Just before the holiday season I covered SketchParty TV for CNET. Since then, my family and I have spent hours playing and laughing. It’s a hit, especically with our kids and their friends.
For those unfamiliar, you install the SketchParty TV on your iOS device which is where you set up new games, view words, and draw on the device’s screen. The contents of the drawing are then displayed on your TV, through an application built for the fourth generation Apple TV or using AirPlay on older models.
With today’s update, SketchParty TV hits version 4.0. Developer Matt Braun spent the last few months working on, tweaking, and improving upon the interface and overall gameplay. Small tweaks such as drag-and-drop team creation and the ability to view sketches at the end of each game are appreciated, but there are two new standout features that really make the update worthwhile: Apple Pencil support and Time Bonuses.
I’m still not sold on the idea of owning an Apple Pencil. The review unit I have is used for random tasks, but not as often as I would expect to use it had I spent $100 on one. Playing SketchParty TV with an Apple Pencil, however, almost makes me want to spend money on a Pencil. Prior to the update, sketching with your finger or using a third-party stylus were the only options. Each drawing method provided an element of difficulty that was part of the fun when trying to guess what a teammate was drawing, but for younger players it was also frustrating. With Pencil support, sketches immediately improved regardless of age, and because of the improvement, users were guessing words much faster.
Saving time while guessing is more important than ever now that Time Bonuses are part of the game. Scoring use to consist of one point for each correct guess, with games often ending in a tie. Now, extra points are awarded to each time based on the amount of time left at the end of each round. Time Bonuses have changed the entire game, for the better.
If you have an Apple TV, I can’t recommend downloading SketchParty TV enough.
SketchParty TV free | SketchParty TV $5.99