Designed as a part of Richard Falcema’s ‘Fictronics’ (Fictional Electronics) series, the WORDLE TERM is a handheld console that lets you play NYT’s hit game Wordle anywhere you go. Although Wordle is mainly played on phones (and is even available as a board game for true-blue nerds), Falcema’s quirky gadget gives the game its own standalone handheld device with an aesthetic and interface that’s just about as adorable and fun as the game itself.
Designer: Richard Falcema
The gaming device is simple to a point of being almost a meme. You can literally ONLY play Wordle on it and nothing else, which I guess makes it even more appealing if you think about it. The device sports a 25-display grid on the top,very reminiscent of the kind seen on Elgato’s hardware, except those displays can’t be pressed. They’re controlled using a set of 5 wheels at the bottom, which let you cycle through letters in each row. Once you select all 5 letters, the device accepts your input and judges your guess. For non-Wordlers, the game involves guessing the word of the day. You have 6 chances (this game gives you just 5), and each chance gives you clues as to what the word could be. When you guess the letters, tiles either stay grey if the letter is wrong, or turn orange if the letter is right but in the wrong position, and finally green if the letter is right and at the right position. Using this color-coded system, you’re required to work your way through the 5 or 6 guesses, trying to get the word in the fewest attempts.
Falcema’s device captures the Wordle game perfectly through its quirky design. The exposed circuitry, vibrant colors, metal bar on top, and that lone AA battery at the bottom are highly reminiscent of Teenage Engineering’s design cues. The device comes with a Wordle-themed lanyard too, adding to the fun appeal of the entire device. I’m assuming that this device also lets you play as many instances of Wordle as possible, rather than having to wait 24 hours for each new challenge!
