February 3, 2022 - Wordle has taken the internet by storm, testing the wits of millions. What few know, however, is that it was recently adapted into the Croatian language by a group of early enthusiasts of the popular game as a method to encourage its learning. Meet Crodle!

If you're on Twitter, chances are you've seen people all over the place in recent months sharing a set of green, yellow, and gray squares. Either you're confused and don't have the slightest idea what's going on, or you're just another user of the trendy game that's now everywhere you look: Wordle.

Wordle was created by Josh Wardle, a software engineer from Brooklyn, in October 2021. The game that has now taken over the internet, however, started in a very curious, and romantic way. As The New York Times recalls, it so happens that months before its launch, Wardle created it as a kind of gift for his partner, who loved word games. The concept would be one of word guessing, and the name would be a fun one that would combine the pillar on which it was designed and the last name of the person who created it: Wordle.

At first, it was played only by Wardle and his partner, and after several months of obsession, they decided to share it with their families. Shortly after, in October, it would be released worldwide. On November 1st, 90 people played it. Two months later, on a Sunday, 300,000 people were playing it.

One of the reasons why Wordle has become popular so quickly and has won the affection of millions of users is because of its friendly design and easy gameplay. In addition to having a fairly simple concept compared to others that can be found on the Internet, Wordle does not have advertising or annoying pop-ups.

How to play Wordle? You have to guess the Wordle in 6 tries. Each guess must be a valid 5 letter word. Hit the enter button to submit your guess. After each guess, the color of the tiles will change to show how close your guess was to the word. A new Wordle will be available each day! Here are some examples:

(Screenshot/Wordle)

Today the game has millions of users around the world, but among the first loyal users, we must recognize a group of enthusiastic Croats who saw in the original concept an ingenious way to promote the Croatian language and encourage its learning. ''At our language school we were early fans of Wordle, so we decided to create the Croatian version - as a tribute to the original and a fun way to play with the Croatian language'', recalls Maja Jukić, teacher and school manager at the Školica Croatian Language School in Zagreb.

Maja and her colleagues called their Croatian version Crodle, and tell that, just like the original, it's completely free and there’s a new word to guess every day. ''Apart from our fellow citizens here in Croatia, we already have enthusiastic Crodle players with Croatian origins living in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand'', adds Jukić.

The Croatian version features the full Croatian alphabet, but to keep things simple they have considered the letters Dž, Lj and Nj to be counted as two separate letters. (Screenshot/Crodle)

''As we became addicted to the popular word game Wordle, we decided to build a Croatian version for our language students to practice with, and for everyone else to enjoy. Crodle is built with open-source software'', can be read on the game's website.

Anyone can play Crodle from their phone or computer, it's free of ads, and it has a friendly design. To play, click here. Enjoy!

For more, check out Made in Croatia.

November 29, 2021 - The Wheel of Fortune is coming on December 1st to Steam and itch! It features three Slavic vixens to woo, multiple endings to find, and over 40 beautifully illustrated scenes for your enjoyment. 30+ turbo-folk-infused songs and remixes complement the visual splendor with authentic ex-Yugoslavian melodies.

The Wheel of Fortune is developed by Takujin software. Takujin software is a small group of like-minded unhinged individuals: the premiere Balkan pioneers of visual novels, interactive fiction, and responsible alcohol consumption. As such, they are rather unique in the region. Inspired by the greats such as Hirohiko Araki, Kemal Malovčić, Crippling Millennial Depression, Macintosh Plus, and more, they strive to provide their users with infinite amounts of questionable interactive text for their mutually useless amusement.

Play the role of a deadbeat internet junkie who wants to turn his life around. Lady Luck is a fickle mistress to you: after years of unlucky breaks, fate has brought three women into your life. Will you take hold of destiny's reins and start a new life with a hot Balkan waifu, or are you doomed to wallow in post-Soviet depression for the rest of your girlfriend-free days?

The Wheel of Fortune features three Slavic vixens to woo, multiple endings to find, and over 40 beautifully illustrated scenes for your enjoyment. 30+ turbo-folk-infused songs and remixes complement the visual splendor with authentic ex-Yugoslavian melodies, perfect for smashing glasses while intoxicated. Watch the trailer below!

A unique feature of The Wheel of Fortune is, well, the Wheel itself! Every in-game day, the Wheel spins and decides your luck at random. The spin will impact the events of the following day: terrible luck might leave you without dialogue choices or charming opportunities, while the elusive lucky spin may unlock secrets otherwise unknown. Your luck can change every playthrough, even with the same choices!

As this is the first Balkan visual novel, the developers at Takujin Software have taken great care to make it as authentic and representative as possible. Never before has the gaming intelligentsia seen such a detailed and true-to-life adaptation of the Slavic NEET life! In an effort to stay pure to the source material of Balkan lifestyles, The Wheel of Fortune features uncensored illustrations, politically incorrect dialogue and has absolutely no shame in exploiting the Balkan setting, just like a true Illyrian would do! Combined with the globalized appeal of imageboards and internet culture, Wheel of Fortune is an unstoppable force of Balkan anime domination!

The Wheel of Fortune is a one-man passion project made by the disputed chief of Takujin Software, VAISKO, fueled by years of unmitigated anime consumption and questionable life choices.

The Wheel of Fortune will be available on Steam and itch for 7.40 euros on December 1st. You can already add the game to your Steam wishlist!

Disclaimer: This game contains sexually explicit content, profanity, and references to drug use and self-harm. The contents of this game are fictional and all similarities to real-life events and people are pure coincidence. All characters depicted in this game are above the age of 21. GAMER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

For more information about The Wheel of Fortune, be sure to check Takujin Software's official sites on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their official website.

For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.