Longwave

What is Longwave?

Longwave is an online adaptation of Wavelength, a social guessing game.

Every round, players are given a spectrum (e.g. hot to cold) and one player, aware of the secret position on that spectrum, comes up with a fitting clue. Other players try to guess the secret position based on the clue.

There are a few game modes (standard team-based play, cooperative, and free play).

Thoughts on gameplay

The core mechanic of calibrated interpretation is a really fun one – and one I'd like to see in more games. If you love this mechanic, you can also try Cartesian which is like Longwave, but with two spectra per round rather than one.

Being good at Longwave (or Wavelength) requires good judgment not only of the clues and spectra, but of the cluegivers and guessers, which adds a lot of richness to the game.

I actually prefer the digital version of the game over the physical board game, which I own and play with my family. Less fussing with cards, faster setup, and an overall smoother multiplayer experience.

Why it's good

Longwave is fun, fast, and very replayable. It's also quick for new players to pick up.

One thing that makes this game great is how easily it scales: it's fun with two players, and you can totally play with eight players, too.

A feature that many of my favorite games share, Longwave included: superficially simple but surprisingly deep once you start playing.

John