What is the difference between SpellTower and SpellTower+?

SpellTower is the original game with in-app purchases, while SpellTower+ is part of Apple Arcade, offering an ad-free experience with all modes unlocked. Both share core gameplay but SpellTower+ includes exclusive updates like the ability to play the daily search puzzle up to three times.

SpellTower Guide, Walkthrough, Tips, Glitch, News

The original best-selling mobile word game, reimagined! Pick your words wisely! As you play, more tiles rise from the bottom of the screen! It'll take all of your lexicological wits, and tactical know-how to keep your columns down. If any letters make it to the top row, it's game over. Classic modes Daily Tower, Tower, Puzzle, Rush and Zen are all back and packed with brand new BONUS TILES that double (or more!) word values. Joining them is the brand new Search mode, plus ExPuzzle, Double Puzzle, Bubble Puzzle, and Blitz mode! That’s eleven modes in all! Plus iCloud Backup, Highscores reported for games even while in-progress, detailed statistics for every mode, Game Center leaderboards, and achievements. ————————— It’s pretty wild to be revisiting my first hit game, SpellTower. I can't believe it's almost 10 years since it released. The first iPhones it ran on had a 3.5 inch screen and 320 x 480 resolution! I literally did a double-take at that resolution when I looked it up. A funny part about having a hit game is people talk to you about it. With SpellTower I heard about grandparents playing the game every morning to keep their minds sharp, parents playing it with their kids, expectant mothers playing it to get through morning sickness, and countless sightings of strangers playing it on subways, planes — even elevators. I got into games because I wanted to connect with people in a positive way. I wanted to help people think critically and come away with more than they arrived with. Games felt like a way to do this on a huge scale, but the stories I heard from SpellTower players taught me that games do so much more for people than I ever expected. I’m deeply grateful that SpellTower has been able to be something special for so many people, and I think that’s why so many people have shared it with friends, loved ones, and strangers on elevators. Even though SpellTower is a game I made, it’s really barely mine anymore. The experiences and love I had for the game has been outstripped by its audiences a thousandfold. I thought a lot about all the experiences that people have had with the game when I was designing this new version. I hope it gives everyone who’s loved the game a reason to pick it back up again and share it amongst their friends and family. -zach

Screenshot

Ratings & Reviews

Fun and well designed, but ad heavy

Wed May 27 2020 Rosemary Thyme

I love the game, definitely a new favorite! But I do find the ad quantity overwhelming. Sometimes they appear after every word I submit! I have noticed after like 10 ads or something, they tend to stop themselves (screen flashes with an ad, then disappears before it really loads) which is welcome, and probably the main reason for not docking another star. That being said, I’ve really enjoyed the game! It’s very casual, and I like that there aren’t any timers (which can be fun, but also stressful) and the dictionaries used seem quite comprehensive! I’ve had a few words where I’ll be like “surely that’s a word”, but googling renders no results. But the fact you can challenge a word is nice (haven’t used it yet, so I can’t comment on it yet though)

Developer spams you with ads even when you pay

Fri Feb 07 2020 llihgdots

For some reason this developer feels entitled to charge you for an ad-free experience but also to phone home and spam you in the same apps advertising his other products. I was informed of this app by a huge, unavoidable ad chyron at the top of the Flip Flop app that I payed for (which, BTW, I can’t share—have to purchase for each device). I find that absolutely infuriating and will never give this developer another dime. I don’t understand why the developer feels he is entitled to more control of my device than I am and how he justifies lying about what are very, very clearly ads. He doesn’t even have the respect to give you the option of turning this “feature” off. Aside from aesthetic issues, there are very real privacy concerns. The only way my app can know the dev has a new product to hawk is if it is in constant contact with its creator. A game unconnected to an ad network has no business phoning home at all,ever—it is at the very least stealing your data for its own transmissions and very likely your personal info. Who knows what info the developer is collecting, how he stores it, and who he sells it to. Unfortunately, you can’t believe anything he says because he’s already established himself as a liar who will use you for his own ends.

A game I play every night!

Thu Jan 07 2021 mari.kkamagwi

This game is the only games I’ve paid for to unlock the full version! I love this game so much, my favorite mode is the puzzle mode but the others are fun too! I play the puzzle mode every night before bed as my unwinding time! It’s fun, straightforward, and not frustrating! I like trying to beat my high score but even when I can’t it’s one of the few games I don’t get frustrated with and will continue to play! It’s a very easygoing game, and I love the simplicity of the interface! The only suggestion I have is (in the puzzle mode) it would be soooo nice to have like at least one shuffle per game because sometimes the letter that pop up are all consonants or all vowels together and it’s impossible to make a word!! Other than that, It’s perfect! Love it!!

Good game, but frustrating

Thu Sep 10 2020 Thvedt

Fun game, but a few frustrations are making me wonder whether I’ll play much more. From minor to major: I wonder why sometimes it takes so long to show standings for the daily games. It’s often days behind. The ads can be a bit much. If not for the other issues, I’d probably buy my way out of the ads. The game just freezes for a few seconds pretty often - at launch, switching between game modes, starting a game. I mainly play on an iPad Pro, so it’s not exactly a a slow device. The absolute worst thing, though, is this: several times in Daily Search mode I’ve make a short word on my way to making a longer word, and even though I haven’t lifted my finger, the game will take that short word. And that’s it - no undo. Game ruined. Streak cut short. I’ve come close to rage-deleting the app when that happens.

