Computer Scrabble
| Developer: The Gang of Five | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Leisure Genius | Sound: |
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| Year: 1988 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Scrabble | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 to 4, alternating | Rating: |
6/10 | |
While searching for Scooby-Doo in my Amiga game directory, I stumbled upon this one. I started a game, in English, just for fun. I proudly managed to place a Z, then a J, then a W! But the next turn, I was taken aback when I drew another W, before realising it was a common four-point letter for the English-speaking. I decided to quit before the computer humiliated me…
Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised. First, by the user-friendliness and neatness of the interface (notice they even bothered to create a lighting effect at the top of the game board). Then, by the level of the computer, which optimises its points by connecting small words across multiple letters at once. I finally found a French version. Let’s see what’s left of my vocabulary… wu, won, xi, oxo, zoe, zee, ka, ay, qat, jan? Don’t ask me what any of that means.
There are still some shortcomings. You can’t rearrange the letters freely on the rack, and the word dictionary integrated into the program is known to be incomplete (both in English and French, the computer doesn’t recognise some basic words). I suppose that’s why it lets you cheat! Place an unknown word, and it will simply ask if you’re sure. If a human opponent protests, just tell them it’s a Chinese dialect or a rare species of fish!
The best part: the time limit is optional.
This game is known by other names: Computer Scrabble De Luxe, Scrabble De Luxe, or The Computer Edition of Scrabble. The French version is called Micro Scrabble, or Scrabble Version Luxe pour Micro Ordinateurs.
Another Scrabble game was released in 1992, but only in English, and more modestly titled Scrabble.
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