AlphaBetty Saga - King

This review of AlphaBetty Saga was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 16 June 2015.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of AlphaBetty Saga contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

This game was reviewed to level 15.

App description

AlphaBetty Saga is a word-creation puzzle game. The objective of the game is to match tiles of different letters, and connect them in order to formulate words. This earns players points – tiles can be connected in every direction. The skills required include motor skills to use the app, as well as general knowledge and English skills.

Reviewers comments

When the app is opened, players are brought to an initial screen that provides the option to either ‘Play’ directly, or to connect via a Facebook account. Players are then brought to a screen and told to ‘Link at least 3 tiles to create words’ – the screen displays a selection of lettered tiles to choose from. Players are also informed that tiles can be linked from right to left as well, so that tiles displayed as ‘K N I’ could be swiped across in order to make the word ‘ink’. Tiles can also be swiped if they connect diagonally, with the corners touching. Players are given points based on how many letters they are able to utilise in their created words. After completing a level, players are given a congratulatory pop-up screen which presents them with a score in numeric value, as well a number of stars out of three and the option to connect via Facebook in order to share their results with friends. Levels are level-locked, and must be opened progressively as each one is completed.

Players begin the game with 5 lives – if they cannot complete the level within the allocated number of moves (which is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen during gameplay), they lose a life. The goal for each level differs, with players being informed of a specific score they must obtain before the level is completed.

As players progress through the game, additional features are included. For example, players can create words to ‘fill the Shuffle Booster’, which allows players to shuffle and reorganise the remaining letters if they are struggling to make words, as a reward for having made many already.

 

In App purchasing

The game contains an in-app purchase store where players can use real-life currency to buy in-game gold bars. These can be bought in packages of 10 gold bars for $1.29, 21 gold bars for $2.49, 55 gold bars for $6.49, 125 gold bars for $12.99, 259 gold bars for $24.99, or 810 gold bars for $74.99. These can be used to purchase extra lives.

Online information

The app encourages players to sign in via Facebook, and to share their scores after each level via social media in order to compare with friends. The game additionally contains leaderboards, and individuals can see how their scores compare to the scores of their friends.

 

Gambling

No gambling content was found during this review.

Advertising and product placement

N/A.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

N/A.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

No game playing behaviour which may be of concern to parents was found during this review.

Other

N/A.

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