Last updated on December 9th, 2025 at 08:18 am
Osmo Words Explorers – Puzzle Game Review
Osmo Words Explorers is a Puzzle/Education/Adventure game from Tangible Play Inc, first launched in 18th December 2018.
It’s rated 4+ and currently has 58+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Osmo Words Explorers Stand Out
Osmo Words Explorers & The Tunnel of Treasures
Build words, battle monsters, and save the ancient treasures!
In Words Explorers, kids go on a temple adventure. To progress, they must master increasingly more challenging word constructions. Along the way they’ll confront monsters, battle the boss, have a blast and — if their skills are sharp — save real artifacts!
Osmo Words Explorers is a word-building and spelling adventure designed to teach literacy skills for kids in grades 1-3. Using your existing Osmo Base for iPad and Words tiles, this digital-only extension is a great add-on to your Osmo system.
Includes:
- Word recognition
- Spelling practice
- Word patterns
- Vocabulary building
- Sight words
- Critical thinking
- Creative problem-solving
- History & social studies
EXPLORE AN ANCIENT TEMPLE
Two adventurous Agoutis need your help to save ancient artifacts! Tunnel through a crumbling temple, using words skills to pass through barriers and battle monsters. With each level completed, save a real Mesoamerican artifact!
BUILD LITERACY SKILLS
Get creative with Osmo Words tiles by replacing one letter at a time to form new words! Every time you spell a word correctly, the blocks fall and you get closer to battling the boss and saving an artifact. This word pattern, spelling and vocabulary game is perfect for kids ages 6-9. Challenges get harder as kids progress.
LEARN HISTORICAL FACTS
With every level completed, you save an ancient Aztec artifact! Learn about the double-headed serpent, Moctezuma’s Headdress, the Stone of Tizoc, and more.
THINK FAST, GET CREATIVE
The final step to recovering each artifact is to battle a new monster with the power of words. In this challenge, you’ll need to get creative to make new words out of just a few letter tiles. Think fast to get to the artifact before the monster can!
*Play your favourite Osmo Words Explorers on both iPhone and iPad! Use your iPhone with the Osmo Base for iPad and Words tiles – each can be found at playosmo.com.
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Please see our device compatibility list here: https://support.playosmo.com/hc/articles/115010156067
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Compatible iPhones:
iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
iPhone 14, 14 Plus -
Not compatible:
iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
iPhone 12 Mini,13 Mini
iPhone SE (1-3)
iPhone 11 Series and older
*Requires use of Osmo iPad Base and Words tiles. Visit www.playosmo.com to learn more.
Features:
- Easy-to-use interface for children
- Simple verbal instructions
- Warm, colorful character animations
About Osmo:
Osmo is using the screen to create a new healthy, hands-on learning experience that promotes creativity, problem solving and social interaction.
This Puzzle game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Osmo Words Explorers is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 23rd May 2025
Recent improvements include:
The game is now completely FREE to download and play – enjoy the full experience at no cost!
Download & Availability
Osmo Words Explorers is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
Get Osmo Words Explorers on App Store
Requirements: Requires iPhone 5s / iPad Air / iPad Air (Cellular) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina, Cellular) / iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPad Air 2 / iPad Air 2 (Cellular) / iPad Mini 3 or later.
Compatible with iPhone and iPad devices.
Player Experience Highlights
Community Insight:
At first we thought the game would be really fun but we cant even play. The app is super buggy and annoying. When it asks us to put down the tiles it doesnt even recognize them and freezes for a few seconds then still asks us to put down the tiles. We havent even gotten past the first level. This Osmo game is the most annoying and most glitchy game Ive ever played from them. Please fix it so we can hopefully play it without any errors.
We just bought the word tiles for our kid and we were so happy she would be able to play all your games. But when we go to the app once we download it its says we have to pay another 10 dollars like we payed for the tiles now this.Just why.
One thing to fix is the words because the words are way to easy.
Asking us to restore what we have already bought…. But it doesnt find the fact already paid!!!! Not that great a game… But kid wants to play.
We purchased this app many months ago and now our daughter wants to play it again but the app can not restore purchase. And want us to buy it again.
Im a big Osmo fan and this game is so cute and amazing.
This game is listed for Kinder and up and unless your child can read already this game is useless. The game would be better if it recited letters and said the words after they are spelled. Unless you can sit by your child and help them, they wont learn anything other than matching letter tiles to the screen.
We were excited to get this game to help our preschooler with letter recognition as advertised, but it just help with matching the letter to the one on the screen. We would love to see it say the letter name when placed on the board, and then say the letter sounds and read the word together once it is complete. The monster part should be able to say the word as well.
One major error, that we are hoping can be fixed in an update. At this point the the child is asked to spell a word but it is not read to them if needed or if they successfully built the word. This means that a child can be adept at finding the letters but not know how to read the words. Thus the game becomes one of letter recognition not reading/spelling. The same is true when they must fight the monsters. They need to have the ability to tap the letter for sounds, so they can see if the letters will make a word and have the word read to them if they are successful. This could be an option that can be turned off for more advanced students. We bought the two games combo and found them to be an odd combo to put together. The math game is appropriate for preschool and beginning kindergarten and the the reading game is more appropriate for end of first or second grade. Neither work well in our end of the year kindergarten class. We are disappointed that we spent $15 for the two games but we were so excited to see they were coming out with new games that use tiles that we already have. Please work on an update to add a read to option to the words. It would make this game exceptional as a reading center option in the classroom.
We got this for our younger kids (aged 3 and 4) because it says it does letter recognition. However all they are doing is matching the letter on the screen. It doesnt even say the letter name or sound. And the Letter we on the screen doesnt even look like the we on the tile which made it extra confusing! We dont know that our 7 year old would even be able to do the building a word part either.
Happy that there is another Words game to play, and love the cute crab boss.
Kids really enjoyed this, and we liked how they got practice with their letters. Very cute.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 4.0.4
- Size: 185.40 MB
- iOS: 15.0 or later
- Languages: EN
- Content Advisory:
- Developer: Tangible Play Inc
Last updated: 23rd May 2025 | Genre: Puzzle, Education | Developer: Tangible Play Inc