Stanislaw Lem Google Doodle: Did you complete the game?

By: | November 23, 2011 | 165 Comments
Stanislaw Lem Google Doodle: Did you complete the game?

Google are back with another fantastic animated Doodle, and this is quite possibly the most interactive one yet, letting users join in on the fun in a lengthy brain teasing exercise. It’s all in aid of the 60th anniversary of Stanislaw Lem, one of the best Sci-Fi authors to date.

If you are a fan of Sci-Fi novels, you’ll have probably read Solaris, which is arguably Stanislaw Lem’s finest book, although you may be familiar with some of his other books such as His Master’s Voice and Fiasco.

We’re going to focus on the Google Doodle as always though, and what a treat Google has provided everyone. Unlike their standard animation doodles (check out their Halloween one here), this one is highly interactive and it allows the user to participate in a series of games using an animated character that bears a resemblance to Stanislaw Lem.

Games include tapping digits into a giant robot’s calculator body, with the user having to alter the layout of certain digit patterns in order to get the correct math code, since the robot makes life difficult for you. Next you’ll have to allign the correct frequency patterns that you see moving across the screen, by using the buttons and arrows to select the right pattern. Each time more buttons are required to match the pattern, as you’ll see in an example below.

Finally, you just have to fire off the rocket so that the little character lands on the moving cube across the screen and once you’ve done this step, you’ll get the final piece needed to reinsert the head of another peculiar character, and pressing the button one last time will start an explosion and redirect you to the Stanislaw Lem Google search results page where you can view his Wikipedia page for further information.

As far as we’re aware, we haven’t seen such an interactive homepage game from Google before, one which requires users to think a bit. The Pacman Doodle was great of course, but this just might be a close contender for the best Doodle yet. You can check out the design for yourself now, providing that your time zone has already reached November 23. For those of you that can see, what are your thoughts on Google’s design – did you play the game till the end?

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  • John Lanigan

    Yeah I played to the end – loved it!  Never clicked a ‘goodle’ before.  It was my first time lol.

    • Anonymous

      Goodle! That’s the first time I’ve heard that..is it the new lingo?

  • Mickskin

    great stuff

  • Tony

    Superb!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Cooper/661178435 Tony Cooper

    Superb

  • OZS

    5 min

    • OZS

      That was cool!

  • Jamardy, Roundhay.

    That was cool! A little interactive treat for an imsoniac. It’s the little things that make google so unique. Keep it up!

  • Me!

    Really really fun doodle today!

    I loved the mini-puzzles!

  • Saritadmello

    Oh i abosoultely loved and yes!! I played till the end :)

  • Yep

    I didn’t do my work but this was SO worth it!

    xx

  • Mike Pennington68

    Lovely little animation. Suitably retro-sixties design for Lem and mixing clunky 19th century mechanics with 20th century Surrealism.  Interactive puzzles were fun and not to convoluted as to make me impatient and bored.  Overall style of wobbly pencil line drawing was excellent – beats all this flashy 3D CGI anyday.
    I’m so impressed that I’m going to get my Years 5 & 6 school children to interact with the logo as part of their maths and ICT lesson.

    • Anonymous

      Excellent Mike

  • Jill Rogers

    Very curious way to wake up in the morning!  Thanks

  • Donegalraymonds

    Really imaginative and mind starting Doodle at 5am, up outta bed coughing with a chest infection but this thankfully kept me sane, love it – well done to all involved in remembering Lem.
    I finished it to the end and it was FAB.

    • Aman

      Chest congestion hi-5!

    • Tintinrob

      did mine whilst waiting for the nebuliser solution to get used up!

  • Sarah1

    Really beautiful little animation, the art work combined with the tasks were such a treat 

  • Tinkabelle

    Intriguing, Could waste a fair bit iof time in some work places today!

  • Sambobot

    nice way to wake up . my coffe went cold .. ha ha ha ..

  • Beanie Wabster

    Most Excellent …. Dude!

  • Bazwizard

    Great fun. Played till the end. Great way to pass the time on the toilet.!!!

    • Anonymous

      Haha.. nice!

  • Tburch123

    I woke up early & couldn’t get back to sleep. So I got up & logged on to do some work….. BUT I got hooked by the doodle.  So I played it, finished it and read a few of the in interesting links.  Excellent….Now for a cup of tea….
    Tony

  • Trev

    What a lot of effort for such a transient phenomenon

  • Liz Macdonald

    What fun this was, took me 10 minutes, not bad considering had just woken up! Forgot what I wanted to Google in the first place! Well done Google!

    • MaK

      yup – i am sure this is not what i went to Google for … but i don’t remember what i was supposed to be doing either!

  • Ie8468

    Very nice. I am delighted I managed to figure it out, must mean there is life in the old brain yet. Never heard of this chap before. Am going to have a go at his books for sure.

  • Stuartb

    a bit long and these animated doodles play havok when connected to a work pc via VPN if google is you browser homepage.

    • Anonymous

      Here’s a tip Stuart, you can speed up the process during the game by clicking the fast forward button in the bottom right corner. I thought it was a bit long too.

  • Rayowen

    Played it to the end – cool !!!

  • rona8ld

    it was easy.

    • dona8ld

      … unlike your comment, which clearly required a huge amount of thought.

  • Aisha

    I enjoyed that.  Great!

  • Pollard Liz53

    Got completely caught up with it – reassured me my mind isn’t completely numb!!

