast two minutes can pass by. Don't be surprised if you don't make it through all thirty words in a game.
The only nit I can come up with for Anagramble is that I would like to see a visual confirmation that a word was rejected. Maybe a flash on the screen or the word "WRONG" appear.
Word games may not be everyone's cup of tea but if they spark your interest, Anagramble is one to try.
- Anagramble – Windows Phone 8 and 7.x – Free – Store Link
