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Bookworm (Nintendo DSi)

common sense media says

Well-made and fun word-search game.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the downloadable DSi word game, BOOKWORM, does not offer a lot of variety of gameplay. There is one basic task throughout the entire game -- finding words on a board of tiles by connecting adjacent letters. However that one element is presented very well, and for the five-dollar price tag on the game, certainly provides one's money's worth. Still, parents should be aware that children averse to wordsearch-type puzzles won't be interested.

Educational value: Not only is spelling the pivotal facet of gameplay, but the game also provides definitions for many of the words players put together from the tiles on the gameboard. It's possible to take a guess, randomly linking letters that sound like they may be a word, and if you're right, you can also get to find out what that word actually means.
Positive messages: The game not only exposes players to new words, but teaches them to revere words and language. It sends the message that words are fun and interesting and that building your vocabulary can be beneficial.
Positive role models: The player, as protector of the library, is a lover of words and must be an avid learner, taking in new vocabulary words that s/he can use to perform better in successive rounds of the game.
Ease of play: There's no time limit, so players can peruse the board for as long as they want until they find a word. The flaming tiles add an element of urgency and suspense, but without them, the game could grow boring. It would have been nice to have a hint mechanism for younger players, but that's a nitpick complaint.
Violence: Flaming tiles appear on the gameboard that will "burn down the library" if they are allowed to reach the bottom of the screen. If this happens, flames spread across the bottom of the screen, the bookworm's glasses break, and your game is over.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
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More on Bookworm

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
The game can lead to the discovery of many new vocabulary words, any of which can be a topic of discussion for families. Parents can ask children what words they were able to create in a round of play, and what new words they might have learned. Why is it important to expand your vocabulary? What advantages are there for someone who is a good speller?

What's the story?

What's the story?
BOOKWORM is a downloadable wordsearch puzzle game for the Nintendo DSi. Players need to look over a board of letter tiles and connect adjacent ones to spell out words. When those chosen tiles disappear, new ones fall in to take their places. As play goes on, special tiles come into play: bonus tiles that will multiply the number of points for a word, and fire tiles that must be used before they reach the bottom of the screen (or else the game will be lost). The titular worm, who stands at the side of the gameboard, often defines words the player has just spelled.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Bookworm is a fantastically fun word game. While the gameplay is simple and doesn't offer much variety, it is a great example of the kind of quick-and-easy casual gameplay that can be wildly addictive without loads of bells and whistles. If word games are what you're into, the five-dollar price tag on Bookworm makes it an incredible bargain. It's also great that you can stop your game at any moment and come back to it exactly where you left off. This potentially allows one single game to go on for days, weeks, or longer, but eliminates any need for cries of "But I can't turn it off now, Mom, I just need to finish this level so I can save!"

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Nintendo DSi
Not available online
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: PopCap Games
Released on: December 8, 2009
Price: 5
ESRB Rating: E for (No Descriptors)
Screenshots
This review was written by Christopher Healy
 
 

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