Review: Murray from Palm-Mac Plays WordPop

Murray Alexander contacted me a few weeks ago to review my games and I was thrilled. Murray's web site Palm-Mac won best new Blog in 2006. Below is his review of WordPop! for Windows Mobile

WordPop for Palm and Windows Mobile

Todd Sherman provided me with a copy of WordPop for WM and I have been playing this for the past couple of weeks...it's quite addictive. I don't know how best to describe this game...it's sort of like scrabble in that you get points for making words but it then takes it a step further because you have to try and clear the board of all letters. The ultimate aim is straightforward, try and get as many points as you can. Cleverly, and to add longevity, there is a running High Score Board so you can keep playing it trying to get that elusive higher than the last high score. There is also a similar feature for words points.

Like all good games there are different difficulty levels and I being extremely intelligent, of course, went straight to the hard level. Big mistake...ahem...best to try it out on the basic level to get a feel for it. It's not as easy as it may sound however but there are things along the way to try and help. For example, if you are a real smarty pants and make a word that is high scoring you may earn a Bonus. This entitles you to use blank letter tiles which can be brought into the battlefield, and it is a battle, and used to help form words. The game goes on until you fail to clear the board. You can also rotate the board which may help move the remaining letters into more formidable words.

I have noticed with Smart Box Design games that in game help is very good which is a bonus, some games I have tried out and given up previously was mainly because the accompanying "help" was in fact...ahem...no help.

It's not easy but at the same time it is not impossible and there is a learning curve. Once that curve is reached, in other games you can get bored or just lose interest in carrying on but with WordPop the incentive is still there...to beat the high score for both game and individual words. I don't know how it looks on a palm but on my WM device it is great with crisp graphics and clear in game sounds.

All in all, a first class game that will keep you going for ages.

We want you to have the best gaming experience possible.

In accomplishing this, Smart Box Design does not charge for upgrades. You can, at any time, download the latest version and install it over your existing copy.

If you have any problems installing the latest version please feel free to click the below link to visit our support page for upgrade installation directions.

How do I upgrade to the latest version?

Farkle Dice Upgrade for Windows Mobile – Same Game, but New Experience!

Many of you own the very cool Windows Mobile Treo 700w, 700wx, or 750 and have asked us to make Farkle Dice available for it. We have! Plus we've added several great new features for all Windows Mobile devices running 2003 or greater.

The FREE upgrade includes:

- Treo line support

- Two more computer players to match wits with

- Improved volume control

- Customized gameplay - you control the dice speed

- Improved phone control (game mutes on incoming calls)

- Updated compatibility and stability for OS 5 (yet still fully compatible with Windows Mobile 2003)

Click Here to Read More, Upgrade, or Download the Trial

Upgrade Palm version of Word Monaco – More Words!

We want you to finish all of your games of Word Monaco Solitaire, including those games where you find a word that hasn’t been uttered since the 1700s but will let you make the final move! So to make this possible we've:

- Added new words (like "ai", a 3 toed sloth)
- Added old words (like "als" a type of tree)
- Added forgotten words (like "ut", old version of do)
- Made gameplay more fair and satisfying

Please visit our website and upgrade today for FREE.

Click Here to Read More, Upgrade, or Download the Trial

Triples Upgrade for Palm – Play it On Your Latest Handheld!

Of all our in-house developed games, no game lets two great minds face off against one another better than Triples.

So why shouldn’t the two player option be a breeze to use? Therefore, we’ve made the changes necessary, and now ensure that your games against other players will always run smoothly.

- Fixed a two player bug

- Updated our registration schema

- Added a cool splash screen

- Tuned up the code for today's Palms and Treos

Be sure to visit our website today and get the latest and greatest Triples experience!

Click Here to Read More, Upgrade, or Download the Trial

Review: Murray from Palm-Mac Plays Word Monaco

Murray Alexander of Palm-Mac reviews Word Monaco Solitaire for Windows Mobile.


Palm-Mac is an award winning BLOG known for it reviews of mobile technology.


Word Monaco
Thanks to Todd Sherman at Smart Box Design for letting me try out a couple of games. The first one I had a go at is Word Monaco for WM5. This is card game of sorts, similar to Solitaire, with a huge twist...you are trying to make words with the cards as you would with Scrabble. So, the best way to describe it would be to call it Scrabitaire...that's a direct cross between Scrabble and Solitaire.

I have to own up here. I have always loved card games and therefore I am going to be somewhat biased. I just feel they lend themselves ideally to the smaller screen format of our pda's and smartphones. This game is no exception.

There are three different skill levels. The easy one is a good start to break you in gently as it includes 2 random jokers that can be used as any letter. To win you have to make words in all columns and have no unturned cards left. When you have made a word a small green diamond appears at the top of the column to signify success. You can move whole words or letters to other columns to make words in that one or to enable a new card to be turned over. Letters can be placed without an actual word being formed as long as the letters might lead to a word....so for example, you could leave SH on a column but not TT. Sounds easy? It is pretty straight forward on easy level but once you move up to medium and hard things become much harder.


This is the sort of game that you start off thinking, I'll just have a quick 5 minutes and then 45 minutes later you're still playing away. It demands a bit of concentration and use of the old grey matter. There are no time limits and you can come back to the game later on...these are features I always like to see as I hate games where there is some sort of timer involved. Basically, you can play at your own pace which suits me down to the ground.

There are three different versions of the game with slightly different aims but the basic premise is the same. It's easy to pick up, the graphics are crisp and there are useful "tips" throughout the game.



If you are looking for a nicely paced game where you need a bit of the old grey matter then Word Monaco should be given a run out.