Don’t buy the ad free version

Sat May 21 2022 tierneycreates

Although the ads were annoying the ad free version is more fun on the puzzle mode. I thought I would buy the game so that I could get rid of the ads but then puzzle mood got really hard. They punish you for buying the ad free version by making it harder than the version with the ads. My friend who has it and plays it all the time has a really high rank score because she has the free version and the game is less challenging in puzzle mode. I can’t get anywhere on the ad free version in power mode! If I could go back in time I would’ve never evergiven the money to buy the game just because it would’ve been more enjoyable not to be so hard.

Excellent game, great modes, 1 suggestion for dev

Wed Feb 26 2020 Merkzoh

This game has been amazing for the money spent. I have no issues with spending money on well-developed games that don’t abuse users through any timers or other gross tactics. Big fan of this game as well as Flip Flop Solitaire, another implementation of paid add-ones I was happy to pay for. 1 suggestion for my use-case: I live in NYC and frequent the subway. As such, I’ve discovered that the game is reliant on the internet to just open. I assume this is for the challenge and scoreboard systems to work and update properly. Would it be possible to be able to play offline in a future update, for just such an environment as the subway with no internet access?

Disappointed

Fri Oct 14 2022 Dudettina

When I started this game 3 years ago, it was really fun and you could go at it for a long time. Now the computer goes filling your new letters with the LETTER I in all spaces and it’s really BAD. There is no way to make a word with infinite letter I I I I I I one after another. So it defies the purpose of making you think and find new words. The computer just aims to frustrate you and make you fail. And I just paid for this game. I still have the old game you could go on and on. Not only that, the computer decides that if you have found a word before you cannot use anymore WHY? It is still a word. Also they have added the stupid numbers to force a word with 4 5. 6. 7 letters…… and the computer fills your letters with the letter I one after another. REALLY? I will love to see YOUR COMPUTER TO MAKE A WORD WITH SEVEN LETTERS I one after another! Very stupid at the end

Somewhat Frustrating

Wed Sep 27 2023 Prin2012

I don’t know what happened. I tried this game free with ads to make sure I enjoyed it. I was able to play puzzle mode for ages and build up a high score. It was enjoyable using enough words to where I had to start getting creative because I had already used so many words in the puzzle. Because I was enjoying this app I got the ad-free version. Since then it’s been very difficult. The scores I get now are one third of what my score was originally. I almost never run into repeating words in a puzzle. They throw in so many blank, “5”, and “6” letter tiles that it is impossible to play the puzzle for very long.

Love this game!

Sun Apr 11 2021 KritterLvr

I am addicted to this game! I’m an avid reader, love words and enjoy adding new ones to my vocabulary. If you play the game often, it’s definitely worth paying for the ad free version. My favorite game is Zen in the expanded menu. There’s no time limit and I find it very relaxing. This isn’t a “word search” where you look for a list of words. It’s up to you to put the letters together in any connected, random way possible to make a word. I’m from the States but I love all the Scottish words in the dictionary. Try it - I hope you enjoy it as much as I. Thank you to the creator!

Nice, simple word game

Fri Jan 31 2020 CaliRya

I tend to be bad at these kinds of word-connect games, but I gave it a try anyway. It didn’t take me long to learn how to play, which is great. I love the chill background music and simple graphics. Some things could be tweaked, in my opinion. Like when completing a word, the pop up is too quick for me to read. But I didn’t encounter any bugs. I love that it seems like you just pay once to unlock the full game. No subscriptions or sounds to buy, as far as I can tell. So if you’re into word games like these, I’d suggest giving it a try!

Features

Walkthrough

Getting Started with SpellTower

Begin with the Tutorial mode to learn the basics. Select letters by dragging across adjacent tiles (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) to form valid words. Each word you create removes those tiles, and new ones rise from the bottom. The goal is to keep the grid from filling up to the top row. Start with shorter words to clear space, and look for bonus tiles that double or triple your word scores to maximize points.

Mastering Different Modes

SpellTower offers multiple modes to suit your playstyle. In Puzzle mode, each word must be at least four letters long, adding challenge. Rush mode introduces a time limit, while Zen mode lets you play without pressure. Search mode tasks you with finding specific words. Experiment with each to find your favorite, and check the Daily Tower for a fresh challenge every day.

Gameplays

Core Gameplay Mechanics

In SpellTower, you form words by connecting adjacent letters on a grid. Unlike traditional word searches, you can change directions, cross paths, go diagonal, or even spell backwards. Longer words score higher, and clearing adjacent tiles causes others to fall, potentially setting up new word opportunities. Strategic planning is key to avoid grid lock.

Bonus Tiles and Scoring

Look for bonus tiles that multiply your word scores (e.g., 2x or 3x). Using these tiles strategically can significantly boost your score. In modes like Blitz or Double Puzzle, clearing specific tiles or patterns can unlock additional bonuses, making it essential to prioritize high-value words.