Google Doodles

(c) Google

May 21^st.  Pac-Man. One hour of my life I can never get back. No, this wasn’t 1980, but 2010. And somehow, for one day, what was old was new again. All thanks to Google Doodles.

What was it about the simplistic, two-level Google version of Pac-Man that enthralled so many of us for 24 hours last year? Was it the sheer joy of the unexpected? The surprise of finding the old arcade hit cleverly nestled into our search engine logo?

Such a treat unquestionably appealed to the kid in each of us. Especially those with enough years under their belts to recall the first time Pac-Man created such a nationwide furor. Even for those too young to hold such memories, Google’s Pac-Man doodle captivated, harkening back to a time that through a present-day lens seems more innocent, almost quaint.

According to Google, its first doodle appeared in 1998, when the search engine’s founders altered the company’s logo to relate their attendance at Nevada’s Burning Man festival. A stick figure was placed behind the 2nd “o” in the logo.  The Burning Man doodle served as a humorous message to Google users that the bosses were out of the office. 

The altered logo was a hit, and spawned the Google practice of commemorating renowned events and anniversaries with logo dedications. Subjects for subsequent doodles include the birthdays of notable figures, and the commencement of worldwide sporting events. For superfans awaiting the next nifty logo, check out Google's complete doodle collection.

By the way, should you have some time on your hands, you can also revisit Pac-Man's 30th anniversary doodle.  Enjoy. Just remember, save your power pellets until you absolutely need them!