Are Google+ Games Worth Your Time – We take a look!

When we last covered Google+ Games, it had just been launched in waves of users on the social network. Google wanted users to take a look at what they had to offer, give feedback and then begin rolling it out to more users.

We were waiting for our own Google+ profiles to be giving the green light to game, and now that it is here, we want to give you a more in-depth look at what Google+ Games has to offer and what makes it unique for those who opt to use it. So, let’s get Google+ gaming!

How to start playing Google+ Games

If you have access to Google+ Games, you will know because the gaming icon will be in your header bar. Click on it to access Google+ Games.

You will be greeted by the Featured Games list which right now includes all the games Google has to offer. They will cycle through trying to catch your eye so you will give them a try.

On the left hand side of your screen, you will see your profile picture and a menu. From here you can navigate to the Featured Games, show All Games or check out Game Notifications. If you have just started using Google+ Games, most of these will have little to show you. Once you and your friends begin playing Google+ Games, much more activity will begin taking place on this screen.

At the bottom of this screen, you will also see the Games Stream feature. This is where all gaming updates will take place. This was one of the best features Google introduced when Games went live. Instead of seeing your actual Stream flooded with updates, all gaming-related updates will take place here in its own Stream. Unless you comment or share a gaming status, it will not show up in your primary Stream.

Let’s play our first game!

Click on the “All Games” link.

For my first game on Google+ Games, I am going to click on Zombie Lane. If you hover over any of the games, a Play button will show up. Click “Play” to begin a game.

The first time you play a game on Google+, you will be alerted to the fact that games are a social feature of the social network. This means that other users can see what you are up to and data is shared with them. If you do not want people to know what you are up to, you can opt not to play games or you can click “Got it, let’s play” to continue.

Now, a pop-up will appear for each game that you want to play. This is where you allow the developer access to your data. This was a major sticking point for many who wanted to begin using Google+ Games.

While Google has reassured users the data being shared will help making games better on Google+, for some users this invasion of privacy is too much. If you do not care if your information is shared, click “Allow Access” to continue.

The pop-up will disappear and your game will start loading in your main browser.

At the top of each game, you will find a header bar with a variety of options. They will change game-to-game but all of them will have a Help link. If you click on it, it will give you detailed instructions on how to play the game and what to do. Keep in mind that every game on Google+ is still in a beta-like mode.

Some are outright beta versions of a game. This means that if you run into any errors or bugs, you should report them to Google+ so they can look into them and fix them.

Once loaded, you can begin playing your game.

If at any time you want to play another game, you can click the “Back to Games” button at the top of the screen.

Now, you will notice in the Recently Played header that the game you last played has been added to it. In this case, Zombie Lane has been added to my Recently Played list.

Google+ Games may be relatively quiet for now, but as more people began taking part in the game it offers, you will see your Game Stream increase in activity. You might want to check it when you login to see what your friends are playing and maybe you can join them in a multiplayer game like Zynga Poker.

Zynga Poker was the first came I encountered that offered a refresh button on its loading screen in case their game was not loading.

This game is a multiplayer game which means you can play with friends or strangers on Google+.

There are a wide variety of games on Google+ for everyone to try out, so let us know which ones you are playing and what you like about them as you begin exploring Google+ Games for yourself.

What I think of Google+ Games so far

I have never been much of a social network “gamer.” On Facebook, I have blocked most game updates on my feed, because it was annoying to see 100+ updates from friends who played Farmville. I love the fact that Google+ gives us a separate stream for gaming. I played a few of the games offered on Google+, and they gave me little problems.

Zynga Poker did overwhelm me, but I should have read up on the rules and how to play a little better to get more into it. I would suggest checking out the Help section of each game before you begin playing so you know what to do from the get go. I can see Google+ Games to be a great time killer for those who want to play by themselves or with others.

As Google works on improving the Games section to get better at Social Gaming than Facebook – we would see a number of new game titles being introduced. It would surely be worth spending time to check them out if you enjoy Social games.