Editorial Review

Ever play "Hot Potato" with a spud that ticks and talks? Welcome toElectronic Catch Phrase, the battery-powered (three AAA, not included) blend ofclue deduction and race against the clock. Two teams of two or more players eachalternate turns, guessing the answers to clues in 11 categories, from Food &Drink to Tech & Inventions. Set the timer on the discus-like game unit, and theclue-giving countdown begins; if a team's guess matches the response on thegame's readout, pass the unit to the opponents. Just don't get caught holdingthis potato when the buzzer sounds (after about a minute of increasinglyinsistent beating), as the other team will score a point, possession being nine- tenths of the "Awww!" With its infectious mix of fast, nerve-wracking, high- pressure passing the buck, Electronic Catch Phrase spreads a serious case offun. --Tony Mason ... Read more

Reviews (67)

A Nerve-Wracking, Yet Highly Contagious Game
"Catch Phrase" is one of the many cool things I have discovered since being in college. I'll bet hardly anyone has heard of it (no one had heard of it where I come from anyway), but it is one of the most contagious games around.

The premise of the game is simple: After setting the timer, your team has to guess what word or phrase is visible on the screen. The unit cannot be passed until someone says exactly what is on the screen. When someone does guess correctly, you pass it on to a member of the other team.

For example, if the word was "pumpkin," you could say something along the lines of, "Okay, guys, Peter-Peter-blank-eater!" If someone has been keeping up on their nursery rhymes, he or she will know that the word in place of "blank" is "pumpkin." Make sense?

This game is a blast when you get a huge amount of people to play. About a month ago, around 20 of us were playing it at the same time. Good times there, folks!

Fun: Fun, fun, FUN. I can't reiterate it enough. It's interesting to see how nervous people get when the timer starts beeping faster; hence, the buzzer is about to go off. For some reason, people get really panicky when the pressure starts to build. It's only a game, people! Of course, you don't realize that at the time. Everyone is yelling out answers, and with all the excitement going on, your heartbeat can rise in a hurry.

Educational Value: This is a thinking game. That's the only way I know how to put it. You have to think about what it is your teammate is trying to say without he or she actually coming out and saying it. And they're not all as easy as "pumpkin." There are some real stumpers in this game, and that only adds to the fun (or frustration depending upon what side you're on).

Durability: This game is very durable. Just don't drop it! It probably wouldn't hold up very well since this is the electronic version.

In short, "Catch Phrase" is a very cool game. It's great to play with a lot of people, and it never gets boring. I've played this numerous times, and I always have interesting stories to tell the next day.

Best.....Party.....Game.....EVER!
I really can't fid anything wrong with this game. There are 10,000 words, so if you find a repeat word, it is incredibly rare. The educational value isnt that good, but, it isn't a game you buy for educational value. You buy it for fun, and that's what it delivers. Everyone will be laughing at the hilarity of some of clues. If you haven't already, buy this game.

Awesome!!!!
I fell in love with this game ever since I saw my parents and their friends playing it at a New Years Eve party. The game is great for both kids and adults. There's even a 'Family' category, which gives easier words to guess. No matter how old you are, you're bound to love it!
The only annoying thing about it is the sound, which you can't turn off or down. But if you lay it flat on the table or put your hand over the speaker while you play, then it's more than bearable.
Probably the best thing about this game is that you can bring it anywhere. It's just one little electronic game. No cards, game pieces, or anything else.
I would definitely recommend it for everyone!

Great Adult Game
We bring this game where-ever we go. We even gave one to my sister-in-law. All of us adult cousins will play once the kids are in bed. We even got my mother-in-law in one game. And she loved it. Some questions test your knowledge. Others are real simple. Sometimes we rhym especially if we can't think of anything else. The one I remember: answer was Long Johns - our Rhym was Slong Bongs. We still laugh over that clue! This is one gift we always give for Wedding Showers and Birthdays. The electronic version is so much better than the other cause all you have is one piece - very portable and packable. I guarantee you'll love it. We take ours everywhere!

