Word Stacks
- October 4, 2018
- PeopleFun
"Word Stacks" is a single-player word game with great gameplay, visuals, and music, but is held back by annoying ads and bugs. Players swipe to reveal hidden words in over 3000 levels, each with a clue and evolving design. Power-ups, custom themes, and bonus words can be unlocked, providing engaging and challenging brain exercise. However, frequent ads and technical issues may hinder the overall experience.
Reviews
- Fun and challenging gameplay that keeps the mind engaged.
- Great variety of themes and backgrounds that enhance the experience.
- Ability to earn coins by finding extra words adds an enjoyable layer.
- Excessive ads that interrupt gameplay, often requiring a long wait to close.
- Game frequently freezes or crashes, especially after ads.
- Repetitive puzzles and categories that diminish the challenge over time.
- monetization2,432 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users expressing frustration over the excessive number and length of ads, often stating that they disrupt gameplay significantly. Many players report that ads appear after nearly every level, with some lasting up to 30 seconds, leading to a frustrating experience where they feel they spend more time watching ads than playing the game. While some users acknowledge the necessity of ads in free games, they argue that the frequency and intrusiveness of these ads detract from the overall enjoyment, with several players opting to uninstall the game or seek alternatives.
“There are in-app purchases, but I only buy the weekly special ($2 or $9) and that has been sufficient for me to play enjoyably.”
“Great game for which you don't need to buy in-app purchases to enjoy.”
“I always pay for no ads when I like something so this is fun uninterrupted.”
“The biggest drawback is the ads at the bottom that are now videos that shut off whatever I'm listening to, forcing me to pause the ad, go out of the game to my player, restart what I was listening to, then go back to the game.”
“I had made it to level 2600 when I decided to uninstall because the ads had gotten out of hand and it just wasn't fun anymore.”
“The overly intrusive ads ruin the experience.”
- stability225 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent freezes, especially after completing levels or during ad transitions. Many players experience the need to force close and restart the app multiple times during a single session, leading to frustration and a decline in overall enjoyment. While some users note occasional smooth gameplay, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is plagued by persistent glitches and crashes.
“This is a great app so far, no glitches at all.”
“Its been great, no freezes or mess ups.”
“Great game, runs great on my Galaxy S7; worth the money to remove ads in my opinion.”
“The game frequently freezes.”
“But only have it 2 stars because of a major flaw; ever since I've downloaded it on this phone (Pixel 2XL), it freezes after board clearing.”
“The game constantly freezes and the videos don't always load.”
- graphics137 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty, clarity, and engaging design, contributing to a relaxing and enjoyable gameplay experience. Many users appreciate the seasonal changes and vibrant colors, although some mention issues with saturation and occasional lag. While the visuals are generally considered a strong point, the presence of ads is frequently noted as a drawback that can detract from the overall experience.
“Beautiful graphics and a nice game.”
“The graphics are nice and I like how they change in each season.”
“I really enjoy playing this game, the graphics are beautiful and smooth, and the music is very peaceful and calm.”
“But I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but the game really heats up my phone, compared to other games that are obviously heavier or have more complex graphics.”
“The graphics/word recognition lag so far behind what I've swiped that it ends up missing the letters I've tried to swipe.”
“Graphics in puzzles suck.”
- music127 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it soothing and enjoyable, while others describe it as repetitive and annoying. A common complaint is that ads disrupt any background music players are using, often overriding the game's sound settings. Overall, while the music enhances the gaming experience for some, the intrusive nature of ad sounds significantly detracts from it for many users.
“The music is absolutely wonderful - I would pay for the soundtrack alone.”
“It's a really soothing game with calming music, satisfying sound effects, and just enough brain exercise.”
“I love this game and the music too, it is very soothing, and the game is very relaxing, it calms you and is also very exciting to play but challenging, I absolutely love it.”
“If you're listening to music while playing, the ads blare out twice as loud as the volume of the music, and most don't have a mute option.”
