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Great Fun, Addictive and Educational! High Marks All Around!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 186 / 191
Date: April 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I am addicted to Bookworm and need to acquire more willpower, fast, to limit my daily game time. I find myself spending hours playing, late evenings especially, and, (blush), sometimes at work. Trying to accumulate a high score - my personal best - like at the Olympics, is the most addictive part for me!! I used to play Scrabble on the PC and loved it, but Bookworm is by far the better game - I think. I have limited myself to no more than an hour per day, OK sometimes 2 hours - but that is time used to build vocabulary and other skills, rather than watch one of my favorite TV programs. See how easy it is to rationalize? Actually, Bookworm has helped to improve my Scrabble skills also. There's almost an entire dictionary of possibilities stored on the CD.

The concept of Bookworm is simple. One needs to make words by linking adjacent letter tiles. The more complex the word and more difficult the letter, (z, x, q, like Scrabble), the higher the score. Short, or low scoring words, cause fires to start with letters at the top of the PC screen, the library wall. If a word is not formed from the burning tile letters before they reach the bottom, then the game explodes - kaput! The higher your score, the more burning tiles appear. Thus the level of difficulty increases. Also, the longer one plays a particular game, thus using up a variety of tiles, it becomes more difficult to find either vowels or consonants. Scoring then becomes even more difficult.

There is a leisurely paced Classic Game, and no beat the clock option. I personally prefer this one. It gives one time to really think and look for many-lettered words. Then there's the Action Game, where you have to beat both the clock and the burning tiles. Since one is more inclined to go for short words when the clock is ticking, there are more burning tiles here. It really gets the adrenaline going! There is also a Save Game option which is terrific. Once I begin to score in the high numbers, which can take a while, I get tired, and am able to save the game without losing points, and can come back to it another time. The players' high scores are saved in the Hall of Fame, so it is easy to compete against yourself or another player.

The book worm, Lex, (from lexicon), is a funny and bizarre creature who makes weird noises, supposedly to encourage the player to feed his endless appetite for words. When a particularly good word is formed, he belches! I enjoyed this feature for all of five minutes, and then turned down the sound. However, I think kids would love this vocabulary tapeworm. And Bookworm is perfect for children and adults alike. The game is from Activision. It is fun and educational and I highly recommend it. The CD version is more complex and has many more possibilities than the free download found on the Web. I tried the download before buying the game.
JANA

Great Fun - It's Addictive!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 59 / 62
Date: June 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I happened across this game through "Game Blast", an on-line game site, and after trying it through the 60 minute trial offer, I was hooked. Needless to say, I decided to purchase it, & then my entire family started playing. We all thoroughly enjoy playing bookworm!

Although we are all adults, my neice who is 14 also loves to play it whenever she comes for a visit. In fact, the first place she goes upon arriving is to the computer to play Book Worm. Because it's so educational - in terms of spelling and finding words - we are happy that she enjoys it so much!

The basic premise of "Book Worm" is that you have to find words within a grid, where each letter must touch the next (similar to scrabble or boggle). Each letter is given a certain # of points, and these points are added up for the words you choose.

You want to find longer/higher scoring words whenever possible, as if you choose too many low scoring words, a fire will start to "attack" the tiles, and if you don't use those firey tiles fast, they will quickly move to the bottom and then the board "explodes", and the game is over.

I would highly recommend this game to anyone who loves playing scrabble & boggle, but who wants to find a game where they can play alone; as well as for children (probably at least 10yrs. old) who like, or need help with the subject of spelling. It will provide hours upon hours of fun & enjoyment for children & adults alike.

Better than Scrabble

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 44 / 44
Date: March 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I'm not a kid but in my mid 50's, and I love this game! It tests my visual perception, vocabulary and ability to foresee what moves are necessary to align higher-scoring words. The fact that words can be spelled out forward (left to right and up and down), backward (right to left and upward) as well as in a spiral, diagonally or in a serpentine manner makes it more fun and challenging. The extra points tiles and the burning tiles, desending to threaten burning down the "library" add to the excitement.

Great Word Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 34 / 34
Date: September 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Bookworm Deluxe is a game set in a library, and features a grid of tan colored Scrabble-like tiles. The object is to click on adjacent letters in order to form words that can be "chomped" by the bookworm.

While this may sound easy, there's a twist: burning tiles are added to the board. If you don't use these burning tiles before they hit bottom, the whole library burns down! (Game over, in other words.)

You score points based on the length of each word, the scarcity of letters in the word, whether or not there are any reward tiles in the word, and what level of the game you're on.

Green tiles appear randomly and, if used, increase the word score. If you make words using 5 or more letters, you earn a gold tile. Use the gold tile and you earn even MORE points!

Below the Bookworm is a bonus word; if you make this word, you get a hefty bonus!

Sound too tame to you? Well, in addition to the Classic Game, you can choose the Action Game option. In Action Game mode, burning tiles are dropped into the grid at an alarming pace--and will burn through the letters whether you make a move or not!

Players earn whimsical titles such as Scribe, Librarian and Editor. You can quit the game and resume it at your leisure. There is also a Hall of Fame which records Top Scores, Best Words (those earning the most points) and Longest Words. For example, I earned 2520 for spelling "nougat", which is my personal best point-wise.

