Fun, Fierce and Good for you (Scrabble Original)

Member Name: DannoStanno

Product:	Scrabble Original
Date:	28/05/09 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No game ever the same, compelling

Disadvantages: May cause arguments

Sometimes I feel I am a mid-20 something stuck with the mind of a 60 year old (thankfully not the body). I don't own a Playstation or any console. I hate nightclubs. And, most strangely i love the board game Scrabble.

the history of the game was that it was created in the last great depression (1930s America) by a man made redundant and only after 20 years or so did he sell the rights to Mattel in the form of the game as it stands now. Thus for fifty years Scrabble has been in society's games cupboards and as it is still a force both on board and electronically today (Nintendo DS for example has a version, plus there are plenty of online sites) it must be doing something right.

the game is for 2 to 4 players and consists of picking 7 letter tiles from a bag. Each tile's letter has a different score, depending on the frequency the letter is used in the English (or whatever foreign version you may be playing) language. Thus E, S, R, A etc are worth just 1 point, whilst Q and Z are a massive 10 points. By forming words from your tiles and adding them to letters already on the board, points are tallied up and the game emerges. Such squares on the board as 'Double Letter Score' and 'Triple Word Score' add a further way to rack up points and beat your opponent.

The game, I find, is highly satisfying and rediculously addictive. It powers the brain, of course, but can also create a huge amount of tension. It can also create classic family arguments over people taking too long or making up words so I suggest a chess-clock and a reliable dictionary could help.

Due to the game's nature, no game will ever be the same and though there is a slight bit of luck involved with which tiles you pick, there is a whole lot of skill needed to be a great player. The game's only faults are that it can be frustrating for both players if they are of obviously different levels of play and the offspring, 'Scrabble Junior' which no child should be forced to endure (give them real Scrabble from an early age - much better!)

Summary: A brilliant and classic board game that helps the brain and can involve great skill