HexaLex by Nathan Gray is another crack at the hexagonal-grid form of Scrabble and it's at this point that a lot of readers may switch off, but hold on, it's honestly a great implementation. Small considerations such as additional rules which can be modified or even turned off make this an extremely challenging variation on a popular board game idea.
For fans of word-games it's likely you've already stumbled on this title, but the recent 2.0 updates have added some great new features and it begged to be explored. Most of the game's controls are completely intuitive, ranging from dragging tiles to their position on the board; tapping them in to place after marking a starting position; and controlling your zoom level with pinches or multi-taps. Scoring is handled automatically and several rules extend the ability to place words while ignoring 'trash' words to increase the available play-space.
Visually the game is kept simple with clean interface designs that give this a professional board-game feel. One of the most impressive features is the ability to run several concurrent games locally and online with several players and AI. iOS 4 backgrounding is used to great effect and allows you to keep your games live while notifications prompt you when moves are made if you're playing asynchronously with a friend or two.
Ultimately HexaLex isn't going to convert many people to a life-long love of word-based games, but for fans of Scrabble or word-games this is definitely a great implementation of a classic game.
Description
"The whole thing is marvelous. The graphics are really stellar, and the controls are obvious, and perfect." -TheAppEra.com
"Hexalex delivers a fun word gaming experience that will delight Scrabble gamers." -BuzzFocus.com
* Featured by Apple: Staff Favorites and App Store's New and Noteworthy!
* Gold Award, 9.5/10 - GamersDailyNews.com
* Gizmodo: Week's Best Apps
* MacWorld: 4/5 Mice
* TUAW Daily App
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Introducing HexaLex
Wordgame fans, meet the world's first hexagonal crossword game. HexaLex takes the classic, easy to learn but hard to master game and adds a new dimension. Hexagonal tiles let you play words in three directions instead of two. Words interact in surprising ways! But have no fear, thanks to the innovative instant feedback system, tutorial, and detailed built-in help, you'll be laying down major scores in no time. If you're hooked on Scrabble or Words With Friends you're going to love HexaLex!
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FEATURES:
* 2-4 player online games, with push notifications when it's your turn.
* Feed your inner geek with extensive stats and records tracked in each game and over your career.
* Leaderboards & over 30 Medals, with or without Game Center
* 4 computer opponents for single-player gaming.
* Play online games in the plane or on the subway! Your moves will be sent the next time you've got an internet connection.
* All the tools demanding crossword gamers love, including tile shuffle, dictionary search, and a 2-letter word list.
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REVIEWS:
"Every one of us needs to snatch this up." - TheAppEra.com
"I will go out and say that this is even better than the traditional" - AppAdvice.com
"...fans of Scrabble will be immediately at home as soon as they start up this great app." - PlatformNation.com
"...for fans of Scrabble or word-games this is definitely a great implementation of a classic game." - AppSpy.com, 4/5
"Seriously, playing Scrabble now seems ghetto." - iTunes review
What's New in Version 2.5.0
HexaLex is back! This release brings improved support for modern OSes and devices, along with innumerable bug fixes and improvements.
Big thanks to everybody who still plays the game after all these years! You gals and guys are the best! Please spread the word, and if you can take the time to update your reviews for the new version I'd be very grateful.
