2D gameCategory and letter-based word game
İsim Şehir (“Name, City”) is the classic pen-and-paper word game that almost everyone in Turkey played at school, the local equivalent of Scattergories or the German “Stadt, Land, Fluss”. A letter is chosen and players race against the clock to write words starting with that letter for categories such as name, city, animal, plant and object. Original answers nobody else wrote earn more points. Speed, vocabulary and a bit of creativity bring everyone from families to groups of friends to the table.
The most critical part of a digital version is a broad, accurate dictionary for each category plus a system that validates answers automatically, tolerating spelling variants, inflections and accented characters in every language you support. On top of that come a letter wheel, timer, multiplayer rooms, scoring for duplicate and unique answers, voting on disputed answers and custom categories.
Why İsim Şehir works: the core loop
Systems you need to build a game like İsim Şehir
Category dictionary
A word database for categories such as name, city, country, animal, plant, object and profession, with synonyms and spelling variants.
Automatic validation
Checks that the answer starts with the letter and exists in the category, with typo tolerance; unknown words go to a vote.
Letter wheel and timer
Configurable letter selection that can exclude hard letters, plus round length and an option to shorten the clock once one player finishes.
Scoring rules
Classic rules such as full points for unique answers, half for duplicates and zero for blank or invalid ones, with configurable variants.
Rooms and parties
Friend invites by room code, public rooms, player count and round settings.
Custom categories and voting
Rooms where players add their own categories, with disputed answers approved by player vote.
What goes into the first version, what comes later
First version (soft launch)
- Dictionary for the core categories in your launch language
- Letter wheel, timer and automatic validation
- Online play with friends via room code
- Unique/duplicate answer scoring and voting
- Single-player practice mode and ad integration
Later updates
- Custom and themed category packs
- Ranked matches and weekly tournaments
- Daily letter challenge
- Avatars, themes and cosmetic items
The hard parts of this genre
Dictionary coverage and accuracy
Especially for names, plants and objects, the boundary of a valid word is fuzzy; a thin dictionary rejects correct answers and frustrates players.
Spelling and character tolerance
Without normalising accented and special characters (such as ç, ş, ğ, ö, ü, ä, ß or é) and spelling variants, validation breaks down.
Cheating via web search
In online play people can look answers up; short timers, unique-answer scoring and voting reduce the effect.
Team, timeline and budget
The estimate is based on the genre’s core systems, content volume, multiplayer and live-ops needs plus QA and project management: about 211 person-days for the full scope and 95 person-days for the first version. Cutting scope (fewer levels, one map, fewer characters) lowers the budget directly. Store accounts, servers, audio licences and user-acquisition budget are separate items. We send a fixed written price within 24 hours after the game design document.
Monetisation
Word games earn from ads between matches, rewarded ads for hints or extra time, and an ad-free premium version. Themed category packs, avatars and table themes bring cosmetic revenue. In a game that grows through friend invites, keeping free access intact and pacing ads to the round flow is important.
Estimate your game budget and get a fixed quote
Let us scope it together and send a fixed written quote within 24 hours. NDA on request; you own the source code.
Calculated instantly from your choices, excl. VAT. A fixed written quote follows a free scoping call within 24 hours.
Choosing a game development company for a game like İsim Şehir
Most people searching “make a game like isim şehir” are really looking for a reliable game development company. When comparing quotes, check four things:
- Can you play their released 2D games on your own phone?
- Are the source code, art files and store accounts transferred to you by contract?
- Do they build a playable prototype first and show a demo every two weeks?
- Are multiplayer servers, anti-cheat and scaling costs written into the quote?
Copyright and originality
Game mechanics on their own are generally not protected, but names, logos, characters, art, audio and level designs are. That is why we build a game “like İsim Şehir” with your own name, art and world. This is not legal advice; we recommend a trademark search before launch.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make a game like İsim Şehir?
An MVP with a room system, core categories and automatic validation can be built in a few months by a small team. The quality and breadth of the dictionary is the biggest factor in the timeline.
Are there copyright issues?
İsim Şehir is a traditional game and its rules are generally free to use, but another app’s name, logo, UI or dictionary data cannot be copied without permission. Note that “Scattergories” is a registered trademark. This is general information, not legal advice.
Where can I get a word dictionary?
Openly licensed dictionaries and word lists can be a starting point, but category lists are usually curated by hand and expanded over time through player voting. Always check the licence terms of your sources.
What should I look for in a company to build a game like İsim Şehir?
Look for experience with multilingual text processing, real-time room apps and word games. Ask for a demo of how the validation system handles incorrect answers.
