• Though Scrabble has since been updated, this original CD-ROM version is nonetheless a good rendition of the very popular board game.
• All newspaper Jumble addicts, take note! Jumble CD-ROM not only contains hundreds of classic Jumble word games, but also 4 other variations on the theme, including Jumble for Kids.
• Smart Games Challenge 1 contains 20 different word games with up to 20 levels in each game. Includes such popular word games as Anagrams and Cryptograms, as well as a nice selection of logic and math puzzles, including brainteasers like Car Jam and Series.
• Based on the game of the same name, Boggle is great fun on the computer. This title contains classic Boggle, as well as 4 other variations.

The first 3 titles were originally released in 1998, and Boggle was published in 1997.

Word puzzle lovers will fully enjoy this collection of CD-ROMs. Though they are not current releases, these software titles absolutely do the trick. Jumble sports sharp and appealing retro graphics, a nice interface, and contains word puzzles designed specifically for kids! What a great little diversion -- and it isn't a mindless one at that. Here, kids and adults alike work on unscrambling words, then unscramble the word(s) formed by special circled letters in order to solve a colorful cartoon riddle. The Jumble for Kids option is just right for kids in grades 3-4 -- many children of this age appreciate jokes of this nature, and can benefit from working with words, helping to improve spelling and vocabulary skills.

Smart Challenges 1, first released in 1998, quickly spawned sequels. This first game in the series contains a wide range of puzzles to please anyone who enjoys brainteasers. There are 20 games in all. Word games include Word Builder, Word Search, Word Melt (change a word to an entirely different word one letter at a time in as few moves as possible), Anagrams, Crosswords, and Cryptograms (decode messages). Math puzzles include Take a Number (make a mathematical equation work given the numerals and operators), Cash Crop, and more. Many of these games are logic puzzles, such as Car Jam (try to get a car to the exit by moving other cars out of the way in a strategic manner, in as few moves as possible), Matchplay (move matchsticks in the required number of moves to complete a task - ex. "move 4 matchsticks to make 2 squares"), Entropy, and more. Marble Jump is similar to the board game Hi-Q, and Series as well as World Series both require players to determine patterns and continue a series of numbers, letters, or words. The design could have been a little better -- it is functional, but lacks some options that would make gameplay smoother, such as the choice of typing answers to word games, and an "undo" option.

Though this 1998 version of Scrabble is not as pleasing as the 1999 version (see our review) in terms of graphics and interface, gameplay is much the same. Users can play against the formidable AI Maven (against the computer), a human opponent sitting at the computer, or human opponents over the Internet or LAN. Scrabble lovers will find Maven a very worthy opponent, and might be humbled by the experience, depending on the difficulty level selected! Scrabble translates beautifully to the computer -- players get a tireless and always available opponent in Maven, and those who find a classic game of Scrabble a tad too long and involving will enjoy Maven's automatic (read: speedy) turns. The software also includes an excellent "hints" feature and an accessible dictionary.

Boggle provides another great exercise in language arts. It involves searching for words in a scrambled grid of letters within a given time frame. Players try to find as many words as they can as they race against the clock. The variations are wild, multiplayer options are available, and Classic Boggle is a faithful translation of the board game to the computer. However, note that playing against a human opponent at the same computer is very flawed, due to the nature of the game itself. Players would have to be blindfolded to play this game properly. Playing against human opponents over the Internet is a great experience. Head-to-head Boggle is one of the areas in which the game stands out. Solitary gameplay, however, is addictive, and the difficulty levels of the computer opponent can be selected so that kids as well as adults can be sufficiently challenged by the game.

Technically Speaking
Though 3 of the games will run on 486 processors, Jumble has the highest system requirements, so they are listed here:

Minimum requirements are Windows 95/98, a Pentium 90 processor, 16 Mb RAM, and 4X CD ROM.

Skills Covered
Spelling, vocabulary, strategy, word skills, math and logic puzzles.

Educational Value
Word games help to strengthen spelling, vocabulary, as well as basic thinking skills. Other forms of logic and math puzzles appear in the Smart Challenges 1 program and are wonderful brainteasers. Spending leisure time on these brain-building diversions is certainly more worthwhile than playing the many mindless games on the market.

Entertainment Value
All software titles provide wonderfully entertaining (and addictive) diversions, some of which are short, and others requiring more involved gameplay.

Design
The graphics in these 4 titles range from rather uninspired and functional (Smart Games Challenge 1) to very funky and pleasing (Jumble). All programs feature decent interfaces, and are very playable.

Replayability
Any word game fans will find a whole lot to do with these 4 CD-ROMs. Taken together, these titles provide a wonderful range of word puzzles and games that will entertain the whole family indefinitely.

Dollar Value
Though these titles are not totally current, they are all good to excellent. This is where the consumer benefits -- 4 previously released solid CD-ROMs come together in a package bearing a relatively tiny price tag.