A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google‘s homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures.
Most Google Doodles revolve around art that transform the iconic search engines logo to celebrate anniversaries and special event or to raise awareness of ongoing issules, like Route 66 and teacher appreciation day. Usually these games are meant to last anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes, though some last even an hour or more. (One or two may even make you refuse to give up until you beat them properly….) In no particular order, here are some of the best Google Doodle games you can still play.
- PACMAN
- BASEBALL
- RUBIC’S CUBE
- DOODLE CHAMPION ISLAND GAMES
- SAVOY BALLROM
1. PACMAN
PACMAN is a timeless classic, so it only makes sense to kick off our list with this world-famous 1980s’ arcade game. On May 21, 2010, Google released this fun Doodle to celebrate Pac-Man’s 30th anniversary. Experience the nostalgia by chomping down on some dots, assorted fruits, and maybe even a ghost or two.
The objective of the game is to clear the stage of all the dots while avoiding the ghosts. If a ghost touches you, it’s game over. You can control Pac-Man using the arrow keys on your keyboard. If you have a friend that wants to play with you, click “Insert Coin” twice and Ms. Pac-Man appears! Ms. Pac-Man is controlled using the A,S,D, and W keys.
2. BASEBALL
The Baseball Google Doodle was released on the Fourth of July, 2019, and what better way to celebrate Independence Day than playing some good ol’ fashioned baseball! To make things even more ‘merican, you play as various foods that you may find at a baseball game, such as hotdogs or nachos and cheese, while the opposing team are peanuts.
When you start the game, a random food item walks up to the plate. Press the Spacebar to swing your bat when the pitcher throws the ball. The speed and style of the pitch will vary as you score more points. The game ends when you strike out. See how many points you can score.
3. RUBIC’S CUBE
Made up of six colors, six sides, and 54 squares, the Rubik’s Cube has been around since 1974. In 2014, Google released the rubik’s Cube Doodle in celebration of 40 years of frustrating people around the world.
The objective of this game is to get each side of the Rubik’s Cube the same color by twisting and turning the blocks. To play the Google Doodle version, click and drag your cursor to spin the blocks or rotate the Rubik’s Cube.
4. DOODLE CHAMPION ISLAND GAMES
DOODLE CHAMPION ISLAND GAMES is one of the longest Google Doodle games to date, taking around two hours to complete. This was originally scheduled to be released during the 2020 Olympics, but due to the pandemic delaying the event for an additional year, the Google Doodle team had more time to work on it, bringing even more fun to the table than originally planned.
To play, move your character around the world map and approach each challenge that awaits you. The controls are different for each game, so be sure to read the instructions carefully. Compete in all of the competitions and see if you can make it to the top of the leaderboard.
5. SAVOY BALLROM
Created in honor of swing dancing and the Savoy Ballroom, the legendary dance venue in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, this Google Doodle puts your rhythm game skills to the test. No need to be light on your feet or to dress in your best vintage outfits instead, you’ll be sitting at home and tapping your keyboard for this one.
The challenges start simply enough as you match key presses to on-screen prompts, driven by music from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. But as the tempo rises with each level, so does the difficulty. If you’re naturally dexterous, take on the two-player mode solo to make the game far spicier.