The best Easter Eggs: when doing a Google search becomes a game!
Easter Egg: a geek joke?
For Easter 2018, a rather "unusual" feature has appeared on Google Maps: the ability to play "Where's Charlie?"!
So no, it's not a bug or a virus, but an Easter Egg available for one week only! But what is it really? Do others exist?
What is an Easter Egg?
An "Easter Egg" is a hidden feature in software or browsers. It's nothing more than a little joke created by web developers. In short, it's a sort of April Fools' Day 2.0!
For Google, it usually takes the form of a mini-game or animation accessible by typing keywords into the search bar or from associated services such as Maps or Images.
But don't confuse them with Doodleswhich we've become accustomed to from the American giant over the last few years, and which are simply logo modifications to mark a particular event .Easter Eggs are not viruses either! They don't spread, nor do they affect the use of your computer or smartphone. So don't worry, it's all in good fun!
Ready to test? Let's get started!
Easter Eggs that change the way results are displayed
- 360°: if you want the results to rotate 360°, simply type "do a barrel roll".do a barrel roll".
- Tilted results: type "askew"to display the page askew!
- Collapse the results: go to google.com, type in "google gravity" and click on the "I'm lucky" button... Devastating effect guaranteed!
- Make certain words blink: type "blink html" in the search bar and see what happens!
- For the more romantic: type the formula "sqrt(cos(x))*cos(300x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7) *(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(6-x^2), -sqrt(6-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5" 😉
Easter Eggs in mini-game format
- Tic Tac Toe: just type "Tic Tac Toe"in the search bar.
- Solitaire game: if you type "solitaire"on Google, you'll launch a mini version of this famous game.
- For Starcraft fans: the "zerg rush"will bring up a series of red circles which you'll need to click on as quickly as possible to prevent the search results from being destroyed. If you can do that, you're really good!
- Pac man: just type "pac man"to bring up the mini-game.
- The Tyrannosaurus game: when you've lost your Internet connection and are using the Google Chrome browser, a small dinosaur appears. If you press the space bar, you can play with it. A great way to express your annoyance when the Internet isn't working! 😉
So much for this (non-exhaustive) list of Google's best Easter Eggs. Just goes to show, developers know how to relax and have a bit of fun too!
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See you soon and have fun!
Chairman & Co-founder, Epifyt SAS
A digital marketing specialist for several years, I created Epifyt in 2018 to help you develop your online visibility. I'd be delighted to discuss your project, so please don't hesitate to contact me or arrange a telephone appointment !