Google Smarty Pins Online Game

Are You Smarter than a Geography Major?  Google Launches Online Trivia Game

Need to test your map skills?  Google has created an online geography quiz game using its Google Maps called Smarty Pins. 

Players are assigned 1,000 “miles,” which really serve as points.  Categories for the questions are arts and culture, science and geography, sports and games, entertainment, history and current events, and featured topics—which included sub-categories of March Madness and World Cup trivia.

Google asks trivia questions about a city, country, landmark, or other location, and players must drop the pin on the correct spot on the map.  (The game positions itself in the early questions in the region of the correct location and offers clues).  If players put the pin in the correct spot quickly, bonus miles are given.  But if a player guesses incorrectly, Google subtracts how many miles off from the correct spot using the total “miles.”

Encouragement is given:  “Even Columbus took a few years to find the right way.”  “Not bad!  Are your initials G.P.S.?”  But sometimes Google mocks answers:  “Maybe next time you don’t randomly throw a dart at your screen?”  “Wow!  Did you Google that?”  (See above images--click to enlarge)  When the miles are gone, the game ends but levels of badges are awarded.