Have you ever been hanging out with a group of people where no one can decide what they want to do? Maybe the host is pushing a new board game but it seems too complicated for some people. Or maybe you’re hanging out with a bunch of people you don’t really know that well, and you’re in desperate need of an icebreaker. If situations like these are the bane of your existence, let me tell you about AirConsole.
AirConsole, like the name suggests, is a gaming console that works over the air. What does this mean? It means that if you have one computer and every person in your group has a smartphone, you already have an AirConsole just waiting to be activated. With the game running on the computer, each person’s smartphone acts as a gamepad, and once you all enter the code shown on the computer, you’re ready to play one of dozens of games, completely free.
What kinds of games can you play?
While AirConsole might sound cool, it would be pretty useless if it didn’t have any good games, much like that “256-in-one” Gameboy knockoff your Grandma bought you at Walgreens (she meant well, it’s not her fault). Luckily, AirConsole already has a great variety of games. When you fire up your AirConsole, you’ll be prompted to enter the code shown on your computer into your phone (on AirConsole.com, or in their optional app). Then, you’ll be greeted by a game selection screen (a very small slice of which you can see above) that boasts solo and multiplayer experiences as well as casual games and more involved games.
If you’re in a group filled with non-gamers, you can play some trivia (called Quiz):
If you want to play something a little more involved, you can play Tower of Babel, a game where you either try to cooperatively stack buildings to make the tallest tower you can, or where you play competitively to see who can go the longest without knocking down the tower:
If you really want to get crazy with it, you can play a game like IRIS, a sci-fi action puzzle game:
Remember, your smartphone is the gamepad, so while your computer serves as the “console” and shows the above screen, you control the action with your smartphone:
The point is, there’s something for everyone on AirConsole, and as long as you have one computer and a smartphone for each person, anyone can jump in and play. AirConsole is completely free to play, and does not even require a signup. There is a premium service called AirConsole Hero, though, which will set you back $2.99 a month after the first month, which is available as a free trial.
AirConsole Hero removes all ads (which often play in between games) and gives you access to new games more quickly. Also, just one AirConsole Hero account will remove ads and increase the game selection for your whole party, no matter how many people are playing. Even though it’s pretty cheap, you should still be fine sticking with the completely free experience, unless you find yourself becoming an AirConsole junkie. At that point, $2.99 a month shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
So go ahead, give AirConsole a try! If you’re bored right now with nothing to do and you’re sitting in front of a computer, go ahead and find your new favorite game! Otherwise, just remember the name “AirConsole”, and next time you’re at someone’s house and no one can decide what to do, swoop in, go to AirConsole’s website, and save the day.
