CNETAnalysis: A few months later than promised, Google brings maps to the world of play in an effort to promote its navigation service. Teased back in January for a February release, the Google Maps tilting game, called Cube , launched meekly under the technology radar. It was discovered by Fusible when checking in on the registered domain, and has since begun to spark a renewed interest in the far-reaching capabilities of Google’s maps services. The game spans eight levels which take intrigued navigators from Paris to San Francisco to Japan to the interior of Mall of America. Players roll through each of these locales as a blue ball (signifying humanity) on a tilting cube, finding paths through traffic, shifting landscapes, and London’s infamous subway system. From A to ubiquitous After conquering Cube, players are navigated to links offering even more insight about Google Maps. One video shows off a real, physical prototype of the cube, complete with barber shops, Google-enabled phones, a bowling alley, and a typically plucky soundtrack. It’s a small example of Google’s recent marketing efforts pushing for consumers to adopt Google-ready phones and tablets. Another link will take committed mappers to a collection of interactive demos for Google Maps, explaining particularly the underutilized customization tools in the service. Saving locations, planning trips, and defining new destinations (Wikipedia approval style) are among the activities displayed here. Consumers may not have been clamoring for deeper navigation experiences, but this recent bout of edutainment certainly cements Google’s domination in the digital mapping space. For intrepid mappers looking to seal their own place in Google Maps history, the current record play-through of Cube is 2:45. Related Stories In Depth: Android security apps: do you need them? Posted by: Maryum
