Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
Google’s line of smart speakers – now branded Google Nest – are great devices for helping you around the house, able to perform tasks from controlling your smart home devices to listening to your favorite podcast. But there are some fun features many users are likely not aware of that are built right into Google Nest smart speakers and they can be great entertainment while you might be stuck at home.
One of these hidden gems is a great selection of interactive games that can be played with just your voice, ranging from in-depth adventure games to kid-friendly trivia. Here are our 10 top picks for Google Nest smart speaker games and experiences that don’t require a screen.
The Vortex – An interactive “voice-first” adventure game that takes you on a journey through an abandoned space ship that is being attacked by a hostile alien entity. Command a team of robots to reclaim your ship and to survive the Vortex. This game is in-depth, with an immersive narrative and engaging character development. The Vortex even works on smart displays, like the Nest Hub, and will show a basic UI that goes along with the story. To get started, just say, “Hey Google, talk to The Vortex by Doppio”
Ding Dong Coconut – A family-friendly memory game that gives you a word to remember that is associated with a sound and as the rounds progress you must remember more and more word associations. How many rounds can you last? To get started, just say, “Hey Google, let’s play Ding Dong Coconut.”
Wait Wait Quiz – All of the NPR fans out there will love this one. Have you ever wanted to call into Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me to talk with Peter and Bill but have been too scared? Well, now you can play along at home on your smart speaker without the worry of being on live radio. The interactive Wait Wait Quiz is updated regularly and will take about 5 minutes to play. You can play every week for a chance to win the Wait Wait voice of your choice on your voicemail and hear your name on the air! Just say, “Hey Google, talk to the Wait Wait Quiz.”
Shop The Best Chromebooks of 2019 at Chrome Shop
Akinator – Talk to Akinator the Genie and see if he can read your mind and tell you what character you are thinking about. Honestly, this one is really fun and I was surprised that Akinator was able to guess a couple of the obscure characters I was thinking about. Just say, “Hey Google, talk to Akinator.”
Dustin from Stanger Things – Hop on your Google Nest “walkie talkie” and talk to the loveable Dustin from Stanger Things. Help him tackle adventures from Season 2 of the Netflix series and become part of the crew. Just say, “Hey Google, talk to Dustin from Stanger Things.”
Mickey Mouse Adventure – Help Mickey Mouse navigate across a busy city to get to his magic show on time or choose to create a story with him. If you are a parent and need a break, let Mickey Mouse have kid duty for a little while. Just say, “Hey Google, let’s play Mickey Mouse Adventure.”
Star Wars Trivia Challenge – Test your Star Wars knowledge with this fun trivia game. The hosts are entertaining and lively, with challenging questions. All of the sounds effects and transitions are from the Star Wars films, which adds to the overall experience of the game. You can play in Story mode or Survival mode. Just say, “Hey Google, play Star Wars Trivia.”
Jeopardy! – Step up to the podium and play Jeopardy with Alex Trebek. New clues are added every weekday and cover a wide range of categories, including history, travel, pop culture and more. Simply say, “Hey Google, let’s play Jeopardy!”
Mad Libs – A virtual game of Mad Libs where you are asked to provide random words to fill in the blanks and create a funny story. There are 50+ free Mad Libs stories to choose from and the kid-friendly interactions make this game is perfect for the whole family. Get started by saying, “Hey Google, let’s play Mad Libs.”
The Darkness at Innsmouth – An interactive choose your own adventure game where you try to decipher a letter that was left by your uncle. This game is geared toward mature or teen audiences and is loosely based on works by H.P. Lovecraft. To try and solve the mystery, just say, “Hey Google, talk to The Darkness at Innsmouth.”
Animal Trivia – A family-friendly game to see how much you know you about animals – but these aren’t your normal animal facts. Answer questions like: “Do insects sleep?” or “Do octopuses have 3 hearts?” Each answer will provide a quick explanation so you will also learn some interesting animal facts while playing. Just say, “Hey Google, play Animal Trivia.”
If you don’t own a Google Nest smart speaker or smart display, you can also enjoy these games anywhere you can call up the Assistant – like your phone, your Chromebook, or any other Assistant-enabled device. There are many more games that you can browse on this Google Assistant website and if you have a personal favorite, let us know in the comments below. Some Google Nest games might be restricted by region.
