Spell Rift (game)

Spell Rift is a mobile, spelling-based video game developed by Kieffer Bros, available for iPhone and iPad devices. Spell Rift serves as a follow up to their previous word game, Abca (previously Lexic), which is no longer available. It was released on the App Store for the iPad in October of 2012 and for the iPhone in November of the same year.

Spell Rift's game mechanics are very similar to that of games such as W.E.L.D.E.R. or Bookworm, in that the objective is to form words from letter tiles on a grid, and when they are used, they disappear and more fall from above. However, Spell Rift is unique due to its Specialty Tiles. Specialty Tiles are tiles that perform certain functions and alter gameplay. Below is a brief list of the eleven types of tiles, and a summary of what they do.


 * Normal tile: Slate in color. Doesn't do anything special.


 * Bonus tile: This tile comes in three types: Copper, silver and gold. After a word with four or more letters is made, one of these will drop in.
 * Stone tile:The player may use stone tiles infinitely. They don't disappear or give bonus points.


 * Bomb: These troublesome tiles explode if not used in five moves. The lights on it indicate how many moves you have until it explodes.


 * Spinner: Spinners change into a random letter each turn. They can be helpful or tricky.


 * Lock plate: The number of bolts on this tile determine how many times you can use it before it falls, revealing another tile beneath it.


 * Virus: When viruses slide in, they zigzag a path through the board, infecting tiles with the letter it carries. However, specialty tiles and previously infected tiles aren't affected.
 * Vacuum tile: After each move, vacuums devour whatever tile is beneath it.
 * Row killers: These are rigged to detonate if enough room is given. If two tile spaces open up directly below a row killer, its trigger foot will slide out, charging its incendiary core. Once the foot slides back into it, the tile will blast the entire row's tiles away.
 * Heart tile: To successfully pass/survive a level with heart tiles, you must keep at least one alive. Viruses, vacuums, and row killers are trouble for them, so protect the hearts!
 * Warpers: These high-tech tiles can swap places with any other tile on the game board.

Each letter in Spell Rift has a point value based on frequency, much like Scrabble.


 * A: 1


 * B: 2


 * C: 3


 * D: 2


 * E: 1


 * F: 3


 * G: 2
 * H: 1


 * I: 1


 * J: 8


 * K: 5


 * L: 1


 * M: 2


 * N: 1


 * O: 1


 * P: 2


 * Qu*: 8


 * R: 1


 * S: 1


 * T: 1


 * U: 1


 * V: 4


 * W: 3


 * X: 8


 * Y: 2


 * Z: 8

(*Note that for convenience, Q and u have been combined into one tile.)

You also score length bonus points:

2 tiles: 0 bonus points

3: 1

4: 3

5: 6

6: 10

7: 15

8: 21

9: 28

10: 36

11: 45

12: 55

13: 66

and so on...

Specialty tiles also score bonus points:

Stone: 0

Lock Plate Bolt: 1

Heart: 1

Spinner: 2

Row Killer: 2

Warper: 2

Bomb: 3

Virus: 3

Vacuum: 3

Copper: 5

Silver: 10

Gold: 20

Word game apps do not often have stories, however, in Spell Rift, after a profile is made, cutscenes of text explain a story.

The Story: Legends speak of an ancient source of knowledge- the Well of Words. Your journey takes you beyond the edge of the world to a place called the Rift.

Levels:

There are 18 levels in Spell Rift (21 if the 3 bonus levels are counted), across 3 worlds.

World 1:


 * 1. Day One


 * 2. Path of Perils


 * 3. Here Be Spinners


 * [3B. Minefield]
 * 4. The Way Is Locked


 * 5. Stonework


 * 6: Recollection

World 2:


 * 7.Infection


 * 8. Multifarious


 * 9. Cleanup


 * 10. Petrification


 * [10B. Stasis Squared]


 * 11. They Came from Above


 * 12. Explosives

World 3:


 * 13. The Tiles Are Alive


 * 14. Teleportation


 * 15. Virulent Vexers


 * [15B. Cardiac Duress]


 * 16. Anomalous


 * 17. Successive Dangers


 * 18. The Edge of Erudition

Each level has a certain goal (Collect 90 tiles, remove 15 lock plates, etc.). Certain levels are timed, but all levels have three optional achievements. Achievements are completed by doing certain tasks (e.g., collecting five silver tiles).

Replay value: Spell Rift has a high amount of replay value. Despite having only 21 levels, each, in a way, functions as its own game “mode”, allowing a variety of challenges. The player could play one level repeatedly, and each time, it would be different. Replaying levels allows the player to boost their level and leaderboard scores. Unlocking bonus levels and expanding the vocabulary of the Well of Words also adds to the replay value.

Well of Words: Once all 18 main levels (not counting bonus levels) have been completed, the Well of Words is unlocked. When the player taps on it, it brings up a screen of a well's surface with words the player has made in the water. Moving a finger across the water ripples the surface. If the player taps a word, a definition from their device's dictionary is brought up.