*Review updated for version 1.1*

Since the launch of the iTunes app store, word games, or at least good word games, have been few and far between. Quordy ($2.99) is one of the few to get it right. In fact, Quordy is the best word game for the iPhone to date.

Quordy is much like the classic word game Boggle. The player is presented with a 4 x 4 grid of random letters (16 letters total), and the object of the game is to form as many words out of the letters as possible in three minutes. Words are created by tracing your finger over the letters. Letters can be connected vertically, horizontally, and diagonally.

Scoring:

3-4 letters: 1 point
5 letters: 2 points
6 letters: 3 points
7 letters: 5 points
8+ letters: 11 points

One of the annoying features of the game is that it requests a vigorous shaking of the iPhone to begin a new game. A light shaking simply won’t do. (Note: In the version 1.1 update, the developers claim to have lessened the sensitivity, but I could not tell a difference.) However, you can substitute tracing your finger back and forth quickly across the screen for the shake and save yourself lots of embarrassment in public.

The interface works smoothly, and tracing your finger over the words is an easy, almost relaxing experience. Tracing too fast will cause you to miss some letters, but the game generally keeps up well enough that the game doesn’t feel sluggish to play.

As you trace, the letters appear in the bottom left corner of the screen. Once a word is formed, the number of points the player receives appears and turns green once the player stops tracing. If the letters do not form a real word, the letters turn red and a red “x” appears. A clock in the bottom right of the screen counts down the three minutes by slowly filling in a red circle. A ten-second warning vibrates the phone.

One missing feature is that the game does not warn or make any signal if you re-enter a word. It would also be nice if you were warned with  more than a red “x” when a traced word is not actually a word–it could be that the player just missed selected a letter.

The version 1.1 update brought a crucial feature missing in the original version of the game: you can view the words you missed in the puzzle. Hitting “Show Solo Results”  brings up two lists, one with the words you found, and the other featuring all possible words. Your words are crossed out in red. In another nice touch, the results screen also shows the puzzle in the bottom left.

The game has no sound, although it is possible to play your own music (the iPhone’s iPod) in the background.

Online Play

Quordy makes a liberal claim of “online play.” Players can sign up for a Quordy account and then email a completed game to a friend as a challenge. Once the friend finishes and sends it back in, both players can click on “Check results” and compare. Words on both lists cancel each other out. The player with the most points wins.

Conclusion

Quordy is a solid, entertaining word game with a slick, smooth interface for a classic Boggle-ish experience. Its cheap price, $2.99, makes it a no brainer download for those looking to flex their vocabularly.

• Game: Quordy
• Developer: Lonely Star Software, Inc.
• Price: $2.99
• Download: Click here