Word Puttz Review (iOS)

Word Puttz is a word-building app which takes its game to the golf course. By taking a well worn genre off of the game board and onto the green, this title offers up a different way of looking at our randomized letters. Although it's not exactly a hole in one, Word Putzz stays the course.

If you're a wordsmith or just love creating something out of nothing, any app which has some semblance of a Scrabble mechanic should suffice. Word Puttz refuses to stay in this comfort zone and instead successfully molds two seemingly disparate elements into a cohesive puzzler.

The main directive is to create words that will get you closer to the hole. Once you reach your destination, place that letter into the hole and form your final word. Harder stages will dole out fewer letters to reach your goal, and it will take successful maneuvering, as well as planning a couple of words ahead, to successfully complete these levels.

Other stages will have you race against a purple octopus, and whomever reaches the hole first is the victor. The octopus, as well as the lack of letters provided on certain sections, are the main challenges you'll face with Word Puttz.

The diversity of game play also enhances the Word Puttz action. Select icons located on the bottom of your screen gives you the power to destroy letters you regret placing on the course. If you want to change your current collection of letters with another randomized set, a swap icon is also at your beck and call. On the upper left hand side of your screen is a hint feature which gives you an option of words that you can create with a certain letter.

Word Puttz exists as a seamless tap and slide experience when choosing your letters and placing them on the green. When you want an up close and personal look at the golf course, double tap the screen. If your hole is located on a far end of the green, drag your finger across your screen to check out the terrain. Any kind of lag time or unresponsiveness to my finger's touch would have killed this app for me, especially since expediency on word puzzlers is key. Thankfully, Word Puttz passes with flying colors.

My favorite aspect of Word Puttz rests on the strategic implementation of the course. Certain holes need a certain amount of currency to open, and arbitrarily creating words on the field isn't the best plan. The proper method is to connect your words and place them over the gold coins that are left on the green. Once you collect enough cash, the hole opens and hopefully you'll have enough letters to complete the stage.

Since it's a free-to-play title, Word Puttz offers up premium options to enhance your journey. Whenever you quit or fail to complete a puzzle, you'll lose a life, and the longer you play the app, the better chance that all of your lives will be depleted. When that occurs, you can either purchase more lives or just set down your device for twenty minutes and regenerate another life. If you've run out of swapping power, you can purchase five more swaps for $0.99. These purchase options are not necessary in enjoying your word building adventure. Just set your device down for a spell, replenish your life and continue your progress.

By implementing a strategical base and a distinct environment as its backdrop, Word Puttz is a worthy addition to the puzzle genre. It's not the most visually ambitious app to enter the iOS universe, but sometimes words, and a little prodding from a bespectacled octopus, are all that matters.

App Store Link: Word Puttz for iPhone & iPad | By Jackbox Games, Inc. | Price: Free | Version: 1.01 | 45.9 MB | Rating 4+