 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Crosswords DS
- Nintendo DS
- Price: $20
- Genre: Educational
Common Sense Media says
Nifty set of crosswords, anagrams, & word searches
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a fun way to introduce children to word puzzles. The focus is on crosswords, but there are also anagrams and word searches. For crosswords, the game has lots of built-in helps including a tutorial, hints, and a way of indicating whether the letter you write is correct. However, if you are good at crosswords, you'll have to play through some easy ones before you unlock the harder ones. And this is hardcore word puzzles, with no light-hearted arcade games to break up the intensity.
What's it about?
CROSSWORDS DS provides over 1000 crossword puzzles on four levels of difficulty. It also has three levels of anagrams (puzzles where you make words out of a given set of letters) and word searches (puzzles where you hunt for words in a grid of letters).
The game works well for either right- or left-handed players because you rotate the Nintendo DS on its side to accommodate writing on the touch-screen. For crosswords, the clues are always featured on the side where you are not writing. Simply tapping on the square where you want to write, zooms you in. And once there, when you write a letter, the letter recognition software works well. You can even activate a feature that lets you know if the letter you wrote is correct. If the letter is correct, it will appear in black; if you're wrong, it turns red. Plus, there is no need to erase – if you change you mind, you can simply write on top of your previous letter.
Is it any good?
This is a nifty compilation of puzzles that families can take on trips. It can keep track of up to four profiles, and players can save unfinished puzzles. However, if you are really good at crossword puzzles, this game won't start hard enough for you and will make you work through some easy puzzles before you can unlock the more challenging ones.
What makes this game good for kids and adults who are new to crosswords, is that it offers a tutorial explaining how to play. Plus, the crossword puzzles come with a hint system so that you will never get stuck. You can use three different types of hints: an additional clue, show a letter in a specific box, or have the whole word filled in. While you can't play with others, it's perfect for players who enjoy playing with words.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about which is better: crosswords in the newspaper or crosswords as a video game? Do you find yourself using the hints? Or is it a matter of pride to not use them? Which type of puzzle do you like best -- the crosswords, anagrams, or the word searches?
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AGE
Great puzzle collection at a reasonable price
The game is broken up into 3 puzzle types: crosswords, anagrams, and word searches. Obviously, crosswords are the main part of the game and are pulled off a bit better, but all 3 modes are fun to play. The game does a decent job of recognizing handwriting, but it will screw up from time to time. It will give you a certain amount of points that can be used to purchase hints. A second clue is 1 point, revealing a selected letter is 3, and revealing an entire word is 5. The bigger the puzzle, the more points you have to spend. You can also choose to turn on the option of having incorrect letters appear red in the puzzle. Once a puzzle is finished, you are given a grade based on how fast you solved it and how few hints you use. Word searches and anagrams have no grade system or hint points and they have roughly half the puzzle count of the crosswords. They still work just fine. If you enjoy any or all of the puzzles available here, the game is worth your money. It's reasonably priced and comes with hours of puzzle-solving entertainment.
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AGE
Pretty boring for me, but nerds will like it!
this game was not for me. maybe somebody who likes to do lots of crosswords,lots of wordserches,and lots of anagrams.
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AGE
nice game
It's crosswords. Lots and lots of crosswords. Nothing objectionable, but the hard ones may frustrate young children.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo DS |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Educational |
| Developer: | Nintendo |
| Release date: | May 5, 2008 |
| Price: | $20 |
| ESRB rating: | E |
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