Letterpress - Addictive Word Game for iOS

A New Word Game: Introducing Letterpress

Letterpress represents a fresh take on word games, developed by Atebits, the creators of the popular Tweetie application. This iOS app is poised to captivate players with its engaging gameplay. Despite its straightforward appearance – both in terms of design and core mechanics – Letterpress is a compelling experience for enthusiasts of word puzzles.

The game skillfully blends elements reminiscent of Boggle with the familiar concept of connecting the dots. This combination creates a potentially addictive experience. The pedigree of its creator, responsible for the original Twitter app, further enhances Letterpress’s prospects.

Game Setup and Multiplayer Focus

Participation in Letterpress necessitates logging in through Game Center. Single-player functionality is absent; the game is exclusively designed for competition against other players. To challenge friends, simply extend invitations through your Game Center connections.

The gameplay unfolds on a 5x5 grid of letters. Players alternate turns, forming words from the available letters. Importantly, letters do not need to be adjacent to constitute a valid word.

As words are created, the corresponding tiles are highlighted in the player’s color – initially blue.

When an opponent utilizes the same tile, its color shifts to pink, creating a dynamic and visually evolving board.

Strategic Gameplay and Tile Control

The objective is to dominate the board by claiming as many tiles as possible with your color. Players can strategically protect tiles by surrounding them with tiles of their own color.

This is achieved by constructing words that incorporate the target tile and its neighboring letters. Successfully enclosed tiles darken in shade, indicating their secured status.

While opponents can still use these protected tiles, their color won’t change unless the tile is freed from its surrounding enclosure, effectively securing it for your final score.

A game concludes either when a player concedes or when all tiles have been claimed by one color or another. The player controlling the majority of the board’s tiles at the game’s end is declared the winner.

Rules and Game Flow

Certain rules govern word creation. Words must consist of at least two letters, and repetition of the same word is prohibited. Furthermore, if an opponent plays a specific word, such as "Quilts," you cannot subsequently play its variant, "Quilt."

Similar to Draw Something, Letterpress offers both asynchronous gameplay – allowing for matches to unfold over extended periods – and quick, casual sessions ideal for commutes or brief downtime.

Free vs. Paid Version

The free version of Letterpress has some limitations. Access to all available themes is restricted. More significantly, it limits concurrent games to a maximum of two.

This can be frustrating while awaiting opponents’ moves. An upgrade to the paid version, priced at $0.99, removes this restriction.

Letterpress is a polished, thoughtfully designed, and enjoyable game with the potential to quickly rise in the iTunes game rankings.

Feature Request and Community Engagement

A desirable addition would be a feature displaying a history of words played within each game. Given that matches can span days, players might inadvertently attempt to reuse words.

We invite you to share your thoughts on Letterpress in the comments below.