Release Date: 1983
Publisher: Seichow & Righter
Controller: Joystick
Players: 1 – 2
Genre: Word Game
Alternate Title: N/A
Model #: 87
Rarity: 9
Programmer: N/A
This is a relatively fun word game, provided you are into that sort of thing.
From the creators of Scrabble comes Glib, a randomized word building game where you compete to score the most points possible by spelling. Just like in the popular board game, each letter has a point value attached to it, with the more difficult letters like Q and X being worth more.
The game begins with six letters randomly appearing on the upper rack, with the seventh letter being placed on the lower rack. From here you must select letters off the top and move them to the bottom to spell out the longest word possible, while being forced to use the automatically placed letter. Once you are pleased with the word you created, hit enter and collect the points. If you are unable to spell a word there is a pass option, which will take you to the next random set. There are ninety-eight letters in the game that it will cycle through, which make up fourteen turns (or seven for a two player game).
There are five different game types as well as five different speed options. The timer can be set from twenty-six seconds all the way up to infinity, with a randomized option for those who like to live dangerously.
The five different game types offer a little variety to the way you play. Billboard is the basic mode, with new sets of letters being shown on each turn. The Skill Builder will only replace the letters that are used on a given word, while Times Up forces you to create as many words as possible from the same seven letters given at the start. Encore has the letters parading across the screen, forcing you to act quickly to grab and place the letter before it moves off screen, and Over The Edge is the same as Encore except once the letters are off screen they are gone for good, whereas in Encore they repeat.
While the average player may not want to spend their video game time attempting to spell random words, fans of word games will have a fun time here. Having ninety-nine letters allows for near limitless combinations, the controls are responsive, and with a competitive two player mode you can battle a friend to see who the best speller is. If you are fan of this type of game, it’s worth checking out.
More in the Atari 2600 Encyclopedia on great games like this! Plus subscribe to Old School Gamer for FREE by clicking here!
Derek began playing video games in the early 80s, cutting his teeth on every Atari 2600 game he could get his hands on. This kickstarted a lifelong love of games, which continues to this day. No matter how advanced the systems and games become, the love for Atari remains supreme, which is why the Atari 2600 Encyclopedia project was done. With this massive project completed, Derek looks to begin work on another system encyclopedia, hoping to pay tribute to the games that shaped his childhood.
