Quirky ‘Wordle’ Handheld Game Device feels heavily inspired by Game Boy and Teenage Engineering

Designed as a part of Richard Falcema’s ‘Fictronics’ (Fictional Electronics) series, the WORDLE TERM is a handheld console that lets you play NYT’s hit game Wordle anywhere you go. Although Wordle is mainly played on phones (and is even available as a board game for true-blue nerds), Falcema’s quirky gadget gives the game its own standalone handheld device with an aesthetic and interface that’s just about as adorable and fun as the game itself.

Designer: Richard Falcema

The gaming device is simple to a point of being almost a meme. You can literally ONLY play Wordle on it and nothing else, which I guess makes it even more appealing if you think about it. The device sports a 25-display grid on the top,very reminiscent of the kind seen on Elgato’s hardware, except those displays can’t be pressed. They’re controlled using a set of 5 wheels at the bottom, which let you cycle through letters in each row. Once you select all 5 letters, the device accepts your input and judges your guess. For non-Wordlers, the game involves guessing the word of the day. You have 6 chances (this game gives you just 5), and each chance gives you clues as to what the word could be. When you guess the letters, tiles either stay grey if the letter is wrong, or turn orange if the letter is right but in the wrong position, and finally green if the letter is right and at the right position. Using this color-coded system, you’re required to work your way through the 5 or 6 guesses, trying to get the word in the fewest attempts.

Falcema’s device captures the Wordle game perfectly through its quirky design. The exposed circuitry, vibrant colors, metal bar on top, and that lone AA battery at the bottom are highly reminiscent of Teenage Engineering’s design cues. The device comes with a Wordle-themed lanyard too, adding to the fun appeal of the entire device. I’m assuming that this device also lets you play as many instances of Wordle as possible, rather than having to wait 24 hours for each new challenge!

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There’s now an official Wordle board game that you can buy to spice up your house parties!

While the app may have gotten acquired and somewhat died down in initial wild popularity, the WORDLE board game provides the same thrill as its virtual counterpart… however, it takes the solo game and turns it into a fast-paced and fun game for 2-4 players! Here’s the best part – you can play it as many times as you want without having to wait 24 hours for the levels to reset!

Designer: Hasbro

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If you haven’t been consumed by Wordle’s craze in the first half of 2021 (probably because you were living under a large boulder), here’s how it’s played. You’re given 6 tries to guess the 5-lettered Wordle of the day. You start completely clueless, and with each subsequent guess, you’re given clues about what the word can be. When your word features yellow highlighted letters, it means you’ve got the characters right, but in the wrong order. A green highlight confirms the right character in the right place. Characters (like vowels) can be repeated, so that’s something to remember. The idea is to guess the word before you exhaust your 6 tries.

The board game works the same way, although it requires one player to provide the Wordle while the others guess it. Answers are recorded on a dry-erase card with a whiteboard marker, and translucent yellow and green tiles are awarded to players based on their guesses. Each player also gets a paper shield to prevent others from cheating.

A unique characteristic of the Wordle app was the fact that it could only be played once a day. Each day revealed a new ‘Wordle of the day’, and everyone guessed it without cheating by looking up the answer on the internet. You could even share your score with people via social media by broadcasting the yellow and green square grid (the more green and the lesser rows, the better).

The board game doesn’t let you gloat online the way the app does, but it DOES let you play as many times as you want! Supporting as many as 4 players, each can take turns deciding the Wordle for that specific round, while others guess away. Player scores are recorded on a score card, and the player with the highest score gets bragging rights for being the undisputed Wordle champ!

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