In
INTRODUCTION
my continuing search for entertainment that provides
a challenge to more than just my reflexes, my latest
stop has been Word Mojo. As the name implies,
Word Mojo tests your vocabulary, but unlike a dry test
or drill, Word Mojo does so in an entertaining review.
Word Mojo is a “port” of
WHAT’S
HOT
an already popular web-based game. Astraware
and FreshGames worked together to provide the same
game-play and even the same look as the web original. Word
Mojo has you create words on a Scrabble-like grid,
either against the clock or in a more sedate untimed
mode. You will also need a bit of strategic
thinking as you have to create a word from letters
placed on the colored squares in the Mega Mojo Round.
PROGRAM
FEATURES
src="http://cdn.pocketnow.com/html/portal/reviews/0000000599/review/SplashScreen.gif" alt=""
style="border: 1px solid ; width: 240px; height: 320px;">
Word
Mojo comes up with a “splash screen that
allows you to choose timed and untimed play.
You
also choose 6 or 7 letter play.
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The
game-play screen looks like this.
You
select tiles from your tile set, each with
a given point value…
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words.
The
indicators show the time (in timed play),
the round or level, and the set (six in each
round).
Letters
that are placed on the random colored squares
become your Mega Mojo tile set…
style="border: 1px solid ; width: 240px; height: 320px;">
…which
are used to create an extra-point word in
the Mega Mojo Round.
If
you reach your target score…
You
get congratulated and move on to the next
level.
At
the end of each level, the game shows your
statistics.
There
is even a High Score table which you can
even “export” to assure your fame on Astraware’s
web site.
You
can mute background music or sound effects,
pause or quit the game, using buttons right
on the main screen.
but it is also quite captivating. You
need to place your tiles carefully, both
to get letters you can use for the Mega
Mojo Round, and to allow you to continue
to create words on the playing grid. The
game provides the right balance of strategy
and activity, especially if you play against
the clock.
There are also some great automatic features built into the
game. First, the current game is automatically saved. Even if you
have to do a soft-reset, you will return to the game that you were playing when
you start Word Mojo again. Second, the game will automatically pause if
you pop down the Start Menu, switch to a different task, are interrupted by an
appointment or other pop-up windows, or if the Pocket PC shuts itself off. All
of this happens without the user having to do anything. This is truly user-centered
programming on Astraware/FreshGames part.
Another example of user-centered programming are the fact
that you can adjust the volume or completely mute the background music separately
from the sound effects.
HELP
SUPPORT
the Pocket PC Help application. That help explains
the game-play very well. For further support
you can also visit the Astraware
support site or the Astraware
Forums.
Word Mojo runs on and
SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS
Pocket PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002, or Windows Mobile
2003 (including Second Edition) Pocket PC with 16-bit
color. Sound requires an ARM or XScale processor,
but the game will run, without sound, on MIPS or
SH3 Pocket PCs.
The program takes up 1.14MB of Program Memory to run and 618KB
of Storage Memory to install. The program can be installed on a storage
card or on a File Store without any loss of performance.
I wasn’t able to find
BUGS
AND WISHES
any programming flaws or glitches in my testing of
Word Mojo. The game played smoothly without
a hitch. That said, there is one thing I would
like to see in a future version of the game: Although
50,000 words seems like a lot, I tried some words
that just were not in Word Mojo’s dictionary. I’d
like to see a way to “challenge” Word Mojo’s rejection
of a word and allow you to add new words to the dictionary. That
could open the door to alternate or specialized dictionaries
that would allow you to play with a specialized vocabulary.
You can purchase Word
PURCHASING
Mojo Astraware for $14.95. There is
also a
free trial version available.
PROS
Uses
a dictionary of over 50,000 words
original
CONS
Provides
no way to challenge or add words to the dictionary
| Value |  |
| Ease of Use |
|
| Features |  |
Overall |
|
OVERALL IMPRESSION
brings together some of the best game-writing talent for the Pocket
PC. Word Mojo is no exception. The program ran smoothly
and I found the game-play enjoyable. I really liked the auto-pause
and auto-save features since I’m often trying to do three things at
once.
If you want a game that exercises your memory and word-knowledge,
without seeming like a drill, Word Mojo is definitely it. Download your
copy today.
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