“The ads interrupt any music being played, and some ads you cannot close.”
“The game itself is nice, but there is absolutely no way to turn the music off, and I hate listening to those little jingles that repeat over and over.”
- gameplay53 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is described as fun, challenging, and smooth, with many users appreciating the variety of puzzles and relaxing themes. However, there are significant complaints about misleading advertisements, excessive ads, and a lack of clear instructions, which detract from the experience. While some players enjoy the mechanics and daily challenges, others feel that the gameplay is hindered by frequent interruptions and a lack of meaningful progression.
“The gameplay is fantastic, though!”
“Great gameplay and enough challenges to really push your vocabulary to the next level.”
“The gameplay is smooth and just so enjoyable to play.”
“It's obvious the developer doesn't care about the gameplay, just wants to force me to pay for a 'free' game.”
“The gameplay is not at all like what it shows in the ad.”
“False advertising; I saw an ad for this game with a scrolling word search and I installed the game and that's not the gameplay at all.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it funny and entertaining, particularly through clever wordplay and innuendos. However, some users express frustration with the frequent ads, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many still appreciate the game's lightheartedness and creativity, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults.
“Some of the clues made me laugh as they made me think of naughty innuendos.”
“An addictive yet funny game, great way to use your brain to solve the word puzzles.”
“Hilarious, creative fun.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is mixed; while some users report smooth performance and minimal ads, others experience lag and stuttering issues that detract from the experience. Improvements in performance are desired by several players, indicating that optimization could be enhanced further.
“The game runs smoothly and cleanly.”
“Challenging, fun, rewarding, it runs smoothly and not a lot of ads.”
“This app runs smoothly and keeps me busy for hours.”
“However, I do occasionally have issues with lag and would love to see some performance improvements.”
“I like the game itself, but the performance is very disappointing.”
“It also had occasional problems with stuttering.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a mix of enjoyment and frustration with the game, highlighting that accidental touches on hint buttons lead to unnecessary point losses. While the game is praised for its wholesome nature and attractive design, the placement of ads and hint options detracts from the overall experience, causing irritation and a sense of unfairness.
“Enjoying one more word game; wholesome (so far), non-political, and attractive background.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is minimal, with some players expressing frustration over the lack of narrative depth and the absence of an undo feature for quests. While the gameplay is engaging and addictive, the simplicity and focus on mechanics rather than story can lead to dissatisfaction, especially for those who are invested in a more substantial narrative. Overall, the experience is mixed, with some players feeling compelled to continue despite these shortcomings.
“I think it should have an undo button... because it is quite difficult to get points in the beginning... first you have the tendency to give up... but after a while you decide to continue the quest ☺ you are hooked... I played this game for almost 3 years; I still find that's smart and very entertaining.”
“Like the filling in the blanks to the story theme increases comprehension.”
“It's simple and clean, no story or other clutter, just words.”
“That made me want to uninstall the game altogether, because I was invested in the story.”
“Irritated love the game but doing side missions for coins and I play and do what I'm supposed to and I don't get my coins!!”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding mechanics in the game are largely viewed as tedious and driven by greed, detracting from the overall experience. While some players find it a way to unwind, the repetitive nature of grinding remains a common criticism.
“Take these grinding, obviously greed-driven aspects out, and you'd have a good game.”
“Very tedious.”
“Hasn't changed; it's still tedious!”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, making it suitable for short, daily sessions and enjoyable for casual play with friends. However, some users feel that progress can be hindered without additional purchases or watching videos, which may affect long-term engagement.
“Also has just the right amount of difficulty and replayability for me to tackle for 10-20 minutes each morning to get the brain running.”
“It's very replayable; it's a great game to play in your spare time and maybe get some friends in on the fun.”
“The game is okay, but you can't progress through it without watching videos or buying coins, as you need them to shuffle the letters when there are no more playable moves.”
“The replayability is lacking; once you've completed the levels, there's little incentive to return.”