Tripletters, a word-creation game from Portable Zoo, is available from the app store. Featuring a simple-to-grasp concept, an adequate dictionary, and a fun interface, Tripletters is a terrific addition to the increasingly-crowded word games genre.
Tripletters Pros:
- Extensive awards system
- Tons of info in a small space but not crowding the screen
- Good controls
- Facebook connect
Tripletters Cons:
- Limit of 15 letters on entered words
- No global leaderboard system
- Not as addictive as other games in this genre
Tripletters requires that you spin the dial, which selects three letters. Your task is to make 5 words that each contain all of the spun letters in any order. Each valid word earns diamonds. If you get stuck, you can re-spin at any time, but each spin costs at least 10 diamonds, so you’ll want to do your best to meet your quota. You can increase your diamond wager, giving up more diamonds when you spin for a chance at a greater diamond return when you fill in your 5 words. Occasionally, spun letters may be of the sparkling variety. Using multiple instances of these letters in your words can also earn bonus diamonds. You also earn points for each word you create, which will slowly increase your rank through the 26 levels from Beginner to Absolutely Amazing. Each level starts with the next letter of the alphabet. There is no timer, so you can play at your own pace. We found the gameplay to be entertaining and unique, unlike any other word games in the app store.
Graphically, Tripletters jams a lot of info into a small space without making it feel overcrowded. The keyboard is pretty responsive, functioning about as well as the native iDevice keyboard. The center of the screen houses the three target letters, bookended by the Wager and Spin buttons. Below this is the area where the valid words are listed. Your diamond total, rank, and score are pasted across the screen top. There is no soundtrack, but plenty of game-show-type sound effects which add nice character to the game. Controls are touch-based, allowing you to tap the keyboard to enter words, tap the word creation area to submit, and tap the Wager and Spin buttons when necessary. All controls worked well and required little effort to master.
Tripletters has an extensive awards system, crediting you for everything from increasing your rank to diamonds earned to number of spins to posting achievements on Facebook, which the game connects to for bragging rights. Replay value is good, as expected from any word game since you’ll never play the same game twice. The concept is a pretty simple one to get behind and making your 5 words isn’t all that difficult, though we would like to be allowed to make as many words as possible with our letters before opting to spin. As it stands, once you hit your quota, it won’t let you enter any more words. At one point, we discovered that there is a limit of 15 letters on entered words, which prevented us from entering a valid word. This was very disappointing. It’s also unclear what role the diamonds play or what might constitute a great score. A global leaderboard system would also be cool to compare earned diamonds and overall score with other players. As it stands, the game is fun, but not as addictive as others. At $1.99, the barrier for entry is low and worth the money if you are a fan of word games. Tripletters racks up an attractive 4-Dimple score.
