Buzz
Back in 1998, the first Google Doodle was a simple drawing. Today, they’ve evolved into animated and interactive experiences, with some even offering complete games that remain accessible. Dive into 20 memorable Doodle games from the past, celebrating everything from PAC-MAN to pangolins.
1. PAC-MAN
Release date: May 21, 2010 (marking the debut of the first playable Google Doodle)
Occasion: Celebrating 30 years since PAC-MAN first launched in Japan (on May 22, 1980)
Experience this game just like the classic PAC-MAN arcade version: Use the arrow keys to guide PAC-MAN, devouring dots while steering clear of the ghosts.
2. Halloween 2016 (“Magic Cat Academy”)
Release date: October 31, 2016
Occasion: Halloween festivities
Momo, a black cat—modeled after Doodle designer Juliana Chen’s actual pet—must battle through five stages of sinister ghosts at a magical academy. Eliminate them by tracing the symbols above their heads (combinations of arrows and lines). In part two of the game, launched on Halloween 2020, Momo faces the challenge of dispatching ghosts beneath the waves.
3. Bubble Tea
Release date: January 29, 2023
Occasion: Celebrating three years since boba, Taiwan’s internationally beloved drink, was added to emoji collections
Assist a Formosan mountain dog—a native Taiwanese breed—in managing boba orders at his shop by pressing and holding the space bar (or clicking and holding) to pour each ingredient to the marked line.
4. Garden Gnomes
Release date: June 10, 2018
Occasion: Garden Day in Germany, where the tradition of handcrafted garden gnomes began in the 19th century
Press the space bar or click to launch each garden gnome as far as you can using the trebuchet. (Watch as flowers bloom in their path.)
5. Gerald “Jerry” Lawson
Release date: December 1, 2022
Occasion: Celebrating what would have been the 82nd birthday of Gerald “Jerry” Lawson, a trailblazer in creating the first home video game system featuring interchangeable cartridges and an 8-way digital joystick
This Doodle features five unique games, each with straightforward objectives such as gathering coins or reaching a flag to win, while dodging enemies trying to stop you. One game resembles Atari Breakout, where you guide a bouncing ball to destroy blocks. Additionally, the Doodle includes an edit mode for designing your own game.
6. Baseball
Release date: July 4, 2019
Press the space bar or click to take swings at pitches delivered by animated peanuts. (The batters are all iconic Fourth of July-themed foods.)
7. Champion Island Games
Release dates: (2021) July 23-30; August 8; August 24-31; September 5
Occasion: Summer Olympics in Tokyo
This is a straightforward yet expansive role-playing game spread across 18 Doodles. You play as Lucky, a cat tasked with collecting seven sacred scrolls by defeating seven sports champions on Champion Island. Numerous side quests add to the adventure.
8. Coding for Carrots
Release date: December 4, 2017
Occasion: Marking Computer Science Education Week and the 50th anniversary of the creation of programming languages for children
Create a code to guide the bunny to hop to each carrot-filled space. Use blocks to move forward, turn right or left, and even loop sections of code.
9. Hip Hop
Release date: August 11, 2017
Occasion: Celebrating the 44th anniversary of DJ Kool Herc’s legendary “back-to-school jam” in The Bronx in 1973, recognized as the birth of hip hop
Craft your own hip hop mixes by selecting classic records from a crate and spinning them on turntables. Earn trophies for including specific tracks, mastering pauses, scratches, and other techniques.
10. Pony Express
Release date: April 14, 2015
Occasion: Marking the 155th anniversary of the Pony Express, the historic horse-drawn mail service that began on April 3, 1860, in the Old West
Guide your courier on horseback through the Old West using the up and down arrow keys, collecting mail while dodging cacti, rivers, and other obstacles along the way.
11. Oskar Fischinger
Release date: June 22, 2017
Occasion: Commemorating what would have been the 117th birthday of Oskar Fischinger, the German American avant-garde animator and artist
Create your own visual music by arranging patterns of dots on the screen, which an instrument will translate into notes as it moves from left to right. Adjust the tempo, change the key, add instruments, and explore various features to experiment.
12. Lotería
Release date: December 9, 2019
Occasion: Honoring the traditional Mexican card game Lotería
This bingo-style Doodle is a multiplayer game—you can compete against random opponents or invite friends via a link. Each player has a grid of 16 cards. When a card is drawn, check if it matches any in your grid. If it does, place a bean on your card. The first to match the pattern in the upper left corner wins. Remember to tap the Lotería button on the right side of the screen immediately after completing the pattern—otherwise, someone else might claim victory first.
13. Wilbur Scoville
Release date: January 22, 2016
Occasion: Celebrating what would have been the 151st birthday of Wilbur Scoville, the creator of the Scoville scale for measuring the spiciness of peppers
Assist Wilbur Scoville in cooling down each pepper by throwing ice cream at it. Click the color-coded bar at the bottom of the screen when the red circle is in the green zone. After defeating all five peppers, a clipboard with five flame symbols will appear. Click the rightmost symbol to unlock “Extra Spicy Mode,” where the red circle moves much faster.
14. Doctor Who
Release date: November 23, 2013
Occasion: Marking the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who’s debut
Guide the Doctor through time and space to gather letters spelling Google. Use arrow keys or your mouse (easier) to navigate, avoiding obstacles along the way.
15. Crossword Puzzle
Release date: December 21, 2013
Occasion: Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first crossword puzzle, created by Arthur Wynne and published in the New York World on December 21, 1913
Enter the answers to the clues just as you would in any digital crossword. The three-letter answer to the first across clue repeats throughout the puzzle.
16. Pangolin Love
Release date: February 11-14, 2017
Occasion: Valentine’s Day
These four interactive Doodles each feature a different endangered pangolin species searching for love in their natural environments. They require your assistance to complete romantic tasks for their partners. On February 11, help the giant pangolin in Ghana gather ingredients to bake a cake. On February 12, the Indian pangolin collects musical notes to compose a song. February 13 features the Chinese pangolin gathering ribbons to learn a dance, and on Valentine’s Day, the Philippine pangolin picks flowers to create a bouquet.
17. Basketball 2012
Release date: August 8, 2012
Occasion: Summer Olympics in London
Press the space bar or click to set up your shot, then repeat the action to shoot. Timing is key—wait too long, and you’ll overshoot the basket; too short, and the ball won’t have enough power to reach it.
18. Slalom Canoe 2012
Release date: August 9, 2012
Occasion: Summer Olympics in London
Use the arrow keys to navigate your canoeist through the slalom gates, avoiding rocks and other obstacles in the river.
19. Soccer 2012
Release date: August 10, 2012
Occasion: Summer Olympics in London
Use the arrow keys or mouse to move the goalkeeper side to side, blocking penalty kicks. Press the space bar or click to jump and save the ball.
20. Savoy Ballroom
Release date: May 26, 2021
Occasion: Marking the 19th anniversary of the commemorative plaque unveiling at the site of Harlem’s iconic 20th-century dance hall, the Savoy Ballroom, which has since been demolished
As animated swing dancers move to timeless jazz tunes, press the correct keyboard key—D, F, J, or K—when the musical note aligns with it.
