A couple weeks ago I was asked to a review on a new word game called Kalimat in the iOS app store. I rarely do reviews on Bitts, but I graciously decided to give this app a shot. I've been playing the game here and there since the request to review it and I think I have enough information to jot down my honest opinions on it. Let's dive right into it!

What is it?
Kalimat is a multiplayer word game in which the players must put their knowledge of vocabulary to the test and place letter tiles to build words, and then stem off additional words. Each letter tile has a particular score assigned to it, though certain spots on the board offer bonuses like "double" or "triple" the score of the letter placed there. The player with the highest score when the board is filled up wins. Now I know what you are thinking: isn't this Scrabble? Well, this part of it is, but there are actually some fun and unique features to Kalimat.

Why should I buy this and not Scrabble?
Kalimat offers a unique "Remix" mode in which a timer is automatically turned on for each new turn. The player must place a word before the timer ends. If a word is placed within the first minute, the score is tripled, and if a word is placed within the first two minutes, it is doubled. There are also some hidden bonuses.

In addition, Kalimat allows you play up to 1,000 games at once as opposed to Scrabble's limit of 50 -- which they falsely claim to be the most out of any word game in the app store. Either way, I'm not sure why anybody would want to play 1,000 games at once but who am I to judge? And Kalimat has support for OpenFeint for playing online opponents.

Downsides?
Just a couple worth mentioning. Right now, it appears that you can only play against one other player and there doesn't seem to be a single-player mode in which you would face a computer opponent. Also, while there is support to play someone using OpenFeint, there is no support to play through Game Center. It's not a huge issue, but I really like to see developers take advantage of Apple's built-in gaming network and few do.

Conclusion
Should you buy Kalimat instead of Scrabble? Well, they are both $2.99 in the app store. I suppose it all depends on what you'd prefer in a word game. Do you feel the need to play tons of games at once? Are you looking for a fresh "remix" on the classic word game? I'd go with Kalimat. If you are looking to stick to the basics, then maybe Scrabble might be for you. Overall, I think if you are into word games, then Kalimat is a good buy for three bucks and it's a fun app to try out.

Images Courtesy of Kalimat