Features
Some of the most-played games on earth are not on Steam, cost nothing, and are already installed on your computer. You just have to know where they are hiding.
Here is every hidden game built into your browser and Google search, how to open each one, and the secrets most people never find.
The Chrome Dinosaur Game
The most famous hidden game in the world. When Chrome loses its internet connection, a small pixelated T-Rex appears above the error message. Press space and it starts running.
How to play it without going offline
You do not need to disconnect anything. Type chrome://dino into the address bar and press enter. The game loads instantly.
How to actually play
- Space or up arrow — jump
- Down arrow — duck (essential once pterodactyls appear)
The secrets
It gets dark. After a few hundred points the game switches to night mode, then back again. It keeps alternating.
The birds arrive later. Cacti come first. Pterodactyls appear once you are deep enough in, and some fly low enough that jumping will not save you — you have to duck.
There is an ending. The dinosaur cannot run forever. The game speeds up continuously until the internal counter breaks, which happens after around 17 million years of in-game distance. Almost nobody has legitimately reached it.
The name. Google internal codename for the project was a nod to T. Rex — both the dinosaur and the band.
Google Snake
Search snake game on Google and a playable version appears directly in the results, no download and no site required. It also lives permanently at Google arcade page.
Why it is better than you remember
Google version includes multiple modes and themes rather than just the classic grid. You can change the map, the speed, and what you are collecting.
The one rule that matters
Snake is not about reflexes, it is about space management. Good players do not chase the apple directly. They fill the board in a predictable pattern so the tail always has somewhere to go. Chasing food greedily is how every beginner traps themselves at around 40 points.
Google Solitaire, Minesweeper and Tic Tac Toe
All three are built directly into search. Type solitaire, minesweeper or tic tac toe into Google and each loads instantly with difficulty options.
Solitaire in particular is the full Klondike game, not a demo, and it saves nothing — which is either a feature or a mercy depending on your relationship with it.
Google Pac-Man
Search pacman and Google will serve you a fully playable version of the original arcade game. It began as a doodle celebrating the game 30th anniversary and was so popular that Google made it permanent.
Microsoft Edge Surf
Edge has its own version of the offline dinosaur: a full surfing game. Type edge://surf into the address bar.
It is considerably more elaborate than Chrome offering, with multiple characters, three game modes including a time trial and a zig-zag course, and a proper difficulty curve. It is arguably the best browser easter egg anyone has shipped.
Google search tricks worth knowing
- do a barrel roll — spins the results page
- askew — tilts the page
- zerg rush — Google O characters attack and destroy your search results while you click them to fight back
Why these games endure
The dinosaur game has been played billions of times, which makes it one of the most-played games ever made — and it exists purely because someone at Google decided an error message was a wasted opportunity.
That is the same instinct driving a lot of good indie design right now: take something with an obvious, boring solution and do something interesting with it instead. The dinosaur is a 2014 answer to a problem every browser had solved with a shrug.
If you want something bigger
Browser games are perfect for five minutes. If you want the same simplicity with more behind it, these free Steam games run on almost anything:
- Frog Island — free, cozy frog caretaking
- Helltaker — 98% rated, finishable in an afternoon
- Bongo Cat — a desktop companion that reacts to everything you type
- Sheepy: A Short Adventure — 99% rated handcrafted platformer
See our full list of the best free games on Steam.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play the dinosaur game without being offline?
Type chrome://dino into the Chrome address bar and press enter. The game loads immediately whether or not you have an internet connection.
Does the Chrome dinosaur game ever end?
Yes. The game speeds up continuously until the internal distance counter breaks, which occurs after roughly 17 million years of in-game distance. Reaching it legitimately would take many hours of flawless play.
How do I play Snake on Google?
Search snake game on Google and a playable version appears directly in the search results. It includes multiple modes, maps and themes beyond the classic version.
What is the Microsoft Edge surfing game?
Edge Surf is a surfing game built into Microsoft Edge, accessible by typing edge://surf in the address bar. It includes several characters and three modes, including a time trial and a zig-zag course.
What other games are hidden in Google?
Google has playable versions of Solitaire, Minesweeper, Tic Tac Toe and Pac-Man built into search. Typing the game name into Google loads each one directly. Search tricks like do a barrel roll, askew and zerg rush also still work.
