Scrabble is one of the most popular board games on the market, inspiring countless of players to expand their vocabularies and to strategically place an “X” on that coveted triple letter score. However, sometimes playing the same word game over and over can get a bit boring and monotonous and it leaves lots of people looking for more games like Scrabble to keep their evenings interesting.
If you love the challenge of Scrabble and are looking for more games similar to it, whether you’re playing with your family, friends, significant other or a stranger on the internet, these board games are sure to keep you entertained and your mind active!
10 Word Games like Scrabble
Taboo
If you’re looking for classic games like Scrabble, then no list would be complete without including Taboo. This game can be a bit more raucous and slightly more frustrating than it’s crossword-style counterpart, meaning that it is a great option if you want to add a little bit more excitement into your games nights.
The concept of Taboo is incredibly simple. Each player will take turns to draw from a deck of cards. On each of the cards is a word they are supposed to get the other player to guess and a list of words they are not allowed to use to describe it. You have the length of an hourglass timer to get your teammate to guess the word and you are penalised if you use any of the “taboo” words listed on the card.
The team that guesses the most words by the end of the game wins. This simple game is the perfect addition for those looking for board games similar to Scrabble.
Already love this game? Make sure to check out our list of more games like Taboo!
Boggle
Where Scrabble markets itself as a crossword game, Boggle is the original word search game and it is the perfect game to pick up if you’re looking for a quick and entertaining alternative game like Scrabble.
Boggle has long been a favourite amongst families as it is portable and very easy to play while also still encouraging critical thinking and concentration. The general premise is very simple — there are a series of cubes with letters on them, you shake them, flip the timer, and whichever player finds the most words in 3 minutes wins!
Though you don’t have to stop after one round, Boggle is the perfect game to play if you’re looking for a board game similar to Scrabble but don’t have a ton of time to commit. It is also perfect for younger players just expanding their vocabularies.
Already own this game? Make sure to check out our list of more games like Boggle!
Quiddler
Quiddler is an excellent educational word game that is perfect for those looking for board games like Scrabble.
One of the great things about Quiddler is that it can accommodate up to 10 players, so it’s a great option for those who have too big of a group to play Scrabble but want a similar game to it.
The objective of the game is fairly straightforward — each player receives a hand of cards with letters on them and the goal is to make as many words as possible from the cards that you have. Each card has it’s own point value and whoever has the most points at the end of the game, wins.
Unlike Scrabble, Quiddler does allow for 2-letter words, however, all words must be in the dictionary to be considered valid.
Bananagrams
If you’re looking for a word game that is more similar to Scrabble than any of the other games on this list, then Bananagrams is an excellent option for you. This simple yet fun game is the perfect way to play a word — especially if you’re on the go!
The Bananagrams game consists of 144 tiles with letters inscribed on them (quite like Scrabble tiles) that come in a cloth pouch shaped like a banana. The game can accommodate 2-8 players and the number of tiles each player gets depends on the number of people playing.
Each player starts with his/her tiles facedown and the first player to use all of his or her tiles to make actual words (that can be found in the dictionary!) wins!
Bananagrams is a great game to bring with you on the go, especially if you are into word games like Scrabble.
Upwords
Another game that is very similar to Scrabble, especially if you’re interested in the crossword-style aspect of the game, is Upwords. This classic board game is a great alternative option to Scrabble and is sure to add a bit of diversity to your board games collections.
Upwords is similar to Scrabble in a lot of ways — the boards look similar, the little stands for your tiles look the same, even the general premise is similar.
However, the games differ in the Upwords functions so that players are meant to stack letters on top of existing words on the board in order to make new words.
Upwords can accommodate 2-4 players and a typical game lasts about 15-30 minutes.
Love tile-laying games? Check out our list of more games like Rummikub!
Catch Phrase
If you want something a little bit more lively and exciting on this list of word games like Scrabble, then you cannot go wrong with adding Catch Phrase to your collection!
This is the first diversion from a board or card game on this list, however, it is such a fun addition to any game collection, that it definitely deserves its place.
This electronic, hand-held game can easily accommodate 4 or more players (enough to make 2 teams). The game is simple: each turn, one team has the device. The game will show a phrase on the screen and require the person to describe it to their teammates in a limited amount of time.
As soon as the word or phrase is guessed, you pass it on to another player. The objective is to not be the team to be in possession of the device when the buzzer goes off.
This is a very active and entertaining game that is perfect for both children and adults wanting to indulge their inner-child.
Wordical
Wordical describes itself as “the radical, dice-rolling, word-building race” and if you’re looking for a fast-paced and exciting word game, then this is a great option for you!
Wordical is perfect for 2-8 players at a time and the premise of the game is fairly simple. Each player gets a certain number of cards with constants listed on them, Each turn, the players roll the dice with vowels and are required to make as many words as possible with the vowels displayed and the consonants on their hand of cards.
The game is perfect for family game nights, especially if you’re trying to learn new vocabulary words and encourage creative thinking! All in all, Wordical is one of the best and most entertaining word games like Scrabble out there!
Equate
Going away from word games, Equate is an excellent game if you want to throw some math into the mix! Where Scrabble has you build words in a crossword-style way, Equate encourages you to build and solve simple equations!
The game has a very easy premise to understand: there are a series of tiles inscribed with numbers, plus, minus, multiplication, and division signs, and equals signs.
Each player draws a certain number of tiles and is required to build and solve an equation crossword-style on the board. At the end of the game, the player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Equate is an excellent education board game to play, especially if you’re encouraging the development of mental math skills or simply want to be challenged in a way that is different from vocabulary words.
One Up!
If you’re on the hunt for fast-paced and compact word games like Scrabble, then One Up! is an excellent option for you! Similar to Bananagrams listed earlier in this article, One Up! is a collection of letter tiles where players are encouraged to make words.
The game is quick and cutthroat, but it’s compact size also means it’s the perfect game to take with you on a family holiday.
The premise is objective is pretty simple: players start with tiles faced down and then players vie to be the first to make words from the tiles, You need to be able to think on your feet, be good with anagrams, and be able to keep building upon each word to stay in the game!
One Up! may be one of the most fast-paced and cutthroat of games on this list, but it is also one of the most fun. It can be played with as few as two players and its compact size means that it’s perfect for travel.
Typo
Last, but certainly not least on this list comes Typo — and excellent word game to add to your collection! This game functions a lot like the other games in this article where the main objective is to make the most words from the hand that is dealt to you.
Each player is dealt 12 cards, each with a letter on it. They are required to form as many words as possible from the cards given to them. As the game progresses, you can also add to previously formed words and make new words entirely.
This is another great educational game and keeps you thinking critically while improving your vocabulary. So if you’re looking for more board games similiar to Scrabble make sure to add Typo to your games night!
There are countless games like Scrabble out there that are sure to keep even the biggest of word geeks entertained. So if you love word games and are looking to diversify your game nights, make sure to check out any of the games on this list!
Are you looking for more games similiar to Scrabble? Have any suggestions that didn’t make the list? Let us know in the comments!
Thank you Maggie for providing what we needed to find a game like Scrabble, our favorite.
So glad you found this helpful, Paul!
I’m so glad you found a good game. Nice work maggie
I’m still looking for a game I often played on my previous tablet . The tablet broke and it took me a year to replace it but now I don’t remember the name of the game. I played it alone. Can you help? PLease. You are doing a great job!
Good, was very interesting. But I am looking for Crossword dices (Kreuzwortwürfel) with English as basics for the words you will then create within 1-2 minutes.
There is such one for German language (Altenburger Spiele)
Could I buy such one in Germany?
Thanks