Are you a geography nut? I know I am, and so when I learned about Geoguesser I was obsessed pretty quickly. Geoguesser is a geography-based guessing game that tests your critical thinking and world geography skills all at the same time.

In case you haven’t played before, it works by using images from Google Street Views to place you on a random street/pathway somewhere in the world. You then get to look around the location to try and gather clues and guess where you are. It is sort of like looking at old photographs from when you were younger and trying to place where they were taken but on a global level!

It can be pretty fun, but it is also super challenging. Thankfully, I have a few tips to help you improve your Geoguesser score!

Which way do the shadows go?

Did you know that if the image was taken during the summer months you can figure out which hemisphere you are in? To use this trick, look at the compass icon at the top of your screen and orientate yourself so you’re facing north.

Now look around and see if the shadows in the picture are pointing north as well. If they are that means the sun is shining from the south and that you most likely are somewhere in the northern hemisphere. And if the shadows are pointing south, you are most likely in the southern hemisphere.

Check out the Satellite dishes!

But what if it’s a cloudy day and there aren’t any shadows? If this is the case I like to use any visible satellite dishes to my advantage. Because almost all dishes point towards satellites orbiting the equator, these dishes can be pretty useful as stand-ins for the shadows!

If the satellite dish is pointing south, then you are most likely in the northern hemisphere, and if it is pointing north then you are most likely in the southern hemisphere. Even easier is if a satellite dish is pointing straight up. This almost always means you are very close to the equator.

What do the buildings look like?

Now that we have an idea of which half of the world we are in, we can get a little more detailed! Looking at the types of houses is a great next step. This is because the design of houses can vary greatly depending on the region and climate.

For example, houses in very warm places, are often painted white to reflect heat. While houses in very wet places usually have very sloped roofs because of the large amounts of rain.

Vehicles on the Road

It is always a good idea to check what side of the road people are driving on as this can be a great clue for the country you are in.

Another thing to keep in mind is the type of vehicles you see. If you see a couple of scooters and motorbikes there is a good chance you are somewhere in western/central Europe. But if you see a ton of scooters and other small engine bikes you are most likely somewhere in Africa, Southeast Asia, or South America.

Know the Limits of the Game

The last tip I have for you is to familiarize yourself with the limited possible locations you can be dropped into. Because the game uses Google Street View, you can only be put in locations that exist on Google Street View. If you look at the map below, you will see that Google Street View does not have global coverage yet!

Meaning, that once you have asked yourself all the questions above, the last one is “is my guess actually possible?” If it is, then drop your pin! If not, see if there is a country that would fit the evidence you have gathered!

While there is a lot more to this game than just the tips I have provided, such as learning how to identify languages, different kinds of traffic signs, and even distinct types of vegetation, the tips above should help you start pumping up your scores. Happy geo-guessing!

Learn More

Types of Houses around the world

https://mymodernmet.com/different-types-of-houses-around-the-world/

Geoguesser

https://www.geoguessr.com/

Google Street View

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coverage_of_Google_Street_View

Geography Challenges

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aTJ6xK5q96pMVZSDfeZ6w

Geoguesser esports

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKIGBBdTN4IDZRHRo91E3RQ/videos

Which side of the road do you drive on?

https://www.statista.com/chart/9261/which-side-of-the-road-do-you-drive-on/”

Geoguesser Beginners’ Guide

https://guidefall.com/geoguessr-tips-beginners-guide/