Android, iPhone and desktop users can easily waste a few hours playing the popular Snake game in Google Maps. In fact, there are two different ways to play Snake for free through Google, although the Maps interface adds a nice twist to the classic mobile game. Google offers a number of Easter eggs within its various products and services, and like Atari Breakout, Snake is another one of those that remains hidden unless you know where to look.
Mobile phones in the 1990s were far less smarter than they are these days, but even back then they were able to take part in a few rounds of Snake. While the years have passed, and what a phone can do has blurred the lines with computers, Snake is still available to download and play as an app. However, there’s no need to actually download a separate app, as long as the phone is connected to the internet.
For those just looking to play Snake, simply typing “play Snake'' into Google will launch the game within the web browser. Users can then just click or tap on "Play" followed by “Play” again to launch a more modern version of the game. For those looking to elevate the experience a little, enter Google Maps. Google launched the Maps version of Snake back in 2019 and as part of that year’s April Fool’s Day celebrations. At the time, the game could even be accessed directly within the Google Maps mobile app, although that only lasted for one week. However, the web browser version is still live and ready to play.
Playing Snake On Google Maps
Like many of Google's other Easter eggs, the browser version of the Snake game is still freely available to play online. To get started simply head over to snake.googlemaps.com and hit the "Start" button. For reference, the Google Maps’ Snake game supports multiple desktop browsers, and can also be accessed on Android devices, as well as iPhone and iPad models as well. However, before collecting those apples, it is worth noting there are some limitations. The most noteworthy one is that this isn’t Google Maps in all its glory. For example, players cannot just select their local area and start the game. Instead, they do have to choose between a limited number of cities, such as Cairo, London, Sydney and San Francisco, or go with the more general World option.
Another point to be aware of, this is not exactly Snake in its original form either. In fact, there are no snakes involved at all. Other than London and its iconic big red bus, Google has opted to replace the snake with trains. As there are no snakes involved, there are also no apples as well, with players expected to pick up passengers instead. Still, the gameplay works just the same as the original Snake game, and there is always the standard Easter egg in Google Search, for those that find the Maps version not quite Snake enough.
Source: Google