ScrabbleWordFinder
Word Games and Technology
Word puzzles or games are defined as any puzzle that involves the formulation, discovery, or alteration of words. Often, these are designed to challenge a personal aptitude of language and create mental stimulation. In addition to being a source of entertainment, these games and puzzles can also be used for educational goals. For instance, the board game Scrabble can be used to help language learners practice and improve their vocabulary. Some teachers utilize word puzzles to help improve literacy.
Online Word Games and Puzzles
There are various types of word games and puzzles that are played through multiple channels such as pen and paper, board games, and video games. Today, the most popular word games exists online. This can be caused by several factors. One reason is affordability as many online word games can now be played for a cheap price or even for free. Another reason is accessibility. Playing word games can now be accomplished on a desktop PC, laptop, or smartphone. The Internet has also enabled players to access a game anytime, anywhere. The variety of opponents existing over the internet is also a factor. Having the ability to play with different people from around the world makes each game uniquely challenging and refreshing. The development of mobile technology has also led to the rise in popularity of online word games and puzzles. Another factor that has influenced the popularity of online word games such as (Scrabble|Words With Friends) is the ability to play against multiple people (simultaneously|at the same time) and at your own pace.
The most popular word games online are usually classic board games on a mobile platform or those that have been revised to add a twist to a classic game. One of the top 5 popular word games is Words With Friends, a game that is available to play on Facebook or on the IPhone. It has around 18.3 million users as of March 2012 according to ComScore, a digital metrics company. According to Zynga, the creator of the game, there are 4.8 million games completed each day and over 3.5 million words played per hour (as of December 2011). Scrabble has also enjoyed resurgence in popularity recently because people are now able to play it online and on their phones. Another popular online word game is Hanging with Friends which is the Hangman game with a twist.
Online Word Game Cheats
Because of the popularity of these games, it may have been inevitable that there will also be an increase in the development of online game cheats. Game cheats such as Words With Friends Cheat and Scrabble Word Finder help players find words that will garner them the highest amount of points or those that would help them strategically win the game. These software cheats have slowly gained popularity as the number of players increase in number. In one event in 2011, a form of Scrabble Cheat tournament took place for charity where players can donate to 826 NYC and gain the ability to cheat in the game. While these cheats have become popular, there are groups of people voicing out their concerns. Schools in Indonesia are prohibiting smartphones because these software cheats enables students to cheat in classes. Others are worried that the popularity of such helpers can cause students to believe that cheating in school is tolerable. Whether these are valid concerns or not, it has yet to place any impact on the prevalence of cheating in online word games and puzzles.
