The Google Maps Quiz is a game which presents you with an image of a topographical area. The object of the game is to then click on a world map where you believe the area is. The system then measures the distance between your guess and the actual spot.
The best I managed was 86 miles from the target, but hey I’d like to see you do any better! Feel free to reply if you can actually beat the score.
Today’s entry comes in the form of a service which Google has turned into a game of sorts. This one comes complete with scoring and public recognition of your contribution to the service.
Google Image Labeler is a word association game in which you, and some unknown, random partner are paired up and shown identical images which you both then describe until you get a match. Once you both label an image using the same term the image changes to another, and so on.
Each pairing only lasts 90 seconds so you need to think, and type, fast. You get 100 points for each match and the highest score I’ve managed so far is 1,000 points. It’s actually quite addictive and it helps Google refine the image search algorithm.
Although it isn’t technically a game, Google Earth rocks! You can zoom in on almost any point on the planet to check out high quality satellite images.
But what’s better than that is that if you have a joystick you can use it to fly around just like you would a flight simulator.
Here’s how you do it:
Plug in your joystick and make sure it’s working properly.Enjoy!
Now here is a game that seems downright impossible to me! The GoogleEarthing folks post a zoomed in photo of a few houses or some other very small area and then you’re supposed to find it using Google Earth.
I think I’d rather try to find a needle in a giant haystack, but they’ve got at least 100 images online, and people are apparantly finding them! So, if you’ve got the patience and you enjoy tedious, detailed searching, have we got the game for you!
Oh, and in addition to the search game, they also offer a slider game of every image that is being sought after. So, if you enjoy puzzle games they’ve got that on the menu as well!
Road Sign Math is a site which offers a slightly “brainier” alternative to the classic Slug Bug driving game. The game has a comprehensive list of rules, but the basic premise is: people take photos of roadsigns that contain numbers which, when solved, will formulate an equation.
An example follows:
So next time you’re going on a road trip make sure and take the digital camera along and see if you can’t find some road sign math of your own to upload to the site.
In the web-based Brewster Jennings Protects America game you race around the globe as a government agent trying to stop a deadly terror attack from taking place….
In this Google Maps game, you are a secret agent called into action. The game starts with a clue which directs you to some place on Earth where you’ll find the next clue. For example:
…Abell Rashid and an associate named Ali Nim were visiting the monument dedicated to our first President earlier this week…
You have a finite amount of time to navigate around the globe grabbing clues until you ultimately save the world. The game offers difficulty options including easy, medium and hard and also offers different lengths including quick, medium or long.
EndGame, a Google Maps based war strategy game, allows up to 25 players to battle it out with the ultimate goal of complete world domination.
According to the site, “The object of this game is to take over all the countries on the map. All other online players are simultaneously trying to do the same thing.”
There is a decent usage guide and signup is very simple. Since the site isn’t very highly trafficed it would be best to schedule a game with friends so that you’ll have people ready to play at the same time.
Mark Caswell-Daniels has developed a little flight sim game which uses Google Maps to allow you to fly all over the place. You can climb, dive, turn and even crash! You also have the option of shooting things on the ground.
Go try out Goggles, the Google Flight Simulator! And keep in mind that the controls are as follows:
Have fun!