Do A Barrel Roll And All The Google Easter Eggs We Know
Google is the most popular search engine in the world. The programmers behind it put a lot of time and effort into making the website fast and efficient. But just because they work hard doesn't mean they can't have a little fun. There are plenty of jokes and games integrated into the search engine... if you know where to look. In this guide, we'll tell you about 25 Google Easter eggs. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
Google Easter Eggs
Type any of these terms in the Google search bar and see what happens.
- Do a barrel roll
- Answer to life the universe and everything
- Define anagram
- Festivus
- Askew
- Google in 1998
- Zerg rush
- Pacman
- Flip a coin
- Fun facts
What is an Easter Egg?
The term doesn't always apply to a colorful egg hidden by a bunny. The other definition refers to a hidden meaning, an inside joke, or a secret feature. One example is Pixar's Pizza Planet Truck. The vehicle first appeared in Toy Story and has made a cameo in almost every Pixar film since. In interactive media, Easter eggs are likely to be hidden features. For instance, some video games have rooms that you can only enter by walking off of the path. Google's Easter eggs are revealed by searching for specific words or phrases.
Where Else Can I Find Easter Eggs?
- Video Games
- Comic Books
- DVDs
- TV Shows
- Software
The History of the Easter Egg
In Depth
Did you know that the Google search results page can rotate 360 degrees right on your computer screen? Or that searching for "anagram" returns the playful question, "Did you mean nag a ram?" These little surprises are called "Easter eggs," and Google has hidden many of them for its users to find. Usually accessed with a search, Google Easter eggs often make fun references to pop culture such as books, video games, and television shows. Sometimes they even let you play games. Let's take a look at all the ones we know about. Visit Google.com in your Chrome browser and prepare to be impressed.
From the address bar or Google search bar, type "do a barrel roll" and then press enter. The search results page spins in the window. Search for "define anagram" and Google asks if you meant "nerd fame again," which is an anagram of your search term.
Type "answer to life the universe and everything." Google displays a calculator with the number "42" on the screen. This is a reference to Douglas Adams's novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which a supercomputer tasked with finding the meaning of life, arrives at the answer "42."
Enter "askew" in the search bar and the Google search results page tilts slightly. If you search for "blink html," the results page shows your search terms blinking. Search for "festivus" and a Festivus pole appears next to the search results. Festivus is a fictitious holiday introduced in season 9 of the television show, Seinfeld.
On a more serious note, Bletchley Park was the home of British code breakers during World War 2. If you enter "Bletchley Park" in the Google search bar, the results page shows the name being decoded to the right of the search results.
Type "Google in 1998" and the search results appear as they would have in 1998, the year Google was founded. Have you ever wondered if Google is down? Just ask it. The answer is "No." Search for "marquee html." The search count is displayed as a scrolling marquee.
Have you ever wondered if Google is down?
Recursion means the repeated application of a procedure or definition. Type "recursion" into the Google search bar and it asks if you meant "recursion," with a link back to the same search results page.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a character from a popular video game of the same name. If you search for it or for "green hill zone," the results page shows Sonic the Hedgehog impatiently tapping his foot, waiting. Click on Sonic 25 times and he turns into SuperSonic. Search for Super Mario Bros and click on the animated question mark to the right of the search results. It behaves as if it is in the video game, releasing a coin that gives you 200 points.
A search for "wubba lubba dub dub" causes Google to ask, "Did you mean: I am in great pain please help me?" This Easter egg is a reference to the cartoon, Rick and Morty, in which Bird Person informs Morty that Wubba lubba dub dub means "I am in great pain. Please help me" in his language.
Type in "zerg rush" to start a game with Google in which red and yellow circles try to destroy the search results. Click on the circles to defeat them, but don't expect to win the game. When the search results are destroyed, the circles form themselves into G.G. for "good game."
You can also play five classic games by searching for their names. First, search for "solitaire" to play the game with Google-branded cards. Next, type in "tic tac toe" to play the game. You can choose the difficulty level and can play against Google or with a friend. Enter "play dreidel" to spin a dreidel. Type "Pacman" and play the classic arcade game in the search results page. Finally, do a Google image search for "Atari Breakout" to play a classic Breakout game.
For more games, search for "Google birthday surprise spinner." A spinner displays which allows you to play up to 19 Google games and to see interactive doodles.
A spinner displays which allows you to play up to 19 Google games and to see interactive doodles.
The word "kerning" refers to the spacing between letters in a word. Search for kerning and each time the word is mentioned in the search results, additional space has been placed between the letters.
Remember the classic hit, One, by Three Dog Night? Search for "what is the loneliest number" and Google opens a calculator with the number one displayed on the screen.
If you hover your mouse on the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on the Google home page , the button spins and lands on some variation of the "I'm feeling" theme, such as "I'm feeling hungry" or "I'm feeling adventurous." Click on the button and Google takes you to a page related to that theme.
Click on the button and Google takes you to a page related to that theme.
Need help making a decision? Choose heads or tails and then type in "flip a coin" to have Google flip a coin for you. Enter "roll a die" to roll a six-sided die.
Type "what sound does a dog make." Google lets you play an audio clip of a dog barking and the sounds from several other animals, including a zebra, moose, pig, and more.
Do you like trivia? Search for "fun facts" or "I'm feeling curious" and Google displays a question and its answer. Click "ask another question" to get all the trivia you can handle.
Do you like trivia?
That's more than 25 Easter eggs that Google has hidden for internet users to find. Maybe you'll discover even more. It has also embedded unexpected surprises in its other web properties, YouTube and Google Earth. Who knew that Google was such a playful company?
