Get to Know About Halloween 2016 – Google Doodle
Remember that doodle from Halloween 2016 that turned your search page into a side-scrolling candy quest? It kicked off with a big jack-o’-lantern rolling into view, and suddenly you were hopping into character to trick-or-treat your way down a spooky neighborhood street. The whole thing felt like a surprise indie game popup—complete with pixel-art charm and a sweet 8-bit soundtrack—you could almost taste the candy corn as you played.
You start by choosing one of four characters—a nimble black cat, a mischievous ghost, a sticky-web-spinning spider, or a broom-riding witch—and each one has a special move that helps you snag candy or dodge obstacles. The cat dashes through walls, the ghost floats and ghosts through platforms, the spider climbs and shoots webs, and the witch soars over gaps. Switching between them on the fly to collect glowing pumpkins and avoid pesky bats or oversized jack-o’-lanterns keeps the pace breezy and fun.
What really sold me was the replay value. Every run shuffles the house layouts just enough that you can’t memorize everything, so there’s always a new candy cache to uncover or a trick you didn’t see coming. It’s the sort of playful, bite-sized challenge you never knew you needed, and it’s the perfect example of how a simple seasonal doodle can feel like a hidden gem—one I’m still hoping Google dusts off for the next Halloween.