Skip to main content

Recognizing that you have a life, Snapchat unveils games you can play any time

Love Snapchat games, but can’t ever seem to have friends active at the same time? The social app’s latest addition to its new in-app games allows users to play anytime, while still competing with friends. Launched on Tuesday, December 17, Leaderboard Games is a new format for Snap Games that allows friends to compete against other friend’s top scores.

Snap Games debuted earlier this year, but multiplayer options require friends to play at the same time. The new Leaderboard Games allow for friendly competition on your own schedule. Score streaming displays friend’s scores live, as they play the game, for friends that want to check in. Friend’s Bitmojis will also peek in on the game as you play — so even if the friend isn’t playing at the same time, their online likeness can still cheer you on.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Snap Inc. describes the new game format as “casual, easy-to-play games that let friends play asynchronously to compete for the top spot on a leaderboard among their own group of friends.” The new games, however, keep a style familiar to the original Snap Games.

The game type launches with two new games, Find My Friends and Slide the Shakes, both designed by Snapchat. The first is a sort of “Where’s Waldo?” except its Bitmoji and you have to find your friends in a crowd. Scores increase the faster you find the friend. Slide the Shakes has you delivering milkshakes to friends across a countertop riddled with different obstacles.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The new game format is accessible by following the same steps to starting any game — just look for the trophy icon to identify Leaderboard Games. From the home screen, swipe right or tap Chat. Open any type of chat and tap the rocket to access the games. Chat and voice chats are available when the other player is playing simultaneously. 

Shortly after launch, Snap Inc. said that the more users play a game together, the more time spent on the game. Debuting in April 2019, Snap Games were originally designed for friends to play simultaneously. Since the launch, Snapchat has also added Snippets, game stickers to share with friends. A swipe on that sticker joins in on the game.

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
This diorama is the meta gaming PC of my dreams — and you can win it
Gaming PC that looks like an office.

You've seen this setup before. A TV mounted on the wall with mock Joy-Cons on the sides, triple monitors next to a hefty battle station, and enough Nanoleaf triangles for an official "content creator" badge. Now imagine if you could take that iconic gaming room of all of our dreams, shrink it down, and stick a gaming PC inside. That's exactly what Suchao Modding & Design did.

As part of Intel Gamer Days, the Thailand-based outfit stuffed a high-spec gaming PC into a diorama of a gaming battle station. The room comes fit with triple monitors --  set atop an RTX 3060 Ti desk -- a mock PlayStation 5, a Pac-Man arcade cabinet, and a water-cooling reservoir disguised as a fish tank. Plus, of course, enough RGB to make a pony puke.

Read more
Windows 10 users can now directly stream Xbox games to their PC
Xbox Windows 10 Remote Play

A new update came out today for Windows 10 PCs that allows direct streaming of console games from the Xbox App. Ultimate Game Pass subscribers can now stream their console games directly onto their PCs and will not require a download.

While this seems like a simple update that probably should have come sooner than now, it's a significant update for PC owners. Since players will be able to stream games, those who do not own the fastest and beefiest computers can still play high-spec games.

Read more
If you still hate mobile games in 2021, you’re not playing enough of them
A town square diorama in Fantasian.

It's 2021 and I can’t believe we’re still dunking on mobile games.

For more than a decade, mobile games have been something of an industry laughing stock in the eyes of self-proclaimed “hardcore” gamers. They’ve long had a reputation for being simplistic cash grabs that prey on players through seedy microtransactions and overly addictive gameplay. Those criticisms aren’t unfounded; there’s certainly some sinister undertones in seemingly harmless games like Candy Crush. But mobile games aren’t just Candy Crush -- and they haven’t been for years now.

Read more