What Is GeoGuessr and How Do You Play?
Did you ever used to spend your IT lessons at school roaming Google Earth? You can choose anywhere to go, and explore any area of the world, and yet, you always end up standing outside your front gate.
Although online gaming has certainly developed since those days, the fun of Google Earth still remains. In fact, the game GeoGuessr has transformed the Street View in Google Maps, into a method of endless hours of fun.
Released in 2013, founder Anton Wallen designed a game that places you into a random Google Street View area. You are able to move around like usual, but some items and signs are blurred out.
Based on your surroundings, which could quite literally be anywhere in the world, players have to guess their location. There is no limit as to where you may end up, from the jungles in Vietnam to the streets of Los Angeles, it really is anyone’s guess (the clue is in the name!).
To make your guess, you must click the world map in the bottom right hand corner, and select your chosen country. The game will certainly have you testing your own geography knowledge, as you have to locate the countries on the map yourselves, although they are all labelled.
When your guess is locked in, GeoGuessr will then reveal the correct answer and reward you points, based on how many miles you were off the exact location. The scores range from 0 – 5,000, meaning over the course of the allocated five games, the maximum amount that a player can achieve is 25,000.
GeoGuessr Game Modes
The above game mode is the most popular, and the most straightforward. It is simply called ‘World’.
In the World game mode, players can be dropped anywhere on Earth. However, you can also limit your locations to specific countries, and then guess your city/district. For example, you may choose the United Kingdom and have to guess places like Manchester, Sheffield, Wales etc. Or, go even bigger, and guess the state in America. The European Union is also an option.
One of the most popular modes though, is ‘Famous Places’. GeoGuessr will drop you off in-front some of the world’s most famous landmarks and different wonders, where you will use similar clues to try and recognise the iconic structure.
Alongside all these different features, you can also find leaderboards and Pro Leagues. Test yourself against the very best – believe us, there are some *very* good players out there!
Can you play GeoGuessr with friends?
Yes, you can play GeoGuessr with friends by challenging them or by playing in the Battle Royale mode. The different players will need different monitors and accounts, to be able to compete between one another online.
GeoGuessr Battle Royale
GeoGuessr Battle Royale was released at the end of 2020, allowing numerous players to play together and battle it out to be crowned the winner.
All players will be dropped into the same area and they must guess their location, before the timer runs out. One player will be eliminated every round, until there are two left – it is then a rush to get the last answer first! Each round, all players will be placed into a new location.
During this Battle Royale game mode, each player will have three lives. If your guess is incorrect, you will lose a life and the other players can see what country you thought it was. If the timer doesn’t get you, the lives could – guess wrongly three times and you are out!
Is GeoGuessr Free To Play?
You can play GeoGuessr for free, but you are only allocated five games every 24 hours.
To gain access to all the different game modes and for unlimited go’s, a GeoGuessr membership costs £1.99 a month.
The £1.99 a month is for those signing up for an annual subscription, or you can pay monthly at £2.99 and cancel anytime. Players can use PayPal for their membership. Click here for the official page of GeoGuessr membership prices.
Sidemen Play GeoGuessr
Although GeoGuessr has been around for over seven years, many players may have only just been welcomed to the game, because of the Sidemen.
The UK based YouTubers have recently been making videos on the game, playing against one another on their MoreSidemen channel, and also their own secondary, gaming accounts.
With over 10,000,000 million subscribes on their main channel, any affiliation the group has with a game, will see the latter’s stock skyrocket. Their fellow Troops, Callux and Calfreezy have also been getting involved, uploading clips to their newly founded gaming channels.
Although the YouTubers will have inevitably contributed to an influx of new players, and perhaps rejuvenated old ones, GeoGuessr has always been a popular game online.
During its first release week, the website drew in hundreds and thousands of players every single day. Given its simplistic nature though, it will always feel like an old-school game, and perhaps will always remain a hidden gem, in the gaming world.