You can try Word Monaco Solitaire here: http://www.smartboxdesign.com/wordmonacoppc.html

Review: Bubble Girl Pops WordPop and Farkle Dice

WORDPOP

Word Pop is a delightful twist on the popular game, Boggle. Your goal is to make words of 2 or more letters from adjacent letters still, but as you make them, the tiles disappear. The goal of each level is to remove all the letters, leaving a clear board for the next round. If you get stuck with letters unable to be made into words, it's game over. Valid words cannot be abbreviations, hyphened words, acronyms, contractions or pronouns. Acceptable words will change to bold text in the entry bar. At the same time, green tick will become highlighted and the chime sound as you select tiles will raise in pitch. Click the green tick to enter the word you've made and remove the tiles involved.

...however, that isn't all there is to it. They have added another twist of bonus tiles. Large word scores and game difficulty level will determine how many you earn. Each tile is scored similar to Scrabble, each adding up into a score. If the score is high enough (40+ points in easy mode, 50+ in Medium, or 60+ in hard) you will receive a bonus tile, which could be another letter or a wildcard tile. If you have more than three, a letter tile will be changed to a wildcard. If you have tiles left, they will carry over to the next level.

What if you're still stuck? Rotate it! The board will rotate, allowing you more options with your tiles. Press the round arrow button and watch your letters change places.

What I love most about this game is the separate scoreboard for highest ever word scores. You still have an Easy, Medium and Hard scoreboard, but you can also keep your best word creations in check too.

This has become my new word game obsession!

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FARKLE

Do you feel lucky?

Farkle is a developed style of Yahtzee, based more on luck and choice. 2-6 players (computer or human) roll six dice in the hope of rolling certain number combinations. However, in this game, you are aiming to earn the most points.

Possible point-scoring combinations are:

1 x 5s = 50

1 x 6s = 100
3x2s=200

3x3s=300

3x4s=400

3x5s=500

3x6s=600

3x1s=1000
3 pairs = 500

Straight (all 6 dice) = 100

Farkle earns a new category of its own, as you can choose to keep the score you have and pass, or continue rolling. Once all 6 dice are used, you can choose to try your luck again and roll your six dice again. The trick is to stop before you roll without earning points. Failing to score means your turn is over and any score you have banked up disappears -- called getting Farkle. As the entire object of the game is to earn 10,000 points before the other players, you want to play on as much as possible, but you do not want to Farkle either. If you get 3 Farkles in consecutive shots, you lose 1,000 points. Strategy is very much part of this game, also. Consider using just a 5 or 1 in a roll to leave better odds for the next.

Once a player has reached over 10,000 (or 5,000 depending on game selections) they have finished the game. Other players now have one chance to score higher. If they do, they win the game.

Farkle has been kept simple in graphics and sounds, but to great benefit. The game remains the focus, allowing players to concentrate on the action and strategies.

The board is well set out, with a large scoreboard to place score and Farkle count in a well-spotted position. (The cute xylophone riff as music really endeared me, too.)

The controls are as thought out. Players can do all that's required with one tap on the correct dice or button. No fussing with dragging or double tapping.

Great for PDA beginners.

Try these games at Smart Box Design

Read more reviews by Bubble Girl at http://www.bubblegirl.net/pda.php

EASTER SALE - Now through April 15th

Feast your eyes on this great deal. Get 20% off the best word game around... WordPop!

Forget about spring cleaning and go use this coupon SAVE20WP at checkout.

Click HERE for more gaming details.

Resource: Palm Addict BLOG on Palm OS and Windows Mobile Devices

I think many of us read People Magazine, even if we don't admit it, because it is fun to peak into other's life and relate it to our own. Palm Addict is just as fun.

At Palm Addict you read how people are using their PDA's and Smartphones in their lives. There's the doctor who describes tracking patients, there's the jet set executive who is tracking all aspects of his life, there's the soccer mom who catches a few games on her Treo while waiting to pick up the kids.

Palm Addicts also has video casts where Sammy describes and shows off software and hardware. It is a ton of fun watching him. Give Palm Addicts a read today.

Read Palm Addicts Blog

Improvements: New Smart Box Design Web Store with PayPal

Ordering games has never been easier or safer. The Web store now has the following changes.


1. All major credit cards are accepted
2. You can purchase with PayPal
3. Each step is simpler and streamlined
4. See savings up front as coupon discounts are shown in the first step

It is always our goal to make visiting our web site a great experience. Please continue to let me know how we can improve.

Click Here to Try Our Games

Contest: Win a Palm or Pocket PC Game with this Word Puzzle

Above is a screen shot of WordPop, our best selling word game. Try to find the longest word you can, and then submit it to our forum. Just like the rules when you play WordPop on your device, each letter in the word must be adjacent to the next, for example, RENT.

- The player who submits the longest word wins a copy of a Smart Box Design Game (if a tie then the first one to submit wins)
- Two random winners will be picked from additional submitted words
- Contest ends April 14, 2007
- Winners will be announced in the next newsletter and / or e-mail (make sure to register at the forum so we have your e-mail on record)
- We're looking forward to seeing your words

Click Here to Submit Your Words at the Forum

Review: Westward Brings the Frontier to Your Home

Our staff writer Darrin Matter reviews Westward for Windows PC.

Those of us who were raised on Legos know that building things can be very satisfying. Moreover, those of us raised on SimCity know that keeping our cities up and running can be just as fun. Like any good strategy game, Westward includes an excellent tutorial that gets you started and leads you through the details until you’re ready to stake a claim on your own.

By the time the tutorial cuts you loose to try pioneering on your own, you’ll have a whole wagon full of curiosity built up around what you could be building and who will come to your town.

Westward keeps you occupied with goals to strive towards and holds your attention with humor, colorful graphics, fluid animation, and superb sound.

Click Here to Read More and Download the Free Trial