I was bored so I typed the word Games into the yahoo search engine to see what would come up. The page that followed listed loads of games that are available for you to play through Yahoo or downloadable versions from other websites. The game I am going to write about is called Text Twist.
Text Twist can be played from the site, or downloaded. It is a word puzzle game with an easy concept. I thought I would find it a little boring, but to be honest, it has me sat there for ages everytime I load it up.
******************HOW CAN I GET IT********************
The actual link for this game is: http://games.yahoo.com/games/downloads/tx.html
Once you have reached this page you can either play the game from the site or download the trial version. I personally played it off the site a few times to start with, but in the end I downloaded the trial version of it, so that I didn't have to go to the site all the time.
The game is produced by a company called Gamehouse and yahoo have other games listed by this company.
If you decide to play this game off the site, then you can play it as many times as you like, but you are unable to save your scores. You also have to wait for the game to load. Saying this though, it only takes about 20 seconds for the game to load and then you are ready to play.
If you deicde to download the game, you will be given the chance to either download a trial version of it or the full version, for a price. Downloading the trial version takes less than a minute to download and install. You can choose where you want it to go and then you are ready to
play.
**********************HOW TO PLAY*********************
This game is a word game. You are presented with 5, 6, 7, or 8 letters and you have to make as many words as possible, in the allocated time.
You have to click on the letters, to move them to the board and then when you have a word you have to click enter. If the word you have made is in their dictionary, then you are allowed the word and play continues. If the word does not appear in their dictionary, it will inform you of this and you have to try again. You do not loose any points, if you guess a word that does not exist.
While the game is running and you are thinking of words, you can click the twist button. This button will rearrange the letters for you and sometimes this will form a word for you.
The words that you come up with have to have a minimum of three letters upto the amount of letters that you have. To be able to progress onto the next round, you have to find the word that uses all the letters you have been supplied with. If you do not find the longest word, you do not move onto the next round, you have to start again, from the beginning, with a new set of letters.
Each round is timed. You have two minutes to come up with as many words as you can. I do not know how many rounds there are, as I have only managed to get to four!
Every word that can be made has a space for it to go, once you have thought of it. The space for your words can be found on the left hand side of the game. Once you have thought of a game that is in their dictionary, it is placed into the space provided. If you guess a word twice, it will tell you this. If you guess a word that does not exist it will tell you this aswell.
Once you have made a word, you can then have the plural to that word, if there is an S. All you have to do, to save time, is click on the Last Word button and it will place the last word you created back on the playing board and then you can add the S and click enter. This saves you precious seconds, when you are in a hurry to beat the clock.
Names are not allowed.
The time you have left is on the screen at all times along with the points you have accumolated.
*****************PLAYING OFF THE SITE*****************
If you decide to play this game off the site, then the size of the screen is about 6inches square. There is no way that this can be changed, but it is big enough to be able to play it effectively.
You are unable to save any of your scores if you play it off the site, which can be a little frustrating.
Everytime you qualify for the next round, you are given the chance to download the trial version if you wish. You do not have to to move on to the next round, you can just click play and it will take you to the next level.
All around the game there are links to other games that are similar, that yahoo think might interest you. You do not have to check any of them out, but they are their for you, should you wish to.
Playing off the site means that you can play as many times as you want, for as long as you want. You are not restricted to the amount of times you are allowed to acess the game.
********************TRIAL VERSION********************
If you decide to download the trial version, it takes less than a minute to download and install. You are restricted to 10 sessions, before you are unable to play it again, unless you buy it.
Each session lasts for four restarts. Once you have started playing, you can progress through the levels, until you losse. Then when you start again, it does not count as another session until you have done that four times. Once you have hit your four times in one session, you have to close the game tobe able to play it again.
10 sessions does not last you very long, if you enjoy the game and play it a lot. Once you have used all your sessions the only other option that comes up when you try to play, is Buy This Game. You can purchase this game for $19.99.
By either downloading the trial version or buying this game, you are getting the chance to save your scores. You are also able to acess their online dictionary, which allows you to see what words they allow and which words they don't. You can also change the size of the screen to a full screen, if you wish. Other than this, there is no differences between the trial version and the full version.
***********************MY OPINION*********************
I have found this game to be quite addictive and I am pleased to say that the kids like it too. Not only is it educational, making it good for children to increase their word power, but it is fun. The time adds excitement, especially when it is running out, as you hear a ticking noise that speeds up. I have found that this ticking noise makes you rush, to beat the clock. This makes me make mistakes, as I panic, so I turn my speakers off!
The first level usually starts with five letters, but it can be any between five and eight. The fact that you have to find the word that uses all the letters you have been given, to be able to move on to the next round, gives you a bit more of a challenge. Sometimes it is easy to find, sometimes it is not.
As you progress through the levels, you are presented with more letters, the most being eight. The letters also get harder, the further you progress. To start with it is fairly easy to make words but it does get more challenging.
Two letter words are not allowed, the least is three.
I think the concept of this game is simple, yet very playable, if you like word games. I have found myself playing this game everyday, in an attempt to see how far I can get. I am ashamed to say, not very far, as yet. Everytime I sit down to play it, I find my second eldest step daughter looking over my shoulder, shouting words out for me to use. I do not mind, as she is learning all the time she is looking. She is now 16 years old and I have to say that she is also quite addicted to this game now. Although she hardly gets to play it without me being there. She also finds it highly amusing when I try to make up words that don't exist in any dictionary, let alone the games!
I find it hard to believe that something so simple and basic can be so much fun.
25.04.2004 17:01
Very good op, well written.....I'm also a fan of text twist..although prefer the untimed game, less frustratin but just as highly addicitive!! kels x
18.06.2003 19:53
Sounds like an interesting and very addictive game! xx
15.05.2003 17:47
This sounds interesting and also a great laugh too! Nice opinion. Take care, love gillyXXX