Great Party Fun
This is the updated version of the original CATCHPHRASE. Instead of having cards to insert into the slot and also keep score, this electronic version takes all the fun of the classic game and updates it with 10,000 words and phrases, timer and scoring device in an all-inclusive, easy-to-carry electronic unit. This fast paced game of words and phrases lets players rattle off as many clues as they can until somebody on their team yells out the answer. Players keep passing the game unit as they talk and try not to get caught holding it when the buzzer sounds. This fast-paced game is perfect party entertainment. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This electronic handheld version of Scrabble, the classic word game, will help long train commutes or plane journeys pass more quickly. With four games to choose from (two that accommodate two players) and the ability to determine the computer's intelligence, the same game isn't likely to happen twice. Bad: when you raise the computer's IQ level, it uses words like "padri" and "Varna." Good: it accepts words like "vibrio" and "bize." Sound can be turned off, and, if not in use for more than a minute, the game goes to sleep to conserve the three AA batteries (included). --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Scramble
This game is perfect for the summer. if you miss school then you can play this game to learn how to spell. If you just want to have fun this would be good too. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

addictive but flawed
The Scrabble Express is a lot of fun in a little bit of time but can also eat up a lot of time because it's so addictive.
The main problem I experienced was when the computer played a phony word and I couldn't challenge it off the board. "RU" is no good. Later, I tried playing the same word IN THE SAME GAME and it wasn't allowed. This bothered me. Playing phonies IS part of strategic Scrabble, so there should be a challenge feature built in, or at least as a feature to toggle on and off. Bottom line, the computer shouldn't be playing phonies unless you opt to have that included as part of your decision-making.
Another flaw is that many playable words are not acceptable because the built-in dictionary is the OSPD, which omits many words deemed offensive for school play. So, short words suited for the 9 by 9 grid, such as LEZ, won't fly.

Its Word List Is Valid
I agree with the other reviewers' observations regarding the length of time it takes the computer to take its turn as well as the lack of vowels the human player is given versus the number the computer receives.
But I would like to point out that the words the computer uses are accepted "tournament word list" Scrabble words and not nonsense words as other reviewers have asserted. I've found a couple of Scrabble words the computer will not accept, but most of them are there.
Despite its shortcomings, for the money it's definitely worth it. And it's an excellent way to learn some strategies and words.

Fun, but will frustrate many serious Scrabble players
As other reviewers have indicated, this game has a 9X9 grid which causes the board to get cramped rather quickly. One of the results of this is that the opportunity to play large words, especially when playing all 7 letters for the 50 point bonus, is next to impossible unless you make the play within, say, your first two to three turns. After that it becomes just about hopeless. As a result, serious Scrabble players who utilize their ED, ING, and other such letter combinations will be severely handicapped.

This seems to be a common problem with this game overall. The better you are at Scrabble, the more this game will handicap you - such as when you set the game's IQ at its highest level and then you're repeatedly given no vowels. About the only positive from this, from a serious Scrabble player pov, is that you are forced to use your vocabulary more. Winning a game isn't so much about playing as many tiles as possible in a certain location as it is knowing obscure words to play within the confines of the board.

It should also be noted that the game has no real off button, just on and what appears to be a sleep mode. I guess the idea was to prevent anyone from accidentally shutting down the game in mid-play. But still, it's a rather annoying feature to put the game down and just wait for it to tun itself off.

These reservations aside, it's still a great game and will be fun for most people who enjoy playing Scrabble. But after several years, it's time for an improved redesign with features closer to a real Scrabble board.

