Scrabble has existed for a long time as a mobile app, and while far from perfect, those versions were a straightforward, clean and convenientScrabble has existed for a long time as a mobile app, and while far from perfect, those versions were a straightforward, clean and convenient way to play the board game on the move. Solo play, against the computer, pass-and-play and online were all covered, and they worked well enough.
Scrabble Go is an attempt to bring the app into the modern mobile game space, and all that that implies - loot boxes, in-game currency purchases, video ads between turns, time-limited events, pointless cosmetic rewards. It's quick enough to get on and play a random match (albeit only against one player, not multiple opponents), but a lot of the features the old app had are either buried or gone altogether. Want to play against the computer? Well, you have to start a match against "Zoey", an AI opponent (whose skill level seemingly can't be altered), then after each turn it badgers you to return to other matches in progress or start new ones. Pass-and-play seems to be gone entirely, so forget having a game on one device with friends or family while on holiday or a train journey. Facebook integration is thrust to the forefront, and while you can log in as a guest it limits the things you can do.
The game's use of eye-candy is utterly relentless - there's flashing things, exploding things, crates that pop open and spray out art materials for you to manufacture different tile sets, almost all of which are ugly and distracting. There's pop-ups telling you about other modes, leagues, challenges, more crates, prompts to watch awful ads to get more useless stuff. It's bewildering - if I want to play a quiet solo game I'm still bombarded with "Do this! Win this! Upgrade that! Don't miss out on this ugly holiday tile set!", and it ruins any sense of concentration.
There are now "boosters" that let the computer play your turn for you, or swap your tiles without penalty and - surprise, surprise - these cost gems, and while you do get some gems for free they will eventually cost you real money,. So it basically gives people who are willing to throw money at the app an unearned advantage. You can play in "Classic Mode" that turns the boosters off, but naturally that's tucked away in a less conspicuous place in the un-navigable mess that is the menu system.
The saddest thing is that this firework display of an app will shortly become the only way to play the official Scrabble on a mobile device; the old EA version is no longer available to buy or download, and it will be stop "being supported" in Summer 2020 - whether that just means the online services go away, or the entire app stops working even for solo/computer/pass-and-play remains to be seen. I hope it's only the former - a peaceful, uninterrupted game without constant bombardment encouraging you to play more, buy more, watch more ads, is a pleasure I don't want to lose.… Expand
