Playing games is probably not the primary reason why you would want to have a smart display. But Google believes that it is a bonus feature for people who are bored or want to connect with loved ones. That’s why they have recently launched several new games and with more games to come that you can play on your own or with friends and family members during this holiday weekend. They have also now launched the Games Lobby so you will be able to easily access the new (and old) games.
From the name itself, the Games Lobby is a one-stop hub where you can find all the games, game settings, and other gaming needs. It comes with a revamped user interface as compared to how you accessed games before. It has also improved discoverability as they continue adding more games to their library. You will be able to see the best-ranked games as well as featured, new titles. This is part of a larger redesign of the Nest Hub UI with tabbed navigation which they launched earlier this year as per Android Central.
Google also recently launched 10 new games for smart displays with word puzzles like Horizontal Crosswords, Game of Words, Voice Quest, Power of Words, and Daily Word Wheel. These are a mix of straightforward word games with a few adventure-type puzzles with words as “powers” thrown in. They are also all powered by Google Assistant so you can actually play them without touching the screen, while you’re prepping the Christmas Eve dinner or something.
To keep your kids entertained over the holiday break, there are also some virtual pet-keeping games added like My Smart Pet and Hey Fish. You also have more interactive bedtime storytelling apps to make bedtime more tolerable for them. Nest Hub Max has also recently added Zoom integration earlier this month for all those online Christmas parties you’ll probably be having. Google Meet has also brought improvements to its video conferencing platform.
Expect more games to be added in the next few days as most of us probably need all the distractions we can get through a socially-distanced holiday. At least you have your smart display to still keep you connected.
