Wordlands is one of the more interesting word games for the iPhone at the moment. The game takes players across a huge map divided into regions which have their own respective sets of levels. The objective is pretty simple, in each level, players are to form words from the 4X4 grid of letters by joining the letters together (horizontally, vertically and even diagonally). By doing so, players gain points which are then used to unlock the next level.

This type of gameplay makes Wordlands really addictive with the levels being short, two minute affairs. Longer words score more points and there are multipliers that kick in during a level, increasing the points gain. Players get to unlock pyramid levels in which players are challenged to find an increasing number of words within a set time. I really like the word hunting aspect of the game, it’s possible to actually unearth words with 7 letters or more in each level. For a Scrabble player like me, it’s an interesting challenge to go beyond seven letters. The whole map thing for level progression is pretty cool as well.

While there is no doubt that Wordlands is a must-have for word games lovers on the iPhone, the intriguing part of the app has to do with the business model. The game is free, but subsequent regions in the game will need to be unlocked by purchasing border passes (notice, it’s plural) for USD 0.99 each. The game is certainly worth the money, whether is it USD 0.99 or USD 2.99, and I’m pretty sure to pay USD 3.99 if the price is set at that (the game is really THAT good), so I would certainly like to see a FULL version of the game being sold on the App Store.

The game comes with Game Center support and each time you pass a level, you unlock an achievement. Players get to share their scores on Twitter and Facebook as well.  Thinknao Software’s Wordlands is now available on the App Store (for free), and the latest update features enhanced words list, so check it out on the App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wordlands/id388102527?mt=8. RECOMMENDED