Alphabear is an award-winning, original English word puzzle game by Spry Fox. Spell words, collect bears!
Players spell words by selecting adjacent letters on a grid. The longer the words they create, the larger the bears that appear on the board become, earning them more points. The objective is to clear the board of letters before they turn to stone, which happens over time if unused.
A key aspect of the gameplay is the collection and utilization of various bear characters. As players progress, they unlock different bears that provide unique powerups and bonuses, such as increasing point values for specific letter combinations, extending the timer, and more. Strategically equipping the right bears for each level is an important part of succeeding.
The Steam version offers both offline and competitive gameplay options. Players can progress through a story campaign with numerous levels, as well as compete against friends in a versus mode. There is also a daily challenge mode that provides a new randomly generated board each day for players to test their skills.
Beyond just spelling words, the game rewards players for expanding their vocabularies. It includes a dictionary function that provides definitions for the words used, encouraging players to learn new terms. Additionally, at the end of each level, the bears provide humorous "Mad Libs" style responses using the words the player created, adding a lighthearted and entertaining element.
The game allows players to adjust the difficulty to their skill level. The story campaign gradually increases in challenge, while a "prestige" system lets players replay earlier levels at higher difficulties for greater rewards. This flexible progression system caters to both casual wordsmiths and more experienced players seeking a greater challenge.