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Touch me I'm slick: fiending on Words With Friends

wwf1.jpgThis isn't the iPhone game recommendation I intended to write today. Weeks have gone by and I haven't even been able to carve out time to adequately write at any considerable length on Rolando 2 or Space Invaders: Infinity Gene (both of which are, indeed, must-buy games), and here I find myself writing about the last thing I expected to overtake my weekend: NewToy's Words With Friends.

There's not much explanation you'll need to understand the Words experience. It's ultimate-Facebook-time-waster Scrabulous, on your iPhone. And it works. That's all you really need to know: you can start multiple games with random players, or search for your friends across the network via your contact list (if you've ever played their earlier Chess with Friends, you'll recognize the setup), get dropped into a new room with no more frills than your board, a chatroom, and occasionally the haunting google-eye notifier of your opponent checking in.

Granted, this isn't the only way to get an iPhone word-fix: EA has its own version of Scrabble, and the Scrabulous devs themselves have their own mobile version of Lexulous, the post-cease-and-desist version of the game they brought back to Facebook. And indeed, both of those games use Facebook Connect to broaden your opponent-base, which Words With Friends does not.

wwf2.jpgBut the key? Words With Friends -- both the paid version, and its ad-supported free sibling -- is lean, streamlined, and does nothing more than what it's meant to do: give you a quick-burst next move in the minute and a half you have to fiddle with your iPhone in between life's everything else. Push notifications are coming in an imminent update to make that compulsion even more inescapable.

And the real reason it's caught my attention: NewToy are, of course, the former Age of Empires devs who recently announced a partnership with Metal Gear Solid comic artist Ashley Wood, which will see the two collaborate on an iPhone game based on Wood's soviet-mech series World War Robot.

When they announced the partnership -- considering their pedigree -- I mentioned that my hopes were high for an online turn-based strategy along the lines of a stylized portable Front Mission. After spending the weekend obsessively checking in with Words with Friends and experiencing just how solid their online infrastructure is, that hope has triple-scored.

[Feel free to start a new game with me there as 'brand0nnn' (with a zero)!]

Words With Friends [NewToy, App Store link, Free version App Store link]

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35 Comments Add a comment

westcoastannie #1 10:20 PM Monday, Jan 4, 2010 Reply

Just wanted to know how I can sign into this account already set up on my iphone with my itouch. When I put in my email address on my itouch, it says that I need to activate my account on my iphone(which I obviously already did!) or set up a new account.

Maryroset #2 6:04 PM Saturday, Jan 30, 2010 Reply

I just want to say how much I love this game. Would like to know if you can play it on the computor also. Many of my friends have asked.

alphajolt #3 10:48 PM Saturday, Jan 30, 2010 Reply

Love this game...

FoolishSage #4 6:21 AM Sunday, Jan 31, 2010 Reply

The one thing I wish this game would add is a social media connection. Actually, I can't believe they haven't done this. They are missing a big opportunity to gain new players. At the least it should have Facebook Connect, and the option to post your game results on Facebook.

But I agree. This is a very well-executed game, and the most addictive app on my iPhone right now.

kimmy333 #5 1:01 PM Friday, Feb 5, 2010 Reply

Please let us resign games at any time. I have about 5 people over 5 days with no play. Had more but 3 came back and said the game kept updating and wouldn't let them play. 2 are over 7 days! I just want to play and now I can't because they won't move! I don't care if I win or lose, just want to end the game and move on to a person that wants to play.

Either let us resign or change number of days to wait for a move.

Thanks!

thatkelly #6 8:30 AM Monday, Feb 8, 2010 Reply

What is with the eyeballs I keep seeing on some opponents user names?

Keshia88 #7 5:22 PM Monday, Feb 8, 2010 Reply

How do you clear games that you've lost?

clarkimoto #8 2:56 PM Tuesday, Feb 9, 2010 Reply

My game has been updating for the last couple of hours and I can't play or send anything. Why is that?

appleterribee #9 9:43 AM Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010 Reply

i love this game, but it's giving me the "server update" message. it says that i need to "restart and it'll be good to go" but the same damn meesage pops up. what's going on????

the other problem i get is the "updating" message that stays on for about 30 second and then it closes my app.

i've been experiencing both of these problems in the last 3 days :(

Wittmerclan #10 5:33 AM Thursday, Feb 11, 2010 Reply

I have several games going that my opponent hasn't made a move in 15 days. Please allow me to end these games!!! If someone hasn't made a move in a couple days the game should be able to be ended. Please :)

cindyberry #11 2:35 PM Thursday, Feb 11, 2010 Reply

I love playing "Words" this game, but I keep getting the "server update" message. It tells me to "restart" but when I do, I still get the same error message.

I also keep getting the "updating" message that stays on for about 30 second and then it closes my application, and repeats the cycle over and over.

This has been happening for more than 24 hours and I Can't make a single move.

What do I need to do to use the Ap I purchased successfully? This is VERY frustrating.

