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Google Assistant Smart Displays getting more games and new ‘lobby’ to showcase

Back in July, Google made a push for fun interactive experiences on Assistant devices. In the midst of the holiday season, more games are coming, along with a redesigned lobby on Smart Displays that better curates what is available. 

Games on Smart Displays are powered by the Interactive Canvas framework with features like Continuous Match Mode, where the microphone is kept active so that you can speak freely without needing to use the hotword every time.

Google initially highlighted 20 games and is making 10 more available today. It starts with a new “lobby” that’s accessible from the homescreen or through the “Hey Google, play a game” command.  

Like elsewhere on the Smart Display UI, cards are leveraged to highlight Featured Games, top-ranked ones, and those you recently played. The curation here is much better than the previous carousel.

The majority of new games are word puzzles, like Daily Word Wheel:

  • Horizontal Crosswords: Fast-paced game that gives you fresh puzzles every day. You’ll see a series of clues and need to speak your answer before time runs out. 
  • Game of Words: You’ll be given six letters and need to use them to assemble as many words as possible. The longer the word, the more points you get.
  • Voice Quest: You play a mage who uses synonyms to power spells and your voice to cast magic and defeat your enemies
  • Power of Words: Your mission is to save peaceful warriors from evil trolls and you battle monsters by guessing hidden words.

Other titles include Daily Brain Trainer, Brainwash Puzzle, My Smart Pet, and Hey Fish, as well as two new storytelling experiences with ABCmouse and Nickelodeon.

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com