This is a great word game, but a word of caution: when I bought this game for Windows XP, the screen said that I only had a 6 minute demo. I'm like "What?!" So I emailed the company and it turns out that you'll need a universal patch in order to "unlock" the game. (If you need the patch, it's http://beta.popcap.com/pubfiles/PopCDFix.exe)

This is a shame, in my opinion, because an individual who is not web-savvy may be clueless as to how to get the game to work--and may give up altogether. Not only that, some individuals buy games to play offline--and don't use the internet. Those folks receiving this as a gift--or buying it in a store--would be out of luck if they didn't have an internet connection.

Bookworm Deluxe is an addictive game to pass the time, especially if you love word games.

Always on the look-out for word games .

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 26
Date: April 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game can keep me occupied for hours . I'm sure it improves memory , vocabulary , etc., but most of all , it is just plain fun . Although it is not really pertinent to this review , I am 65 + and have been a Scrabble fan for years . I now prefer 'Bookworm Deluxe'. P. J. Kale

BookWorm Deluxe - Excellent!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 25 / 25
Date: April 07, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I bought the online version before the CD came out...It is the very best word game I've ever played!! I'm also 50+ and I believe this game is great for all ages to improve memory, spelling and learning definitions of some words I've never heard of before. The worm is so funny when he starts to shake and sweat when the red, burning tiles get too close to the bottom. I HIGHLY recommend BookWorm Deluxe. It's everything it's advertised to be and MORE...it's also hard to stop playing!! You will love it!!

Loads of great fun!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: May 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I found this game at an online game site and HAD to have it as soon as it was available to purchase!
Lots of fun and I am admittedly addicted to playing this game whenever I get in front of my computer.
The animation with the dragon is cute and so amusing that he is an inspiration to make bigger, difficult words just to see him react.
This is one of the best word games that I have played. School age children and adults will all enjoy this educational and fun game.
I highly recommend everyone to purchase this addicting, enjoyable (and educational) game.

Like Scrabble but WAY more fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: February 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Warning - this game can become addictive! You click on tiles to build interesting words for points. It's amazing what words you'll learn as definitions are posted for more difficult words. Burning tiles force you to think fast or you'll lose the game. Great educational game with all the fun of a Gameboy. Great fun for ages 8-110.

Truly addictive game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: August 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Do not start playing this game unless you have hours of free time to kill. I bought this for my husband and myself--I haven't gotten a chance to play it yet because is he always doing so.

He installed it one evening and 9:00 p.m. and then stayed up until midnight two nights in a row playing it. Finally, after a week he was able to ration himself.

Some of the words you can form in the game are not Scrabble safe words, but, like in Scrabble, no proper names are allowed so be careful.

Bookworm Deluxe - one of the all time Classics!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: June 23, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Bookworm Deluxe - using a board filled with letter tiles, you try to make words. The more letters you use in your word, the more points you add to your score. In addition, the longer your word, you'll earn specially colored squares. In order of priority points - green, yellow and Diamond.

Now, if you keep using three letter words, then red tiles will begin to appear -you don't want them - they are fire tiles. They'll drop to the bottom and if you can't use their letters before they hit the bottom - GAME OVER.

After the early levels, you'll get a chance to go for bonus words, these appear beneath the Bookworm Character. If you get these words, you'll earn a bonus and a new word will appear. Keep getting the bonus words and you'll earn more and more lucrative bonus awards.

Behind the Bookworm character is a bookcase. As you keep getting words, books form on the shelf. When the shelf is full of books, then the round is over. Oh - it's easy to get yourself into a corner by getting all vowels down at the lower half. You have to be careful. Some words you can use when that happens is YOU, VIA and KOI. That may get you out of the mess you get in. But Bookworm has a way for you to scramble all the tiles on the board. Just click on the Bookworm. But beware - when you do this those Red Fire Tiles will sppear!

This game is HIGHLY addictive. I've spent hours and hours playing it. A couple of years ago I bought the PDA version for my DELL AXIM - and that's when I got hooked. I didn't know they made a PC version until last year - then I had to buy it. I quickly rose in points to the highest levels - spent hours and hours on it - neglected my work - neglected my family - forgot to sleep - forgot to eat. All signs of an Addiction!!

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes word puzzle games. This is good for kids in school - it does expand their vocabulary (though some actual words are missing from its lexicon). And when I gave my elderly Mom a Notebook PC for Christmas - I included the Bookwork game that I purchased on Amazon. She loved it and also got hooked on it. She even gave it as gifts to her friends. She said it kept her mind sharp.

I do have one suggestion for the folks at POP-Cap - the makers of Bookworm Deluxe: This game should have a way to expand its lexicon of words. It should also include proper nouns. Like States and Names. That to me is a grave omission. If you want kids to learn - having States and their capitals - also Countries, included in its lexicon - would be an added benefit.

So, all in all, this is one terrific game - one that I highly - and I mean highly, recommend.

One last note - for those who've reached the highest levels of Bookworm - and love word puzzle games - there is a great game somewhat similar to Bookworm. It's called BIG KAHUNA WORDS. Go search for it on Amazon. It's very challenging, addictive and fun.

Ken

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