Game: Alphabetron
Genre: Puzzle
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer | Publisher: thirtysmooth
Controller Support: No
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $1.99 | UK £1.69 | EU € 1,99
Release Date: August 30th, 2025
Review code provided with many thanks to thirtysmooth.
Alphabetron – Wordsearching with a 80s Tone
When most people think about video games, they picture fast-paced shooters, massive open worlds, or complex RPGs. Very few minds immediately go to word searches. But here we are, and honestly, I had more fun with Alphabetron than I expected. It’s a simple game, it doesn’t try much from a longstanding tried and tested formula from the newspaper, and yet it has this quirky retro personality that makes it oddly appealing if you’re in the mood for something simple.
Wordsearch, With a Side of Neon
At its core, Alphabetron is exactly what it says on the tin: a wordsearch game. You’ve got 50 puzzles to complete, each filled with themed words to hunt down. Some lean on 80s slang, others reference gaming and tech culture, and a few dive into the wonderfully weird. Just like the classic wordsearches you used to see in puzzle books and newspapers, words can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and often backwards.
It’s a very straightforward loop: find the words, highlight them with your mouse, tick them off the list, move on to the next puzzle. As you progress, the grids get larger and the words harder to spot, which is a neat way to ramp up the challenge without complicating things. Just you and a good eye for letters.
Controls and Simplicity
There’s no steep learning curve here. The controls couldn’t be easier, click, drag, and that’s about it. It’s a game that demands absolutely no stress or dexterity. You can lean back with a cup of coffee, zone out to the retro beats, and just let your eyes wander over the grid until something clicks.
It reminded me of evenings with puzzle magazines as a kid, only now the magazine has been swapped out for a neon-soaked digital arcade machine.
Soundtrack Steals the Show
If there’s one aspect of Alphabetron that really impressed me, it’s the soundtrack. It nails that retro arcade feeling with pulsing synths and upbeat rhythms. It’s energetic enough to keep you engaged, but not so distracting that it pulls your focus from the actual word hunt.
Plenty of smaller puzzle games end up being “podcast games” something you play with other audio running in the background. But here, I was more than happy to leave the soundtrack on and let it do its thing. It gave the wordsearches a surprising sense of atmosphere, almost like I was in some alternate-universe arcade where the only cabinet was “Wordsearch Champion 1984.”
Graphics and Style
Visually, things are serviceable. Most of what you’ll be staring at is, naturally, letters on a grid. There’s a light neon effect, some retro styling in the menus, and enough colour to tie the theme together. But this isn’t a visual showpiece, it’s a wordsearch game. I did find myself wishing for just a bit more flair, maybe animated effects or a heavier 80s arcade aesthetic applied to the letters themselves. Still, what’s here works fine, and it fits the price point.
Who’s This For?
Now, let’s be honest: Alphabetron is not going to appeal to everyone. A lot of people turn to video games for adrenaline, big stories, or cutting-edge graphics. A digital wordsearch might feel too simple. Some might even argue this would work better as a mini-game inside something else.
But here’s the thing, wordsearches have been around for decades, and they’re still popular with plenty of people. Sometimes you don’t want to fight dragons, climb towers, or juggle complex mechanics. Sometimes you just want to sit down, relax, and let your brain lightly hum along while you circle a few words. In that sense, Alphabetron achieves what it sets out to do.
Conclusion: Cheaper Than a Newspaper
Alphabetron isn’t ground-breaking. It won’t change your life. But it’s perfectly fine at being what it is: a simple, affordable wordsearch game with a cool soundtrack and a fun retro personality. For under two quid, you’re getting 50 puzzles, some catchy music, and a stress-free way to unwind at the end of the day.
Will everyone rush out to play it? No. But for the right audience, puzzle fans, nostalgia lovers, or anyone who just fancies a low-key evening with something different, it’s a solid little distraction. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
Final Verdict: I Like it
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