10 Google Home Games That Don’t Disappoint
Photo by Michael Kwan for WordFinder
My Smart Pet
Somewhere between Choose Your Own Adventure books and Tamagotchi virtual pets, you find My Smart Pet. It’s quite different from other Google Home games, because it’s more like an interactive story. Make choices using only your voice.
The tale starts in a village. Your character then ventures into the nearby forest where they encounter a curious creature. Along the way in this animated storybook, you choose what your character does. Return to this game on a regular basis by telling Google Assistant to “talk to my smart pet.”
Horizontal Crosswords
One of our favorite crossword puzzle apps is CodyCross. If you like it too, then you’ll love Horizontal Crosswords on your Google Nest Hub or Google Nest Hub Max. As one of the only crossword games on Google Home, Horizontal Crosswords offers daily games across three difficulty levels. There’s also a Challenge mode for more puzzles.
Say a line number to see the corresponding clue. When you answer correctly, the game reveals letters to help with the other lines. When you’ve solved all the horizontal crossword clues, you’ll see the single vertical word as the puzzle’s solution.
Game of Words
Looking for a straightforward anagram solver game? If you’ve been playing Wordscapes and Word Cookies on your smartphone, then Game of Words is one of the best Google Home games for you.
The idea is simple and familiar. You get six letters and then it’s up to you to find as possible within the allotted time limit. Like other jumble solver games, Game of Words only allows words that are at least three letters long. Explore both single-player and multiplayer game modes.
Animal Kingdom Trivia
There are some great games on Google Home devices for kids. They can present some fun learning opportunities too. Animal Kingdom Trivia is exactly what you think it is. The game will ask a series of four multiple choice questions. For example, it might ask what is the name of the black-and-white flightless bird that lives in Antarctica? Or, what is the world’s smallest mammal?
Questions like these can help spark conversations and encourage young minds to learn more about animals from around the world. Conveniently, your Google Nest can be a great source of information about these animals too.
Guess the Drawing
Pictionary is another favorite among classic word games. Adapting the experience to the smart speaker and smart display is Guess the Drawing. You won’t be doing any of the drawing yourself, unfortunately. In this game, you only take on the role of guesser. Choose between easy, medium and hard difficult levels.
The daily mode offers daily puzzles. Party mode lets you compete against other players. The puzzle shows the category and number of letters, similar to Wheel of Fortune. Earn coins that you can then spend on hints. To help, the puzzle starts to populate with some letters as you approach the time limit.
Jeopardy!
Play a version of the legendary game show from the convenience of your living room. (Or wherever you keep your Google Nest smart speaker.) Like some other Google Home games, Jeopardy! is easier if you play on a smart display, like on the Google Nest Hub. Just like on the TV show, this game offers a wide range of categories. Play through the six daily clues for free.
When you sign up for the optional monthly subscription, you unlock six more clues for the Double Jeopardy! round every weekday. The subscription also unlocks Teen Jeopardy! and Sports Jeopardy! on Sundays. Remember to respond in the form of a question!
Song Quiz
General trivia isn’t your jam? Hum along to a different tune by playing Song Quiz on your Google Home or Google Nest smart speaker instead. The game will play a music clip and then it’s your job to identify the name of the artist or the track title. You can choose to play by yourself, in which case you’ll be paired with a random opponent. Alternatively, you can play locally with up to four players.
In either case, you get to pick any decade from the 1960s up to the 2010s. The game will then play snippets from a total of seven songs. You get 10 points for correctly answering with either the artist or the track title in the first three rounds. You earn 20 points for rounds 4 through 6, and 40 points for the 7th round. Get an extra 10 bonus points if you identify both the artist and the title.
Mad Libs
Here’s another perennial classic that’s been adapted into a voice-based game on Google Home. Like the traditional pen-and-paper version, Mad Libs with Google Assistant asks you to provide random words to fill in the blanks. You’ll need to give a plural noun here, the name of a celebrity there.
The length of the generated stories varies somewhat. On average, you can expect to provide about 15 words for a typical tale. Once you’ve made all the words, your smart speaker will read the story aloud. There are over 50 free stories to enjoy.
Warriors Land
Warriors Land is a modern take on the classic text-based adventure game. You will need to create a free account to get started. The game will ask for permission to connect with your Google account. From there, you navigate through this massively multiplayer online role-playing game using your voice.
Move around the map, which you can view on the official Warriors Land website, by saying you want to go north, south, east or west. As you move around this fantasy world, you’ll encounter goblins, dragons, and more. Engage in battles, gain strength, and work toward becoming emperor. The game is always on, as other “warriors” around the world play even when you’re not.
Are You Feeling Lucky?
Do you find the open-ended questions of Jeopardy! a bit too difficult? A fun spin on the trivia genre, Are You Feeling Lucky? is a creation of Google itself! Supporting up to six players, this trivia game asks you five multiple choice questions across a variety of categories.
For example, is it true or false that you can swallow upside down? Some questions tap into Google’s unique data and knowledge too. Do you know what food recipe people search for the most in the world? What about the most popular search among fantasy characters?
Smart Google Home Games for Smart Players
Do you like the idea of playing games on Google Home and Google Nest smart speakers? They can be a lot of fun for the whole family! If you’ve got Amazon Echo devices in your home, then you’ll want to explore the variety of Alexa word games you can play. From Gram Slam to Twenty Questions, there’s something for everyone.
Michael Kwan is a professional writer and editor with over 15 years of experience. Fueled by caffeine and WiFi, he's no stranger to word games and dad jokes.