Booktrovert Arcade Shows Conflict Between Fun and Faceless Competition

You never know what you will receive when you love review copies of books, which are editions sent ahead of publication dates to bloggers and journalists. I regularly review books that release early on NetGalley, but recently, its companion website, Booktrovert, messaged me about two online arcade games that were "in beta". They were asking for people to test out the games and give feedback on the newest additions to their Booktrovert Arcade. 

My honest thoughts are below. I haven't used Booktrovert much because I tend to truck more with its NetGalley counterpart. With that said, the website seems keen to gain a consistent audience and participation. The games are fun, and I do think we need more content inspired by literature. I felt an aura of judgment in how the computer times the amount of time you spend solving a challenge. It activates instincts in me that I don't like and adds a bit too much pressure for my liking.

Cover Snap

I thought I was good at jigsaw puzzles as a kid. Then I tried my hand at puzzles with hundreds of pieces without a board of reference and gave up. Since then, I haven't trucked much with puzzles. 

Cover Snap has you assemble a digital puzzle based on a book cover, and it changes by the day. There are three modes -- Easy, Medium, and Hard -- and they vary the number of pieces as well as the arrangements. You can rotate your puzzle piece or flip it to place it correctly. 

As mentioned, I tend to suck at complicated puzzles. Having an Easy Mode helped a lot, and I gained confidence to try Medium and Hard. I'm thankful that Hard Mode didn't have five thousand pieces, since I probably would have quit. Fun takes priority with the game itself.  

Plotlines

If you thought Wordle (or the Connections games, also from The New York Times) was hard, try Plotlines on for size. This game requires you to associate four words with certain pieces of literature. Thankfully, you receive the summaries so you can get the gist. Still, sometimes one word can apply to many of the same works. It’s a case where knowing too much can work against you.

You don't need to know the books to solve the puzzle. I recognized some of the books, but not all of them. Even if you know the books or have read them at least once, matching the right word to the particular prose takes a bit of trial and error. The game also gives you five chances, much like Wordle does. 

The Verdict

I would play these games on days when I need a game that will wind me down, or if I am feeling the restless idling that doesn't allow me to focus on work or hobbies. I could probably stick with the puzzles if they would build confidence in that skill. 

The Booktrovert Arcade games, thankfully, aren't addictive and provide a fairly positive response. My concern is how the games are timed, and I couldn't figure out how to shut that off so I could relax. Being told how well I did compared to other players took away the joy of final completion; I'd like to find people to talk to within reading communities rather than compete with them. 

Booktrovert Arcade is worth checking out if you like books and NetGalley. I would just advise you not to let the pressure of other people's stats get to you.