Bird’s the Word HD Review

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Bird’s the Word HD Review

at 6:05 AM

Bird’s the Word HD Review

By Jordan Minor on October 26th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: WORDS OF A FEATHER
Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Bird’s the Word HD is a fine take on a simple formula.

Developer: SGN
Price: $1.99
Version Reviewed: 2.0
Device Reviewed On: iPad 2

Graphics / Sound Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 3.85 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.65 out of 5 stars

Anyone who has played the Boggle style of word search game has played Bird’s the Word HD. That’s not bad thing, though, as it is a perfectly fine version of that game and those in the market for word games on their iPad should definitely consider it. Honestly, that’s all the review anyone should need but there are some other things worth mentioning that set Bird’s the Word apart from the flock.

The gameplay isn’t anything new. Random letters are displayed on a grid and players have to spell as many words as they can. Clearing certain words activates time and score bonuses and outside of being cute window dressing, the cartoon birds that border the screen, some of which are unlockable, sometimes swoop onto the board to hinder progress.

Speaking of those birds, the game’s relatively flat artwork is unremarkable but serviceable as is the music. However, the game has a nice tranquil atmosphere. It also may remind some of For the Birds and what better compliment is there than saying something is like a Pixar short. And for all those Family Guy fans, the developer has said that the song “Surfin’ Bird” is coming to the soundtrack.

Probably the most notable aspect though are the alternate game modes. Classic mode has players reaching a certain score and timed mode is pretty self-explanatory. By far the most interesting and challenging mode however is “word worm.” Once one creates a word, the last letter of the word they just created must be the first letter of the word they create next. Add in a timer and players will be in for a good and tough experience. Players can also connect through Facebook to compete with friends.

Outside of a few unique game modes, Bird’s the Word HD isn’t doing anything we haven’t seen in a game like this before. But it is doing those same things in a perfectly competent way that will certainly make it a satisfying distraction for plenty of wordsmiths.