1) the playing area is not centered in the folding board; very displeasing

2) the tiles are made of lighter wood (pine instead of oak? I don't know my woods, but this one is light)

3) the tile trays are less rounded and more squared-off in profile (yes, this is very picky)

This game mas previously been produced by both Milton-Bradley and Shelchow & Righter, and both did a better job than Hasbro with this one. Consider the small travel version with a plastic grid and small, thick wood tiles -- even for home use, that's how disappointing this one is.

30 of 32 found the following review helpful:

the board will not lay flat .  Nov 16, 1999

the board will not lay flat and this presents a real inconvenience. otherwise the game is wonderful and stimulating to the mind. As I said however, am disenchanted with the board construction.

25 of 28 found the following review helpful:

One of the best games ever invented  Jun 29, 2000

Scrabble is one of the best, most challenging games invented. Up to four players choose seven letter tiles each, and they must use them to produce words that connect with other tiles already on the board to form horizontal and vertically arranged words -- like a crossword puzzle. Sound easy to play? It is. But it's not easy to master.

I grew up playing this game, and now that my children are learning to read they are being introduced to the game.

The only complaint I've heard about the game is that it can take a while to finish. That aside, this is an excellent game -- it makes players think not only about what words they can make with their letters, but about game strategy as well. That is, how to best use their letters to maximize their own score while providing as few opportunities for opponents to build.

A great game for building critical thinking and spelling and vocabulary skills.

5 stars all the way!

11 of 11 found the following review helpful:

Not the greatest packaging  Dec 26, 2010
By Brandon Anderson
I'm guessing you didn't come here for a review of the game Scrabble itself, unless you've been living on another planet for the last century. Scrabble is great, always one of my favorites, and a highly recommended game for literally everyone. With that said, this is the version you'll buy if you just want a cheap, simple, low budget type to give to your kids or to give as a gift or award for something. There's nothing terrible about it, but there's nothing great there either. The board is flimsy, the tiles don't always match each other, and the material is simply cheap. It will get the job done just fine, but you're getting what you pay for here.

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:

S_C_R_A_B_B_L_E spells fun in my book!  Jul 01, 1999

What a game!

Besides Scrabble, how many other board (or is it bored?) games can boast these qualities?

- It's entertaining. No matter how many times you play, you will never, ever play the same game twice.

- It's educational. You improve in the game by improving your vocabulary. What other game will cause your kids to grab for a dictionary with enthusiasm?

- It's not flashy or made of grody plastic. Nope, Scrabble's got a board and nice little wooden pews to hold the little wooden tiles.

- It involves strategy and chance. Winning Scrabble gives some serious boasting rights compared to other board games such as Life, where a lot depends on blind luck. Yet chance does play a role in Scrabble, because which letters you draw determines how your game will proceed.

All in all, I can not think of another board game other than chess, checkers and a few other classics, that I have actively played as many times or with as much enjoyment as Scrabble. My mother would be proud to hear me say it, too.

Buy this game. Force your kids to play. Don't let them win. You'll be surprised when they eventually beat you, and they'll thank you for it.

See all 110 customer reviews on Amazon.com