Bibliography
Game Title: Codenames Gadget
Genre: Board game companion
Target: Everyone
Monetization: Free
This is an optional companion app to the party board game Codenames. It can be shared between spymasters or can generate a code that the other spymaster can use on their device. This offers good enhancements to the game from randomizing the key to the game and the starting team. But the timer is the biggest enhancement that it brings. Typically, the sand timers that come with board games must be watched to know when it expires, along with having only one set time to them. This offers options for sounds, not only when the time is up but also a countdown at the end and reminders as it progresses. Along with setting the timer from options between ninety seconds and eight minutes, while also providing options on how that time is split between the team. This provides plenty of options that can be a benefit from casual session to a completive one.
The theme of being a spy in the game and using your device for that secret key does enhance it a bit more. But there are more things that could have been done to help and enhance that idea. Background music, even a knockoff of the mission impossible theme would have added a little more tension to the countdown. The ability to mark what locations have been solved already would have made it easier to focus on what is remaining as the game progresses, making the device more interactive to the experience. Providing hints, harder to implement, would be helpful to younger or new players in playing the game as well.
Czech Games Edition. (2016). Codenames Gadget (version 1.4.4) [iOS].