9 New Word Games Worth Playing in 2026
Wordle may not dominate every group chat the way it once did, but it left plenty of us wanting more from word games. The best recent releases take that satisfying moment of finding the right word and run with it, whether that means building absurd roguelike combos, drafting powerful tiles, or trying to shepherd a flock of birds across the world.
I have rounded up nine word games released in roughly the last 18 months that are worth making time for. There are quick daily challenges here, but also games with enough strategy and personality to quietly steal an entire evening.
Disclosure: Everything Must Word is made by Ravenware, the studio behind this site. I have included it because it is built for the same people I made this list for: word-game players looking for something new to obsess over.
Everything Must Word
Platforms: iOS (Free), Android (Free)Both are ad-supported; a $2.99 upgrade removes ads, gives more hints, lets you replay past Daily Challenges, and unlocks in-game cosmetics.
Everything Must Word is a solo Scrabble-style strategy game about writing the perfect election speech. Draft letter tiles, including tricky but useful letter pairs, build high-scoring words, and adapt when each zone changes the rules of what makes a word valuable.
The campaign follows your work as a local mayor's speechwriter on the road to polling day, with more than 30 levels, boss battles, Daily Challenges, global leaderboards, and private rooms for competing with friends. It also works fully offline, so there is no need to wait around for an opponent before you can start planning your next great word. The official listing describes it as a solo anagram strategy game about writing the perfect speech.
Who is this game best for? Anyone who loves Scrabble but wants to play at their own pace, with more changing rules and strategy than a standard rack of tiles.
Dave's Word Game
Platforms: iOS (Free), Android (Free), Steam ($5.99)No ads on mobile, where a $4.99 premium upgrade unlocks additional modes.
Dave's Word Game makes a daily grid of letters feel more tactical than it first appears. You find words to clear squares, then think ahead about how each move opens space, fills the board, and helps you chase a higher score.
It is refreshingly straightforward about its business model too: the core daily puzzle is free and there are no ads.
Who is this game best for? Players who want a five-minute daily word ritual but enjoy planning their moves rather than simply identifying one hidden answer.
Scriver: A Word Game
Platforms: iOS ($4.99), Steam ($7.99)No ads; fully playable offline.
Scriver turns word-making into an art-gallery hustle. You make words, upgrade letter tiles, and collect hand-painted art that rewards particular word traits and placements, gradually building a scoring engine that feels much more personal than a normal word board.
The cartoon-gallery theme gives it a lovely identity, while the roguelike structure makes every run feel like an opportunity to stumble into one more smart combination.
Who is this game best for? Word-game players who enjoy Balatro-like build crafting and want a strategic solo game that fits comfortably into a short session.
Birdigo – bird word game
Platforms: iOS ($4.99), Steam ($9.99)
Birdigo is a word-building deckbuilder about helping a flock of birds complete a global migration. You create words from a deck of letter cards, turn those words into "flaps," and use them to push your flock further along its journey.
The joy comes from building a deck that makes ordinary-looking letters work together in surprising ways. A longer word may take you further, but special cards and well-timed combos can turn a modest little word into exactly what your birds need.
Who is this game best for? Anyone who likes the escalating strategy of Balatro or Slay the Spire, but would rather make a good word than another poker hand.
Word Play
Platform: Steam ($7.99)
Word Play is a score-chasing spelling game where every word helps you unlock a new way to bend the rules. You make words, earn points, choose perks, and slowly shape the tiles and scoring system into something much more powerful than the game you started with.
It is an especially good reminder that a familiar word-game loop can become exciting once the player gets meaningful control over the systems underneath it. The Steam description puts it neatly: spell words, pick perks, score points, and survive until the end.
Who is this game best for? Players who like chasing giant scores, experimenting with builds, and realising that a strange long word might be the key to an outrageous combo.
Letterlike
Platforms: iOS ($4.99), Android ($4.99), Steam ($7.99)
Letterlike is a word-game roguelike built around collecting cards, improving letter tiles, and making your strongest possible words. Rather than managing a traditional shared board, you focus on building a set of letters and upgrades that produce increasingly satisfying synergies.
It is one of the clearest examples of why roguelike structure works so well with word games: a small, ordinary word can become a huge play once your cards and tile upgrades are doing their work. The Steam version has a positive rating, while the developer reports strong mobile ratings across the App Store and Google Play.
Who is this game best for? Players who love crafting overpowered roguelike builds and want a portable, word-focused take on that feeling.
Cursed Words: The Word Game That Isn't
Platform: Steam ($14.99)
Cursed Words begins like a familiar Boggle-style game: place tiles, make words, and hit score targets. It does not stay familiar for long, because stickers, stamps, bosses, and strange upgrades gradually mutate the rules until letters can become numbers, chess pieces, or something much less easy to explain.
This is the most gleefully unhinged game on the list. It understands that "word game" can be a starting point rather than a genre boundary, then pushes that thought as far as it can go.
Who is this game best for? Roguelike players who want a word game with surprises, challenging build decisions, and no interest in staying polite or conventional.
Pronoun Palace
Platform: Steam ($19.84)
Pronoun Palace is a strange, adult spelling roguelike set in a dystopian future where the government has taken everyone's pronouns. You use spells to alter letter tiles and fight your way through a deliberately bureaucratic, politically charged world that is far more abrasive than the average cosy puzzle game.
It will not be for everyone, but it has a sharp identity and the response on Steam has been strikingly positive. If you are tired of word games that feel designed to avoid having anything to say, this is the odd one out worth investigating.
Who is this game best for? Adults who enjoy surreal indie games, dark satire, and roguelikes that have a strong point of view.
Beyond Words
Platforms: Steam ($14.99)Also on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Beyond Words comes from the studio founded by the creators of GoldenEye and TimeSplitters, and it fuses roguelike deckbuilding with word-crafting on Scrabble-style boards. You build powerful combos, unlock upgrades, and chase the kind of exponential scores that Balatro fans will recognise — victory spelled one letter at a time.
It is the most pedigreed release on this list, and it wears its "Scrabble meets Balatro" ambitions proudly. If you want a word game with real production polish behind the numbers, this is the one to watch.
Who is this game best for? Players who want a big, high-production roguelike word game and love watching a modest word snowball into an outrageous score.
Prices are in USD and may change during sales.