App Review: Scramble with Friends
Scramble with Friends is the newest addition to the "Games With Friends" series. The app is developed by Zynga of course, and this new online game is very addicting.
The point of the game is to see how many words you can make out of a grid of letters given to you. You go against an opponent just like in Words with Friends, and you try to gain the most points by either making the most words or the longest words. You and your opponent face each other for three rounds, and whoever adds up the most points out of all three wins! Now also mind you that each round is timed, which makes it more difficult. You get two minutes to find as many words as you can, and at the beginning of each round you can pick 1 or 2 power ups. These power ups give you an advantage to the game such as freezing the clock, giving you hints to where words are or as they call it "inspiration", and scrambling the board around to help you see more words.
Now something different from Words with Friends that Scramble with Friends has is a game currency. Each round you play costs a token, and having one power up is free but if you want a second power up as well it will cost you another token. Now you do get tokens for free, there is a countdown on the main page that starts from 15 minutes or so to when you are getting your next token. They do offer tokens that you can purchase with your iTunes account also. Now to me, yes, this seems pointless and I know a lot of people are going to be giving Zynga grief about this. To be honest though, I haven't had a problem with it. You start off with 15 tokens and I've never gotten low because it continuously replenishes itself. I don't play a lot of people so maybe that is why, but for me this feature has not gotten in the way.
This app does come in a free version with ads or a paid version with no ads (2.99 iPhone), so it does give you a chance to try the game out before you commit to buying it. Also just like the others, Scramble with Friends can be connected to Facebook so you can play your friends.
In my opinion, this game is definitely going to compete with Words With Friends. I already like it more just because it's a game that I can do on the go, it' s a quick two minutes for a round. I feel Words With Friends is an app where I have to sit down and think a little more. I just personally like that Scramble with Friends has more of a fast paced feel. Overall I think it's a great app and if you're into the Games with Friends series you should definitely give this one a go!