Wordfest with Friends is a quick, exciting take on the word game format

• Wordfest with Friends is a fresh, distinct new take on the word puzzle format
• It sees you dragging, dropping and merging to form words
• Play in either endless or trivia mode, and take on up to five others in multiplayer!

While Scrabble may be a bit of a boring suggestion for board game night, for the rest of us the word puzzle format is a surprisingly engaging one. Think of Wordle, for example, or even the idea of crosswords which have proven so popular on mobile. Little surprise then that we've got a new one throwing their hat into the ring, in the form of Wordfest with Friends.

The gameplay of Wordfest is simple - you drag, drop and merge letters to form words. You can either hold out for all-important longer words or submit them for points immediately. And if the endless mode doesn't tickle your neurons enough, why not try trivia mode? Leap in and create words based on prompts in as short a time as possible.

Naturally, "With Friends" means that playing against others is also strongly encouraged. Take on up to five other players at once to make the maximum word. And even if you do have to go offline, you can keep playing no matter where you go.

Word up

It's difficult to put an interesting spin on as well-plumbed a genre as the humble word puzzle, but I think developer Spiel has done quite a decent job here. Wordfest with Friends manages to be distinct without necessarily being different for the sake of being different. The controls are simple and easy to understand, and the trivia mode is certainly a standout addition.

As for "with friends"? Well, I'd say it seems like the main effort has gone into the core gameplay itself rather than just multiplayer. But what's the point of puzzles if not to show off your brainpower?

If you're looking to see what other top options there are in the world of brainpower-infused gaming, why not check out our list of the top 25 puzzle games for iOS and Android?