Pocket Rooble app for iPhone and iPad

Warning: Pocket Rooble appears button-down, unassuming, plain and unpretentious. No gems or power-ups or sparkly animations. But beneath that staid surface lurks the potential for addiction. This game is like opium for word lovers.

Its simple enough.

Pocket Rooble starts with an 8 x 8 grid of 64 randomized letters. With a swipe, slide the rows left and right or slide the columns up and down. Letters that slide off one side of the board reappear on the other. Rearrange the letters to form words. Select the words, lock them in place , and add them to your score. The remaining letters keep sliding under the locked words, emerging on the other side. Keep at it until you lock down as many words as you can find. The more you lock down, the harder it is to rearrange the letters. Any unused letters will deduct a point from your final score.

Simple.

A little like every word game you’ve ever played. Unlike any word game you’ve ever played. Don’t blame me if you become addicted to it.

e.w. parris