The popular word game Wordament, which made the jump to become an Xbox Live title in April, has had a small update to v2.1, mostly to tweak the UI, but also to improve performance when online. The main change is the ability to switch the rich backdrop graphic off, and to have the system tray visible at the top of the screen, but there are changes under the hood as well for a better connected experience.

Reviewed just after its April re-release, Wordament is one of the standout titles on Xbox Live, with a very passionate group of fans. Trying to find as many words as you can in two minutes is also insanely addictive:

Once the two minutes are up, you get your score, and then you see the global score table for the grid you have just played. It's a wonderful feeling to know that all these people (I've seen up to 1500 players after some games) have been on the same grid... and then you see where you rank next to them. The focus here is on the percentage, as that's something you can take from game to game as a comparative "score". Right now I've managed one 96% round finishing in 30th place.

It's this simple addition to the game, taking it from a simple word search to something that challenges the player to be measured against everyone else in the world. It's a simple concept, but it's been implemented almost flawlessly, with just the right balance of personal challenge and global envy to keep you coming back for more.

The live tile now pays attention to the theme colour on your handset - it's the little things that count! Get the update from the Windows Marketplace on your handset, or download your copy from the AAWP App Directory.