Wordle has been the puzzle game to beat for years, but Apple just released a new competitor game that could be a smash hit. Emoji Game was released today for Apple News+ subscribers and gives players a set of daily puzzles that revolve around using emojis to uncover different phrases.
Starting today, July 17, anyone with an Apple News+ subscription will find Emoji Game added to the suite of other word and puzzle games on the service. Games will feature three phrases that players will need to decode based on a selection of emojis that represent each part of the phrase by dragging them to the correct spots to fill in the blanks. For example, you might be given the beginning of a word as PINE and the emoji of an apple. By dragging the apple into the space, you create PINEAPPLE. You only have six turns to solve the puzzle, but you can also use a built-in hint feature if you’re feeling stuck.
Besides just the standard emojis you will already be familiar with, Apple News+ is integrating Genmoji to create new and dynamic emojis to add more variety and complexity to the game. Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News, says, “Emoji Game is the perfect addition to the Apple News+ suite of word and number puzzles, turning the emoji we use every day into a brainteaser that’s approachable and fun.”
After the phenomenon that was, and still is, Wordle, many other competitors have attempted to recapture that magic to varying degrees of success. Emoji Game has all the same trappings of that hit game, including stats, daily puzzles, and ways to compete with friends, but is doing something unique by utilizing emojis. This will certainly be a new way to stretch your brain muscles, but only time will tell if it manages to catch on as well as Wordle.
Emoji Game joins Apple News+’s own daily crossword, Sudoku, and Quartiles games, as well as access to content from over 400 top publications.
Emoji Game is available now on iOS inside the Apple News+ app for subscribers, with new puzzles added each day so you can add to your daily routine alongside Connections, Strands, and the other NYT word games.