Not bad for twenty bucks
WARNING! This is NOT a complete scrabble game. The board is
9x9, and it only goes a few turns. So if you are a serious
enthusiast, then get the pocket PC version.
The interface is fairly user-friendly, although the blocky LED's
get annoying after a while. The BIGGEST weakness is the bad
program that racks you with zero vowels a lot of the time! It
amazes me that the Scrabble Assn has authorized this game, because what's the probability of getting all consonants 3x in
a row?? But the dictionary (not accessible as a dictionary by the way) is replete with over 100,000 words no doubt, and based on
the OSPD 3rd ed. So you can definitely learn new words in a
fun way without just memorizing words. The machine sometimes
takes a long time also, which is surprising, since I've played
chess machines which must calculate much deeper and yet move
much more quickly.
Being also a chess enthusiast, I was surprised to find only one (1) handheld scrabble machine on the market and this was it! So although this portable game has many weaknesses, it still has a
strong dictionary, 9 playing levels, and should appeal to anyone
who remotely enjoys Scrabble on the go. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this electronic adaptation, the hangman is a cowboy in a Western town. There are 11 chances to correctly guess the word from a memory bank of 8,000 words arranged in 10 categories. The game fits in the palm of a hand, and there's much to control. Select the skill level and word length (even whether or not to have sound effects play a victory tune when the cowboy is saved from the rope). Only Level 1 allows the player to pick from categories like Animals, City, Music, and Wild West. Otherwise, it's as random as traditional Hangman. Game 2 scrambles the letters, so it's even harder to guess which letter to pick from the lot and to guess the word. It comes ready to play, keeps score, and has an automatic shutoff. Great for long road trips. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

It's Ok!
This Electronic Hangman Game is fun. I'm not sure how educational it is but it's a great for kids to play with in the car on what they would call long boring road trips and the size is small and can fit in pockets and even a handbag.

Best Ever = um... BUY!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER, HAS OVER 100,000 WORDS. YOU CAN SELECT YOUR CATIGORY AND HOW MANY LETTERS. EACH TIME YOU GET THE WORD RIGHT YOU GET POINTS, AND THEY GET HIGHER AND HIGHER, AND IF U GET IT WRONG IT GETS LOWER. ...

It's Fine????
This is an okay game, though it sometimes gets a little boring. This game can teach kids different words. There are 8 categories to choose from, plus you can choose how many letters you want in the game. You get 11 guesses to guess what word they are giving you.

This One's A Winner!
I gave this hangman game last Christmas to my fifth grade daughter (a great stocking gift) and nearly a year later she's still playing with it and enjoying it. A terrific function of the game for me is that the user can *mute* the sound while playing it.

GETTING THE HANG OF IT
THIS IS A FUN TOY. HANGMAN IS A GREAT GAME ANYWAY AND THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION, COMPLETE WITH VISUALS OF THE HANGMAN AND THE EXTRACTION OF HIS VARIOUS LIMBS, IS FUNNY AND ENJOYABLE. A VERY ENTERTAINING TOY. ... Read more

Features

• Touch screen with a stylus
• Erase incorrect letters easily
• Get clues when you wish
• Choose from different skill levels
• Contrast adjustments for different lighting conditions

Reviews (3)

Very educational and fun
I got this as a get well gift about two weeks ago.I normally do not like crossword puzzels that much but this crossword puzzle machine is fun and strengthens your vocabulary immensely.I would reccomend this to a 14 or above age area or a very intelligent 13 year old (like me).If you are a parent and your kid likes crossword puzzels get them this.It can be very challenging though.Sometimes I need help from my parents to figure some out.I like how it has over 500 crossword puzzels right in the palm of your hands.

The best game in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This game is the coolest! Why is it the coolest you ask well word searches to me is the funniest thing to do when you are bored so just pick up this game and you wont be borded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A disappointment
As a rabid Times crossword fan, I looked forward to getting this, but returned it. The screen is hard to see, and one must keep switching back and forth from clues to grid, making it more frustrating than fun to use.
My alternative recommendation is, if you have a handheld, to get the Stand Alone crossword software. I've since downloaded it and like it much better than this thing. Or you could just buy a crossword puzzle book or five, considering what this device costs. ... Read more