I'm a huge fan of the popular board game Scrabble. I don't play all that often, but when I do, a fierce competitive side of my nature comes out. It's not always pretty. But, hey, games are meant to be won, right?

The problem with traditional Scrabble games is that you need a victim... er... uh... I mean a playmate. Well, since my husband would rather do pretty much anything rather than play Scrabble with me, I'm faced with a problem.

Thank goodness for Hasbro's Scrabble software! It works on Windows (XP, 2000, 95, 98, Me) and Macs. Installation is a snap. Put the CD in the drive, and a menu will pop up. Choose install, and let it go. Later, when you want to play, you can either choose "play" from this same start up menu, or you can double click the Scrabble icon on your PC to initiate a game. The CD must be in the drive in order to play.

When you first choose to play, a little video plays, while the software loads, then a very nice 3D board is displayed, and a menu of options is across the top the your screen. The board looks exactly the same as a regular Scrabble board.


Options


There are many options for customizing your Scrabble experience. One is choosing which music plays while you play the game. (I choose none - I need to concentrate!). Then you can customize the various sound effects for the various events (like new letters being added to the rack) Again, I turn all the sounds off. Who needs sound effects? You can choose the background picture that appears behind the board. You can choose how quickly the computer makes his move (I choose "fast"). And you can choose to have a tournament timer whereby you get a penalty for taking too long when it's your turn. You can choose how to order the letters in your rack (alphabetically, by point value, or not sorted at all). I don't want them sorted at all - but I will use my mouse to re-order them as I'm working out my move. They also let you choose whether you should lose your turn if you lose a challenge, or take another turn. Since the real rule is to lose a turn, that's how I play. Of course, you also need to choose how many human and computer players there are, and what skill level the computer has. I always play one-on-one against the computer, with him (I don't know why I think of the computer as a "him") set to "expert". That's the 2nd highest level there is. Above that is "champion" and I'm not ready to tackle that yet! Trust me, the "expert" level is hard enough! The lower levels are novice, intermediate, and advanced. If you choose other human players, they can be in the same room as you, or the other side of the world - you'll be prompted to set up remote connections. If the other humans are in the same room as you, you have to alternate turns sitting in front of the computer, or else you'll be looking at each other's tiles. As opposed to a real game, you won't be able to strategize with your own tiles while the other person is taking his turn.


Playing


Once you have the options set, start your game, and have fun!

Either you'll get to go first, or the computer will, depending on who won the "choose first letter to see who goes first" challenge. You're not actually shown the challenge, but it seems to work out that half the time I go first, and half the time "he" does.

You'll be shown your rack with seven tiles. You can use the mouse to drag the tiles around on the rack to order them however you like. You can also have the computer randomly shuffle your rack.

Once you decide what word you want to play, use the mouse to drag the letters to the spaces on the board. You can change your mind and take back your letters until you're sure you want to play the word. Once you're sure, hit "play". One of two things will happen. Either your score will be tallied and posted on the scoreboard, and new letters added to your rack. Or, if the computer challenges you, your word will disappear in a smoky haze and your letters will be returned to your rack.

When it's the computer's turn, he will move at whatever speed you chose in the options, and his word and score will appear. The game continues from that point exactly like a real game would. Just like in the real game, you can pass a turn, or exchange letters. At the end, if you win, you'll be rewarded with some nice, victory music. If you lose, the computer is gracious about it. Of course, your stats are kept, so you'll know how you're doing against the computer.

There's a built-in Scrabble dictionary, that you can access at any time. Of course in a "real" game, you're not allowed to leaf through the dictionary to see if your word is valid before playing it, but in this game, it's an option. You can also ask the dictionary the definition of the last word that was played. Also, illegal in a "real" game, but it's nice to learn the meanings of new words. When it's your turn, you can ask the computer for a "hint". It'll show you the best possible moves. Legal in a real game? Of course not.


Overall


While I prefer playing with real people, the computer makes a fine substitute. This is a great way to practice the game, and sharpen your skills. This particular software gives you lots of options to customize the playing experience, making it even more fun. I recommend it for Scrabble lovers.



Official Scrabble Players Dictionary Third Edition

Official Scrabble Players Dictionary Fourth Edition

Scrabble Premier Wood Edition

Recommended: Yes