Google has rolled out a pair of simple games, Solitaire and Tic-Tac-Toe, into its desktop search engine and mobile Google Search app, with the games made to be very easy to access.
Google's search feature has evolved to do much more than provide highly relevant search results to users. The two games, which are perhaps among the most popular classic games of all time, are the newest additions to the capabilities of Google Search.
If you were thinking of doing something productive today, it would be a good idea to resist the temptation to access these games.
The announcement for the addition of Solitaire and Tic-Tac-Toe to Google's search engine was made through a post on the official Google blog. It was revealed that to access the games, users will only have to search for "solitaire" or "tic-tac-toe" on their computer or mobile device. There is no need to download any other app to play the games.
Upon searching for "solitaire," the search results will display a box for the game with a "Click to Play" option. Clicking on that will launch the card game in a window within the search results with two difficulty options. In Easy mode, one card will be dealt from the deck at a time, while in Hard mode, three cards will be dealt from the deck at a time. The game will track the time that the player has spent on the game, along with the score and moves. Users can also undo the last move that they made or choose to restart the game if they are stuck.
Upon searching for "tic-tac-toe," the search results will likewise display a box for the game. Users can choose to play against a computer opponent with either of three difficulties or against a friend. Users can also choose to go as either X's or O's, with the game tracking the score for each player.
Neither of these games are groundbreaking additions to Google Search, but their addition is interesting as it continues the evolution of Google's search results. Also cited in the announcement are Google Search's functions of playing back the sounds of animals and flipping a digital coin for the user.
Among the most recent additions to Google Search's capabilities are state-specific voter registration guides to help users get ready for the 2016 presidential elections in November, integrated details of recent earthquakes and symptom search, which helps users figure out their possible illness from the symptoms that they are experiencing.
