Expert GeoGuessr Players Know That Google Maps Spot Instantly

In a game called GeoGuessr, competitors try to pinpoint where in the world a Google Street View image has been taken. Some can do it in seconds. From a report: An unremarkable stretch of highway and trees, as seen on Google Maps' Street View, appeared on the screen. It could have been anywhere from Tasmania to Texas. 'This is going to be south Philippines, somewhere on this road down here,' Trevor Rainbolt said instantly, clicking on a location on a map of the world that was less than 11 miles from the spot. A road winding through woods was up next. Lake Tahoe? Siberia? 'It looks like we're going to be in Switzerland here, unless we're in Japan. Yeah, we have to be in Japan here,' Mr. Rainbolt said, correctly pinpointing the country.

Mr. Rainbolt has become the face of a fast-growing community of geography fanatics who play a game called GeoGuessr. The premise is simple: As you stare at a computer or phone, you're plopped down somewhere in the world in Google Street View and must guess, as quickly as you can, exactly where you are. You can click to travel down roads and through cities, scanning for distinguishable landmarks or language. The closer you guess, the more points you score. To some, Mr. Rainbolt's snap answers seem like wizardry. To him, they are simply the result of countless hours of practice and an insatiable thirst for geographic knowledge.

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