Super Scrabble
Encyclopedia
Super Scrabble, introduced in 2004, is a variant of the board game Scrabble
. In North America Super Scrabble is manufactured by Winning Moves Games
, but licensed by Hasbro
. In the rest of the world it is manufactured by Tinderbox Games under license from Mattel
. Super Scrabble is available in English
and German. In February 2007, a Deluxe Super Scrabble was released with a rotating gameboard and interlocking tiles, just like regular Deluxe Scrabble.
Other than the differences in the board and the number of tiles, gameplay is very much the same as Scrabble. Each player has seven tiles in their rack as normal, scoring is the same, and the same word lists are used. However, the differences are enough to upset normal Scrabble strategies. For example, the fifty points earned from a bingo (using all seven tiles) is not nearly as significant when compared to the high final scores. For a two-player game, scores over eight hundred points are not uncommon.
Whereas tournament-level Scrabble is regularly played by only two players, with many tournament players finding a game with three or four players cramped, Super Scrabble is intended to be played by up to four players. Indeed, the scoring sheets included with the game do not have enough lines to keep score for most two-player games.
Super Scrabble has exactly twice as many tiles as Scrabble, but the distribution of letters is not simply the regular distribution
doubled. The distribution is:
Note, for example, that there are more than twice as many S's (regular Scrabble has four). This was done to make more opportunities for plurals and third person verbs, making Super Scrabble a very high scoring game although largely to the discontent of most 'purists' (especially club and tournament players) who felt that the distribution should not have been modified.
Certain high scoring words, such as words with doubled Z's (e.g. FUZZ, JAZZ, DAZZLE) that are impossible to make in Scrabble without using blanks, can be played. The word KNICKKNACK, with 4 K's, is impossible to play in Scrabble because there is only 1 K and only 2 blanks - but it is possible to play this word in Super Scrabble. With quadruple letter scores spaced only three squares away from a double word score, it is not uncommon to see a single play score over one hundred points, even without a fifty-point bonus. Guarding against such plays becomes vital to strategy. However, due to the larger size of the board, this becomes increasingly difficult, especially late in the game.
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
. In North America Super Scrabble is manufactured by Winning Moves Games
Winning Moves
Winning Moves Games is a maker of classic card games and board games, puzzles, action games and adult party games.-History:Winning Moves Games was founded in 1995 by four game industry professionals: Tom Kremer , Philip Orbanes , Mike...
, but licensed by Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
. In the rest of the world it is manufactured by Tinderbox Games under license from Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
. Super Scrabble is available in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and German. In February 2007, a Deluxe Super Scrabble was released with a rotating gameboard and interlocking tiles, just like regular Deluxe Scrabble.
Gameplay differences
The changes from regular Scrabble in Super Scrabble are summarized by the latter's tagline, "More spaces, more tiles, more points—add to your fun!" The board is larger; (21×21 or 441 squares vs. 15×15 or 225 squares); there are more premium squares (going up to quadruple letter and word score spaces), and there are twice as many (200) tiles. The middle 15×15 squares are identical to a Scrabble board, so that regular Scrabble may be played on a Super Scrabble board. All the high-scoring quadruple premiums lie near the outside of the board, with the quadruple word squares at the four corners of the board.Other than the differences in the board and the number of tiles, gameplay is very much the same as Scrabble. Each player has seven tiles in their rack as normal, scoring is the same, and the same word lists are used. However, the differences are enough to upset normal Scrabble strategies. For example, the fifty points earned from a bingo (using all seven tiles) is not nearly as significant when compared to the high final scores. For a two-player game, scores over eight hundred points are not uncommon.
Whereas tournament-level Scrabble is regularly played by only two players, with many tournament players finding a game with three or four players cramped, Super Scrabble is intended to be played by up to four players. Indeed, the scoring sheets included with the game do not have enough lines to keep score for most two-player games.
Super Scrabble has exactly twice as many tiles as Scrabble, but the distribution of letters is not simply the regular distribution
Scrabble letter distributions
Many editions of the word board game Scrabble vary in the letter distribution of the tiles, because the frequency of each letter of the alphabet is different for every language...
doubled. The distribution is:
- 4 blank tiles (scoring 0 points)
- 1 point: E ×24, A ×16, O ×15, T ×15, I ×13, N ×13, R ×13, S ×10, L ×7, U ×7
- 2 points: D ×8, G ×5
- 3 points: C ×6, M ×6, B ×4, P ×4
- 4 points: H ×5, F ×4, W ×4, Y ×4, V ×3
- 5 points: K ×2
- 8 points: J ×2, X ×2
- 10 points: Q ×2, Z ×2
Note, for example, that there are more than twice as many S's (regular Scrabble has four). This was done to make more opportunities for plurals and third person verbs, making Super Scrabble a very high scoring game although largely to the discontent of most 'purists' (especially club and tournament players) who felt that the distribution should not have been modified.
Strategy
Many of the same strategies that are applied in regular Scrabble play can be utilized in this version. Premiums play a larger role in Super Scrabble, due to both the presence of quadruple letter and word scores, and also because near the edge of the board, double word scores are spaced closely together, making it much easier to score a "double-double" (compare to Scrabble where at least a seven-letter word is required to score a double-double). In addition, opportunities for bingos are increased due to the three extra squares in each direction. For the same reason, hooks can play a larger part in strategy (a hook is a combination of letters that can be used to start or end of new words).Certain high scoring words, such as words with doubled Z's (e.g. FUZZ, JAZZ, DAZZLE) that are impossible to make in Scrabble without using blanks, can be played. The word KNICKKNACK, with 4 K's, is impossible to play in Scrabble because there is only 1 K and only 2 blanks - but it is possible to play this word in Super Scrabble. With quadruple letter scores spaced only three squares away from a double word score, it is not uncommon to see a single play score over one hundred points, even without a fifty-point bonus. Guarding against such plays becomes vital to strategy. However, due to the larger size of the board, this becomes increasingly difficult, especially late in the game.
External links
, including A Super Scrabble board- Super Scrabble page, Link to Deluxe Super Scrabble page on Winning Moves USA's website
- Rules, Link to the game's rules on the Winning Moves USA site