It’s amazing that two of the top movie skills are silly gimmicks. I’m also surprised there isn’t a Minions skill in the top 10, thought that’s probably simply because it’s outdated by now… In this category in particular, not using Alexa’s multimodal capabilities is a missed opportunity.
Some great high-level uses of voice to engage a show or movie’s fanbase with Alexa include:
- Quizzes
- Flash briefings of a recurring segment
- Interactive storytelling with the show’s actors
- Ability to cue memorable sounds (like a soundboard)
- Cataloging recurring gags
Baby Groot by Nicholas Turner – 4.2 out of 5, 2438 ratings, 108 reviews
Baby Groot will answer all the world’s questions for you, is your buddy, friend and partner in crime.
Random review: The look on my 4 year-old daughter’s face every time she uses this is so priceless. And the sound of her laughter! It is a big hit with our kids. It is completely family-friendly, kid-safe, granola-mom approved. It’s so easy for our kids to use, because you can ask it anything, and it answers exactly like you would expect the character Baby Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy to answer.
Our kids are really tech-savvy, and it’s nice that this feels so safe and innocent in a world where digital interaction can be so dangerous. We don’t have to stand by nervously biting our nails, even after previewing it, because we’re afraid we might have missed something that we would feel is inappropriate for our family.
This is a really funny skill, and for an adult, I’ll admit that the novelty could wear off very quickly. I’m not that adult, but I’m not normal, I suppose. I think those with kids in their lives would have a lot of fun introducing this skill to the kiddies. Try it and keep it in your repertoire for when those younger guests…or the younger at heart… visit. (5 out of 5)
The Tonight Show by NBCUniversal Media, LLC – 4.2 out of 5, 508 ratings, 116 reviews
NBC’s The Tonight Show gives Alexa all the information she needs to keep you up to date on the iconic late night series, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon! Listen to Jimmy’s nightly monologue, weekly Thank You Notes, find out what guests are scheduled to appear and more! Check back after every episode for something new! Now including video on supported devices.
Random review: I’d love to be able to add the Tonight Show monologue to my flash briefing so I can listen to it automatically every day, instead of having to open a separate skill juto hear it. (4 out of 5)
Screen Test | Movie Quote Quiz by Cinema Playground – 4.1 out of 5, 140 ratings, 91 reviews
Test your movie quote skills with the Screen Test | Movie Quote Quiz.
Random review: ” Austin Powers International Man of Mystery. No. The correct answer is Austin Powers International Man of Mystery.”
This is a fun game but way too often you have the answer right and for some reason Alexa tells you you are wrong. (3 out of 5)
Spider-Man by Sony Pictures Entertainment – 4.2 out of 5, 1170 ratings, 16 reviews
The home of Spider-Man: Far From Home & Spider-Man: Homecoming. Packed with brand new content!
Random review: I’m a big fan of the Marvel universe and this skill delivers and getting me excited about the new movie. The facts and cast interviews are awesome and it’s clear they had a lot of fun making this movie. (5 out of 5)
Seinfeld Fan Trivia by Ken Westphal – 4.4 out of 5, 194 ratings, 50 reviews
Test your knowledge with the Seinfeld Fan Trivia skill! This trivia game has over 50 Seinfeld trivia questions.
Random review: Good challenging questions. I had to take educated guesses several times. (5 out of 5)
BOSCH: A Detective’s Case by Amazon Prime Video – 4.1 out of 5, 45 ratings, 37 reviews
Join Harry Bosch and members of the cast of Bosch, Season 3 in an interactive mystery. A young woman has disappeared and Bosch has given you one day to find her. Avoid false leads and missteps by making the right “detective’s choice” at each fork in the road.
Random review: I really enjoyed this skill. The effects are spectacular and I like the use of many different voices, all well-acted, nothing robotic about it. This is my current favorite skill. I only wish there were more cases, or that they would continue the current mystery. (4 out of 5)
Burger of the Day by Bo Roth – 4 out of 5, 267 ratings, 18 reviews
Simple skill that gives a random Burger of the Day from Bob’s Burgers
Random review: Bob’s punny burgers usually require a visual component to really “get” them. I just tried this skill with my Dot, and the burger was the Summer Thyme Burger. Get it? It’s easy when you read it, not so much when Alexa reads it to you. It’s not the developer’s fault that Alexa hasn’t evolved to have the appropriate inflections necessary to deliver all types of jokes. But I understand from other reviewers that the Echo Show’s video capabilities are a missed opportunity with this skill. Moreover, on the show, Bob usually completes his burger names with descriptions that at once seem obvious, until you realize from this Skill that it’s only obvious because you’ve read his Burger Board yourself. These puns don’t come with the add-on, e.g. “(comes with thyme)”. They should in a situation such as this. The idea is cute. But the execution is too close to how I order my own burgers, which is definitely short of being well done. (3 out of 5)
Keeping Up With The Kardashians Quote Game by NBCUniversal Media, LLC – 4.4 out of 5, 35 ratings, 24 reviews
Test your Keeping Up with the Kardashians knowledge by guessing who from the fam said what!
Random review: if you watch the Kardashians its an awesome game to play (5 out of 5)
Discovery Channel’s Shark Week by Discovery Communications – 4.4 out of 5, 241 ratings, 6 reviews
Ask Alexa for shark facts, a countdown for when shark week begins, and more!
Random review: interesting shark facts, but it would be great to have more. (4 out of 5)
The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise Unofficial by Robert Spalding – 4.8 out of 5, 26 ratings, 12 reviews
Ask Alexa about the “Tragedy” to here the recounted tale of Darth Plagueis the Wise.
Random review: Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise? I thought not. It’s not a story the Jedi would tell you. It’s a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create life… He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. He became so powerful… the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic. He could save others from death, but not himself. (5 out of 5)
