Anyone can create an application for a smart phone, but not all are successful or profitable. On the other hand, some companies have become “app empires.” Zynga has created apps like presently popular Words with Friends and Scramble with Friends. These games have taken the world by storm and have helped to create a company worth more than half a million dollars.
“They are addicting because you can play with your friends, and connect it to Facebook,” junior Jessica Wineteer said.
One of the latest Zynga creations is the game Scramble with Friends, which is a word game that can compare to the game Boggle. The goal of the game is to see which the player has a time limit to create as many words as they can with the letters that they are randomly given. One can play against friends or a random opponent. There are aids in the game that can freeze the clock, help out when the player is stuck and cannot see any word combinations and scramble the words again to try and help the player make new words. As easy as this game sounds, Scramble with Friends has become one of the most competitive games available to people with smart phones, and now has a loyal following.
“It is fast paced, keeps your attention and never loses any momentum,” senior Grant Cole said.
When another one of Zynga’s most popular creations, Words with Friends was released in July of 2009 it was downloaded all over the globe and played constantly by people of all ages. Words as it is known in short, is similar to the board game Scrabble in which a player can, again, play with a friend or random opponent. The player is given seven tiles with different numerical values and must create words; in the end, the player with more points wins. Since it was released, Words has gone through spurts of popularity and gained countless fans, some famous including Alec Baldwin who was kicked off an American Airlines flight for refusing to turn off his iPad because he was in a serious game of Words with Friends. When Scramble with Friends was released in January of this year, Words lost some of its players who have suddenly become addicted to the hottest word game.
“I like Scramble better than Words with Friends because with Words, it gets boring after a while,” junior Ana McNamara said. “With Scramble it does not get boring because it is timed and you get different letters each time with endless combinations.”
Zynga, which was founded in July 2007 and based out of San Francisco, has not only made games for smart phones but also has games available on Facebook, such as Words with Friends, Farmville, Mafia Wars and many more. Their slogan, “Connecting the world through games,” has become a reality as they have millions of active members in 175 nations as of December 2011, and wherever they are being played, they are also being enjoyed.
“They make games that are entertaining but also make you think,” senior Eve Salamon said. “Also, kids are often bored in school and need some entertainment.”
Another game that hit the market earlier this school year was Hanging with Friends, also created by Zynga. This game is an electronic spin on the old-fashioned Hangman, which has been around for decades. Players must create words using the letters that they are given. Once they have created a word they send it to the opponent who has a limited amount of guesses. Whichever player has more balloons at the end of the game, which is related to how many guesses one player takes, is the winner.
“I like to play Hanging with Friends because it gives me something entertaining to do,” junior Kamilla Rahman said. “It is fun competition with friends, even though I usually lose.”
Zynga has been praised for their games that are educational and serve a purpose, rather than games that are played just for pure enjoyment, and who knew learning could be so fun. Words with Friends, Scramble with Friends and Hanging with Friends are all games that get the brain going and also instill healthy competition. Whether they are played because one is bored or because it is the newest craze available, people are downloading them and are continuously switching from game to game, trying to dominate whomever they play.
“It becomes a competition between you and whoever you are playing, so it is fun when you win,” junior Ashleigh Bibby said. “It also keeps your brain active when you are playing.”
