Snapchat launched Snap Games earlier this year, as part of a move to diversify its offering from the simple social media app that it was perceived to be in the early days. Of course, what set Snapchat apart was the disappearing nature of messages and pictures—which I suppose came in handy for certain situations.
If you’ve enjoyed Snapchat’s in-app multiplayer games, you’ll know that a drawback is that it can be hard to find other active users to play with at the same time. To address that, the company is now introducing a new format for games: Leaderboard Games.
Basically, this allows users to play anytime, while still competing against friends’ top scores on leaderboards. There are two games right now: Find My Friends and Slide the Shakes, and both are “casual, easy-to-play” games, according to Snapchat.
There’s also a feature called “Score Streaming”—this displays the live scores of your friends while they’re playing—and if you’re playing with a friend while in a conversation, you’ll see your friend’s Bitmoji looking over the chat bar (just like when your friend is in-chat).
In any case, multiplayer options are still available for those of you who still prefer to play with friends in real-time. Right now, only the aforementioned two games are available under Leaderboard Games—as marked by the trophy icon when selecting games.
To play Leaderboard Games, tap Chat or swipe to your Friends screen. Open a Chat or Group Chat, and tap the rocket icon to select a game. You’ll also be able to chat via voice or text while playing a game with a friend in real-time.
I haven’t personally had much of a chance to give Snap Games much time yet, but I do appreciate that Snapchat is diversifying their offering. With so many social media platforms currently available for us to use, it can be a little hard to find a new experience nowadays.
In-app games might not be the most revolutionary thing ever, but it’s definitely a fun addition to social media.