Joy @ Mommys Joy #12 7:25 AM Friday, Feb 19, 2010 Reply

I used to love this app. But since it started crashing about a month ago I've learned to hate it. Now I'm told to uninstall it/reinstall. I did that, turning my phone on/off after the uninstall and before the reinstall and what happens is this:

I try to open the app and get a message "Updating, this may take a few minutes" After about a minute or two it crashes. Over and over again. This went on for about 10 minutes before I wanted to chunk my phone at the wall.... over a game.... sigh.

Before all this started happening I was beginning to ponder the idea of buying the paid app because the muscle man add is getting annoying on the free version but not now. No way.

I'm willing to give it some time before I totally give up on it to see if a TRUE fix can be nailed down but this is getting stupid.

GracielaEster #13 11:42 AM Friday, Feb 19, 2010 Reply

I am having the same problem...Updating all the time without letting me make any moves...I have not foung a way to communicate and get information on what is wrong. I have deleted the app and re-installed it with the same result. Does anyone answer these comments?

Chris RN #14 3:26 PM Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010 Reply

I was really enjoying this game until it crashed yesterday. It wouldn't stop updating. I deleted the application and reinstalled it like their support suggests, but then I couldn't get back into the game because it said the user was registered on another device. So I deleted the app again and purchased the app without the ads. It worked for about an hour. Now it updates and then kicks me out and back to my home page. I wouldn't even consider the chess application or any of their other apps--not until this problem is fixed.

nclaxq #15 4:20 PM Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 Reply

I was having a great game till it crashed on me and I deleted and re loaded on to my iphone quite a few times but the games that were loaded on my original game are stuck in there and i cant play anybody and my friends can not "resign" as its my turn.

VERY FRUSTRATING.

FIX IT WILL YA

nclaxq #16 4:21 PM Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 Reply

Touch me Im slick.

i sure am but only for a while

morgesons3 #17 2:48 PM Monday, Mar 1, 2010 Reply

I am having the same problem as some others I have read. My game just keeps telling me its updating and then kicks me back out to my home page. What can we do? Can you fix it soon?

Very disappointed,

Shannon

kent1 #18 6:01 AM Wednesday, Mar 3, 2010 Reply

Mine is doing the same thing. Even after I bought the paid version, it keeps saying it is updating and I can not play. This has been happening for a day. Any ideas?

xradiated1 #19 5:35 PM Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 Reply

Mine has been updating for well over 24hrs now. I even deleted it, then put it back on and it's STILL doing it!!! How frustrating! I love this game, but I can't play :-(

wordup #20 8:18 PM Monday, Mar 22, 2010 Reply

Make the **** thing work! I have not been able to get to app open on mine or my husbands phone for months! We even opted to buy the app and it still wont open..WTF?? And if its not going to work I want my money back...where do you go for refunds?

putt for d'oh #21 12:49 PM Tuesday, Mar 23, 2010 Reply

Games been updating for 15hrs. Can't do anything to affect it and it's maddening. Love the game but don't need this aggr5avation. looking for similar site. Haven't yet un/reinstalled but judging from the comments of others i don't have any faith that it would resolve my issue. i paid for the ad-free version and don't feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

Boogie22 #22 10:24 PM Thursday, Mar 25, 2010 Reply

Does anyone know if this app will become available for the My Touch tmobile phone? Thank you!!!

prea #23 2:07 PM Monday, Mar 29, 2010 Reply

I am also a Words with Friends fan. I had the "updating" problem and found this fix on the newtoyinc website.
Here is what worked for me:
-delete the app from your iPhone
-download and reinstall again
-turn the phone off (press the Home and On/off key until the Apple appears
-Open Words and it should update successfully!
NOTE- some people report having to do this process several times!!!

J.Justice6 #24 8:18 AM Wednesday, Jul 28, 2010 Reply

I have this game on my itouch. I love it. Just wanted to know is this going to be available on the Android phones? I have the Evo HTC & would love to be able to play this with my friends again.

J.Justice6 #25 8:20 AM Wednesday, Jul 28, 2010 Reply

I have this game on my itouch. I love it. Just wanted to know is this going to be available on the Android phones? I have the Evo HTC & would love to be able to play this with my friends again.

Kimberly #26 3:55 PM Wednesday, Jul 28, 2010 Reply

The little eyeballs someone asked about means someone wants to chat with you ~

Now for my lil' complaint. I love the game, don't get me wrong but Pleeeease fix the game so if my opponent doesn't make a move in a reasonable amount of time it should automatically resign them ! And by a reasonable amount of time I don't mean 12 days. I mean that is NUTS ! If u don't wanna play people then don't play ! Pleeease fix this !!!!
Thank god I'm not getting the "update" error like alot of you are getting. I hope that gets fixed for all u also ~

Kimberly #27 3:57 PM Wednesday, Jul 28, 2010 Reply

The little eyeballs someone asked about means someone wants to chat with you ~

Now for my lil' complaint. I love the game, don't get me wrong but Pleeeease fix the game so if my opponent doesn't make a move in a reasonable amount of time it should automatically resign them ! And by a reasonable amount of time I don't mean 12 days. I mean that is NUTS ! If u don't wanna play people then don't play ! Pleeease fix this !!!!
Thank god I'm not getting the "update" error like alot of you are getting. I hope that gets fixed for all u also ~

ujolonuqulef@gmail.com #28 11:42 PM Friday, Aug 6, 2010 Reply

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