Free Games

The games on this page are free to download and use. Being in .zip format, there is no virus risk.
There is no obligation for their use; no registraton is needed, and internet access is not required.
Games that use the Dictionary have this included in the download. It consists of all words from the Collins dictionary (without their meanings), except for a few words considered vulgar or not suitable for young players.

To download:

Click on Game Links below, click the game you wish to download, and then click the small Download symbol above the file.
Move the file from your Downloads folder to a folder of your choice, right-click the file and select Unpack (or Unzip) to unzip the files. Double-click the .exe file in the new folder to play.

The games:

Alchemy is a word game for up to 4 players,involving only word skills.
Itgets its name from the Alchemists of the Middle Ages, who claimed to be able to transform one material into another - for example change stone into gold.
This is a word-game in which players try to change a given word into another related word, with the minimum number of changes. Their changes may be to:

• Add a letter and re-organize the letters into another word
• Remove a letter and re-organize the letters into another word
• Change a letter for a different letter and re-organize the letters into another word

Cobble is a word-game for 2 players.
Players "cobble" letters together to form words. The letters have values of from 1 to 9 points. They are contained in two "racks", one shared by both players, the other for their exclusive use.
As the letters in each rack are used up, they are replaced by new letters from the "bag", which originally contains 100 letters. When the bag is empty and both players pass, the game ends. Players earn points for the length of their words and their letter-values, but may lose points for excessive time taken to enter a word once they make their claim.

Recall is a game for 1 or 2 players, intended to help develop and retain memory and recall skills.
Players take turns to choose two "tiles" from a grid, trying to find matching pairs of tiles.
Before play starts, players choose between 3 sets of tiles containing hidden images of animals, letters or shapes, and the number of tiles in the grid: 18, 20, 30 or 42. For their turn, they pick 2 tiles, which are then revealed. If they match, they score points, and those tiles are removed, and they have a second try. If not the tiles are re-hidden and the other player plays.
Play ends when all the pairs of tiles have been found.

Ripple is a word-search game for 2 players that calls for good reflexes and word skills.
Two players are given a "grid" of constantly changing letters in which they try to find words. Words are groups of consecutive letters, which can run in any direction - horizontally, vertically, or diagonally - and can twist in any direction, even back upon previous letters.
Each player is allocated one of the Shift keys with which to claim a word when they see one, and the first to press then moves to each letter of their word to claim it. They have a few seconds of free time to enter their word, after which a penalty starts to apply.
The rate at which letters change may be varied between slow and very fast. Points scored depend on the length of the word, and any time-pnalties that apply

Target is a word-game for up to 4 players, requiring word skills and lateral thinking.
Players try to find words from within a given Base-Word placed in a round Target. Before starting, they choose the length of Base-words to be used, either 4, 7 or 10 letters, and whether letters may be used multiple times in a word. They may also choose if discovered words will remain visible while playing, and the time allowed for each turn.
They are presented with a Target containing the (shuffled) letters of a word, and take turns to find words in the Target. The words can be shorter or, if repeated letters are allowed, longer than the Base Word - eg NABS could produce BANANAS. Repeated words score zero.
Scoring is based on the position of the letters in the Target, with the centre circle (the Bullseye) scoring highest. The first player to find the Base Word scores extra points. The game ends when both players score zero consecutively.

Word-Worm is a word-game, requiring word skills and flexibility in thinking.
Its name relates to its appearing to "grow" a word from a Seed-letter into a longer word, by adding one letter at a time.
The letters may be added to either end of the "worm" or inserted into its body, extending it with each letter.
Two players take turns to add a letter, and each addition must result in a group that could be extended from its ends into a word, but the group must not be a complete word in itself.
Before they add their letter, they can also Flip the worm end-to-end, creating a completely different worm. For their turn, a player may perform one of five actions:

• Add a letter to the worm, at any position in the worm
• Flip the worm end-to-end - for example TAI (possibly for TAINT) would become IAT (possibly for DEVIATE), then add a letter.
• Claim a word that has been completed by their opponent's addition
• Challenge the other player's addition as not advancing toward another "real" word
• Concede that any addition they make will finish a word

Points are earned for successful challenges or claims, or lost by conceding a game.

Leapfrog is a variation on an older logic game for 1 player.
The player must "leapfrog" pegs within a grid, removing those jumped. Sounds simple? It has three levels of difficulty:

• Jump in any direction (easy)
• Jump vertically or horizontally only (harder)
• Jump diagonally only (hardest)

Points are earned for each peg removed, and a Timer counts the time until you declare you've finished, which also affects your final score.

Letter-Mart is a word game for up to 4 players that involves some strategy.
A set of 100 letters, each with a value from $1 to $9 is used. Players are each dealt 10 letters and receive $20 startup cash. The next letter is displayed as a Free letter, and the remainder form the "Pot".
Players take turns to form a word, which is worth the total of its letter values. But before they form their word, they may add the Free letter to their hand, or buy a different Random letter for $2, or select Any letter for $5. They lay down letters for their word and it is evaluated and cash paid into their account. If the "word" is not a legitimate word, no cash is received.
Used letters are removed from their hand and replaced from the pot, and when the pot is empty, the game ends. Each player's remaining letters are checked, and their values deducted from their cash. The player with the most cash wins the game.

Wheel Of Fortune is a word game for up to 4 players that involves word skills, as well as an element of luck.
Players take turns to spin the Wheel Of Fortune, to try to win "cash". Each spin results in winning or losing cash, sometimes skipping a turn, or, less frequently, going bankrupt. After spinning, the player may take a free Consonant, or buy a Vowel or Space, or try to guess the word. They are rewarded with cash and another turn if they select a correct letter, and a bonus $50 if they guess the word correctly.

Auction is a word- game for 2 to 4 players, involving only word-skills.
Players are in an Auction room where there are 12 "items" for sale. Each Item consists of a set of 10 tiles, each holding a letter valued from $1 to $10. There may also be "Wild" tiles, which have no fixed value, but take on the value of the letter they represent.
Players bid for each item, based on a word they can form from its letters, and the highest bidder then presents their word for evaluation. If the word is "legal" - i.e. it contains only letters included in the Item, and is a real word - they score points. If not legal, they lose those points.

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