You can't accuse mobile platforms of lacking word puzzlers. But you could suggest that their vast catalog of them is overly familiar. Gubbins is a beautiful and bizarre take on the subgenre whose personality is core to its success. There is a capital 'a' Aesthetic quality here that feels like the result of asking an artist high on LSD to illustrate the cover of an adult coloring book. There is such a great selection of silly little guys here, all of whom open up fun gameplay possibilities.

Most word games are incredibly straightforward in their mechanics as they're often targeted at middle-aged parents with two hours to kill on a domestic flight. Gubbins takes more from video games than pen-and-pad word teasers though, crafting a much more dynamic experience that remains simple to understand but more engaging on a moment-to-moment basis thanks to its varied modifiers and arcade-like chaining concept.

On both a visual and mechanical level, Gubbins ducks left when the conventions of its genre say to veer right. This is certainly one of 2023's best-kept secrets and a game that has become a fixture of my daily routine.