Are word games Facebook apps time wasters? Yes, but that’s why we love them.

Of the top applications on Facebook, a large proportion of them are games.  And it’s easy to see why.  Games are a great way to escape, or simply clear your mind during a short break from work.

As many of us peruse Facebook while we’re at the office, it’s not a big jump to say that the ready access to a plethora of games within the social network is an enticing way to pass the time.  As one of the top five activities done on the Internet, gaming is also a big money maker for developers that are merely taking advantage of the portal Facebook has offered up.  Today we’re reviewing our pick for the Top 5 word games on Facebook.

1. Word Wrangler

Word Wrangler is a new Facebook app by brain gamer creator Brainzai. The game launched last month and has gained more than 250 monthly active users so far. It’s basically like playing Scrabble, with or without opponents.  Games are timed and can be played in single or duel mode.  Your rankings will be displayed in the Standings section, where you can see how you stack up against your friends.  While simple in concept and game offerings, Word Wrangler is bright and fun for a quick, uncomplicated game run.

2. Word Twist

Word Twist by Zynga is a totally social game, requiring you and three of your Facebook friends to get a new round started. With the series of letters you’re given, unscramble them to create as many words as possible in the given amount of time. When starting a new round, you can invite friends to play with you or scroll through the friends that have already added the Word Twist application. Like a multi-player Text Twist, this game keeps you on your toes and heightens the excitement by involving other players.  See their scores as you play.  If waiting around for your buddies to be available for game play isn’t in your schedule, try one of Zynga’s other word games, including Scramble and Path Words.

3. Word Hunt

Word Hunt 2009 has been climbing steadily in Monthly Active Users, trending toward 80,000 since a dip March 10.

The game awards points to users for creating words. Players find letters in their friends letter racks or pages around Facebook to fill their letter bags. When users have enough letters in their bags, they can make words. Users can view weekly rankings or their complete record. Users can then display their stats and badges earned in their profile.

4. Wordy

Wordy jumped by more than 9,500 Monthly Active Users the last two weeks of March. It has multi-player and single-player options and can be played in several languages.  Another benefit of Wordy is that it has several game modes, essentially making it several word games in one. This makes it appealing for quick and dirty games, longer more involved sessions, and social options for friendly yet challenging game play.  With a number of different leaderboard opportunities and a unique ranking system, Wordy has something for everyone bundled into a single application.

5. Word Challenge

Word Challenge has dominated the gaming app leaderboard for some time now. Developed by Playfish, Word Challenge is one of a handful of addictive games from the Zynga and SGN competitor. To play the game, you are given a series of letters which you have to unscramble in order to guess as many words as possible that can be made from the set. Social attributes let you see how you stack up against your friends, and options to challenge each other in a round.