Top 3 Alexa Gaming Features
In the bustling market of voice-controlled personal assistants, Alexa on the Amazon Echo has become one of the most trusted technologies. In fact, in 2021, approximately 68% of homes used the Amazon Echo. This massive success is thanks largely to the many unique abilities of Alexa –– which in the U.S. alone boasts over 70,000 skills.
But aside from basics functions like giving reminders, providing timetables, and placing orders, did you know that Alexa also has notable gaming abilities? From game tutorials to board game simulations, here are some of the most fun gaming features you can enjoy on your Amazon Echo (plus a few words on how you can get started)….
How To Set Up Alexa For Gaming
Using your Amazon Echo for gaming is fairly straightforward. Once you’ve already set up your device with Alexa, you can begin to arrange relevant voice commands. Remember, by default, the device’s wake word is “Alexa,” so you’ll have to say this before giving any command. But once you’ve configured Alexa to respond to your voice, you can begin to further tweak its voice-prompt instructions. To do this, you can simply say the wake word followed by “enable [skill name].” Alternatively, you can open the Alexa app and choose specific skills under the gaming tab that you want to enable. Once you’ve saved these changes, the app will show you what verbiage you need to command Alexa to use its new skill. From there, you can easily just say “Alexa, play/start [game feature]” and enjoy!
Now that you’ve got your Echo and Alexa ready to play, here are some specific fun gaming features to check out:
1. Poker Pro
Ever wanted to get into poker but you weren’t sure how to? Then you may want to try the Poker Pro gaming feature with Alexa. Designed to make you a better Texas Hold’Em player specifically, this feature comes with interactive tutorials that guide, analyze, and correct your responses in simulated matches. To ensure that you really understand the ins and out of this complicated game, the skill also dives into some of the numbers behind the cards. Considered an integral ability among successful poker players, being able to calculate poker odds means that you can make mathematically sound calls in specific scenarios. This means being able to ascertain the right price to call and knowing if you’ll win enough chips to make the play profitable. This is not an ability that’s easy to pick up on your own, but the Poker Pro skill makes it easier by acting as your very own poker coach. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about being charged anything to experience it. All games in the skill use only play money, so you’re not betting any real currency.
2. Song Quiz
Perfect for solo play or fun with friends, the Song Quiz skill offers a great way to listen to music and take a stroll down memory lane. With music selections categorized by decade, you can choose from dozens of hit songs. When you start, Alexa will play a snippet of a song from the chosen category. At this point, the player who wants to score needs to guess both the title and the artist at hand. If you only know one out of two of these details, you’ll only receive half the points. Each round consists of six songs, plus a bonus round at the end. The winner is simply the player who finishes with the most points. Oh –– and if you’re feeling a little more outgoing, you can even play this game with other remote players!
3. Blackjack
If you want to dip into another classic casino card game without leaving the comfort of your home, try the blackjack gaming feature. In this skill, Alexa will act as the dealer, and you can dictate whether you want to hit, stand, or double down using voice commands. You’ll want to learn blackjack rules before playing if you don’t know the game well, but the good news is that the basics are simple! The objective is to get as close as you can to 21, and end up with a higher total than the dealer (unless the dealer “busts” by going over 21, and you win by staying under). That said, to ensure that players can easily review the game’s rules, using the command “help” will also result in Alexa sharing necessary guidelines. Alternatively, if you’re feeling particularly confident in your game, giving out the “high scores” command will pull up the current leaderboard to show where you rank. As with Poker Pro though, no real cash is on the line.
While gaming may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of how you use Alexa, the program’s wide array of skills certainly makes it easy for users to dip into a variety of solo and group games. Designed to be interactive and highly imaginative, Alexa’s gaming features are must-tries for any home game night.