Word games are always fun, especially when your opponents want to play in a fun way too. You can enjoy these games online or offline at get-togethers, after-dinner parties, and almost anywhere.
These games can also exhaust your mind if you play them seriously and competitively. I always prefer playing word or board games friendly because using my mind to play a game after a hectic week is not my cup of tea, coffee, or anything else.
Scrabble and Boggle are our always go-to games, and I’ll tell you which one is better and why.
1. Time and Pace
The time and pace both of these games take are different. An average game of Scrabble takes 36 turns to finish. So, if you are playing it with only one friend, that means 18 turns for both of you. It seems a lot of fun for the starting 5-10 turns, but after that, you start to get bored.
To finish a game of Scrabble quickly, we use online tools like a word maker or word creator to search and use new words. Why do we do that? Because spending almost an hour or more than that on a game that exhausts our minds is not worth it. We put letters on these tools and use words according to the letter length and initials we need. You can also unscramble in seconds to end the game quickly if you use the right tools.
Boggle does not take much time because you can use more words than Scrabble. An average game of Boggle ends in almost ten minutes, which is approximately one-third or one-fourth of the time one Scrabble game takes.
Winner: Boggle
2. Active Engagement
Boggle is a real-time game. You can not disengage even when other players are playing their turns. There is no downtime playing Boggle. When we play Boggle, we often listen to each other, even in the scoring phases.
You get a lot of downtime playing Scrabble. For instance, it is your opponent’s turn. They can take as much time as they want. You can not do much at that time because you would not know if your opponent will use your words or their words to make a new one.
Your plans and strategies can go to dust if your opponent decides to make new words using yours. Your opponent can not ruin your strategy in Boggle. It is more balanced than Scrabble, which is the next point of discussion. If you still want to play Scrabble, you can see some strategies by clicking here.
Winner: Boggle
3. Balance
Scrabble gives you random letters, and you can not predict what words your opponents will place and where. Also, your turn order determines who will take advantage of bonus spaces more than your skill.
Scrabble also gives a 50-point bonus for the player who uses all the tiles in a single turn. It is like making the rich richer. It feels good when you get this 50-point bonus but feels harsh when you are at the other end.
Boggle is more random and fairer than Scrabble. You roll a dice, and if the set of letters is terrible, it is the same for all the players. It comes down to skill more than luck. The playing field is more leveled in Boggle than Scrabble.
Winner: Boggle
4. Strategy
This point can go both ways, depending on your opponent. Some people love to play Scrabble because they have to develop and implement a strategy throughout the game. They also have to plot their next moves many turns ahead. Also, if your squad is looking for a competitive game, Scrabble will be the ideal choice.
On the other hand, there is no strategy for playing words. Since it does not follow any dictionary, random guesses can also change the game. You do not have to plan your moves many turns ahead because you do not know about the set of letters you will face.
Professional players always prefer Scrabble over Boggle because there is no fun in playing a game where you can not show or implement your strategies.
Winner: Tie
Wrapping Up
Boggle is the overall winner if you just want to have fun after a dinner party just like us. However, you can also play Scrabble using online tools to make it less brain-consuming. You can play Scrabble without using any tools if you have enough time and energy to put into the game.