Time seems to slow down when you’re bored and can’t find a way to pass the time. Luckily, Google has taken care of you – you don’t need a gaming computer or console as Google has secret minigames in almost all of its products, from Chrome and Search to Google Earth.
These include old favorites like Pac-Man and Tic-Tac-Toe, as well as some Google originals like the Hidden Dinosaur game. If you’re bored, struggling to keep track of the hours, and desperately avoiding your day’s work, then these hidden games from Google might be the answer. Here are 7 games you can try right now.
Flight Simulator (Google Earth)
Flight Simulator is a game that every aviation fan has installed on their computer, but for most users it’s a niche game. If you’ve ever wondered how to get in the cockpit and fly your own plane, you don’t need a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator for that – all you need is a hidden Google Earth Pro game installed on your computer.
To play Flight Simulator, all you need to do is launch Google Earth Pro and press Ctrl + Alt + A to open the Flight Simulator window. It allows you to select the plane and starting point, and also allows you to control the simulator with a joystick.
Try it – it’s completely free. Like Microsoft’s counterpart, Google Earth Flight Simulator is a pretty tricky “game” to understand, but it’s also a fun way to explore the planet without leaving your home.
Google Dinosaur (Google Chrome) Game
If you’ve ever wondered why you see a dinosaur in Google Chrome whenever you lose your connection while trying to access a page, don’t be surprised anymore. This is actually a fun little built-in hidden game from Google that you can try.
In the spirit of other endless runners like Temple Run, Google’s dinosaur mechanics are very easy to master. If you cannot connect to the page and see the Google dinosaur, press the spacebar on your keyboard to launch the game.
The dinosaur will move – when you reach an obstacle (in this game, these are cacti), just press the space bar at the right moment to jump.
It is so simple. If you cannot access the page, do not worry, because you can access the clone of the game for free on the Internet.
Solitaire (Google Search)
Another hidden game in Google Search is classic solitaire (known in some places as Patience). If you’ve ever gotten bored on a Windows PC, you might already be familiar with this card game.
To play it, enter solitaire (or game of patience) in Google search in any browser and click the “Play” button. You can choose easy or hard difficulty by clicking on one of the options.
After starting the game, this is standard solitaire – just drag and sort the cards according to the rules. If you like the tabletop version of this classic game, there are also Solitaire software versions that you can try on Windows as well.
Drag (Android)
If you’re looking for a hidden game for Google Android, try Clouds. This casual game will only appear when you try to Google search on the Google Android app while your device is disconnected.
Once you have done this, you will see an animated icon next to the no signal alert. Click it to launch the full-screen Clouds game for you.
Clouds is a Flappy Birds-style game, so to play it, tap the touchscreen to start the game and then hold the cloud icon in the air. You will need to avoid obstacles (in other words, birds), so be sure to plan ahead as soon as you spot them.
To play, you need the Google app, which must be preinstalled on most Android devices. If you don’t have it, install it, turn off Wi-Fi and try.
Pac-Man (Google Search)
No extended explanation is required for this — everyone is familiar with the joy that playing Pac-Man quickly can give you. This simple, lightweight and addicting classic game you can play right now in any browser.
To play Pac-Man, all you have to do is search for pacman or pac-man in a Google search. Instead of the usual search snippet or video, Google will provide you with a playable HTML5 version of the classic Pac-Man game at the top of the search results.
Just press the Play button to start and then use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move.
Google Doodle Games (Google Search)
Over the years, Google has changed its logo for new art and entertainment to celebrate events. Initially they were just images, but as web technologies have improved, they have become fully interactive experiences.
Many of these past Google Doodles (as they are called) were fun little mini-games that can still be played in the Google Doodles archive There are many games to try, from snowballs to Rubik’s cube, as well as one of our favorite games, 2012 Olympics basketball.
You don’t need anything special to play them, all you need is your browser. Go to the Google Doodles archive to try out existing Google hidden games to pass the time.
Text Adventure (Google Chrome and Search)
Many of the games we mentioned in this list were visual, but if you are looking for a text adventure you need to try the secret adventure game included in Google Search.
To do this, you will need to use the hidden Google Chrome console. First search for text adventure in Google search, then right-click the browser window and press Ctrl + Shift + J to open the browser console. In the console terminal, type yes and press Enter to start the game.
As with the classic text-based adventures of the 1980s and 1990s, you will need to follow the onscreen instructions to move forward using the commands displayed on the console.
This is an old school adventure – all about nostalgia – if you think it’s a game, try it today.
Enjoy Google Hidden Games
Thanks to Google’s hidden games, you don’t need to download Steam or buy a console to have fun. Make the most of Google games like Solitaire, Tic-Tac-Toe and Flight Simulator to kill time on mobile and PC.
Of course, if you are looking for true gaming entertainment, you will need a ready-made gaming PC or console If that’s not available, sign up for a game streaming service like GeForce Now Let us know how you enjoy playing your favorite games in the comments below.
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