  • kraygerson

    Played to the end, wondering who or what it was about. Very impressive! I knew of Solaris, but had not heard of the author. Following some of the links at the end has remedied that. Thanks, Google!

  • Penny Graham-Jones

    I loved it! great start to the day!

  • Coffeys162

    I loved firing the the rocket so that the little character lands on the moving cube….SPLAT!

  • Boscreamingpope

    Awesome!

  • Velvetdonkey

    Brilliant.. It stopped me in me tracks this morning and I had to play it to the end. Great Stuff.

  • Sch1958

    Amazing – played til the end!

  • burgess1138

    loved it!

  • Pauline

    Brilliant, had to watch what happened and made me laugh out loud several times.  Just as well I am on my own in the office

  • Krissyanne8

    Loved it. Best yet. I’m going to be late now because I had to play it!

  • prunesquallor

    Brilliant.

    But I think you’ll find it’s not a characterisation of Lem: it’s Trurl from the Cyberiad (author: S Lem), and later we see his friend Klaupacious. Cyberiad is one of Lem’s funniest and weirdest.

  • Witnot

    Enjoyable….do it again!

  • Nama10jen

    Brilliant ~~~ Great way to inspire a bit of self confidence at the start of the day (or not,as the case may be ! ) Nice to be surprised ~~ pleasantly ! Many thanks Googly ~ ~ Jen.

  • MaK

    played to the end – at home – would have been shot doing it at work!

  • Fiona

    Loved it…fantastic.
    Best yet, even though the Muppets may not have been as complex…I loved them too!!

  • Shezm13

    loved it .

  • Alvinjr

    Amazing – hours of fun

  • Jack

    Does this mean I havent passed scrutiny for the secret services? Great game, lots of fun.

  • Billy-B

    Loved  it!

  • Rose

    wow! i was transfixed. played the game until the end. will tell everyone – thank you google

  • Gareth

    Thought it was excellent, got me thinking which makes a nice change from google homepage, you could build this to work as quick IQ tests and mental puzzles or challenges, test the nation as to speak, get it buzzing on facebook. Gareth Warr

  • Gray

    I love Google Doodles! I wish I could work on making them! Always a treat. Thank you Google Doodle Team!

  • Peter

    could not resist doing it brill !

  • Mail

    Fab!

  • Pam

    Great way to start the day, loved it. Thanks

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrew-Carter/1257156516 Andrew Carter

    Enjoyed Googles latest Doodle …

  • Izz

    Fantastic – good to have a laugh first thing in the morning

  • http://carousel-blog.squarespace.com/ Carousel_kids

    I did and what fun it was! I got stuck on the alignment of the frequency patterns but my husband helped me out. I’d be toast if it wasn’t his day off! :D

  • Andy Cippico

    Inspired! Thank you!

  • guest

    Made me late for work!

  • Clifford Lord

    Good Doodle, bet nobody started work on time!

  • Kelvin Belcher

    Fantastic well done

  • Marion

    Fantastic!
    I can’t wait to show the kids at school (Herringham Primary)

    Well Done!

  • Dav

    Played to the end. Fantastic.

  • R Parker790

    Being retired and having no need to rush off and complete my cpomputer chores in a hurry it was a delight to be challenged by the cartoon this mornng. What a very clever piece of work. Thank you. Claire

  • Sarajo20

    Brilliant start to the day!  

  • Phil Dore

    My fine tea will be stewed.

  • Gary se

    excellent doodle game ..lots of fun ..more please

  • http://www.facebook.com/andrew.ralphs Andrew Ralphs

    loved it

  • Lois

    Excellent. I was so absorbed, I forgot why I Googled!

  • Adrian Jukes

    Ade From Grade
    Did it Ok – Quite fun and gets brain working early in morning

  • Tintinrob

    Hey yes! -completed it, took a good 10 minutes. How long would a machine have taken to suss out what was wanted at each stage, though? Would make a good captcha – “yes we think you are human, now you can create your email account…” Or… “sorry you can’t create your email account as you’ve just thrown yr laptop out the window!”

  • Roy

    yes completed it, fantastic way to start work! better get on with something else now.

  • Rumaysa Hassan Khan

    google is amazing.. it always manages to surprise me with its doodles !! keep it up!!! simply the best

  • Theskibob

    Looks damn like a Stanerwocky to me!

  • Trevor Northcott

    Yep, just completed it …. there’s “NOTHING” to it !!!

  • Eily B

    Liked it!

  • Doctorfeck

    Brilliant! Well done Google.

  • MamaC

    Brilliant way to start the day – loved it!

  • http://www.facebook.com/piddy77 Neil Piddock

    completed…fantastic doodle from google!

  • Taylorwoodspa

    Good fun – Certainly woke me up with a smile!

  • Ssb

    Yes, completed it, took around 5 minutes.  Good brain exercise.

  • misty3872

    I played it until the end. It was fantastic!! Even without instructions or any idea what it was it was intuitive and a great way to spend ten or so minutes. My favourite task was the third one. I’m now going to get some of this author’s books. 

  • Ceej1963

    yes, excellent :-)

  • Iain Taylor

    I too forgot what I was searching for in the first place. Great doodle.

  • Sazmcd

    Just completed it – should have been working but couldn’t leave it once I’d clicked…!! Great – so creative :)

    • Mariusucata

      misto

  • Colin

    Yes, I played to the end and enjoyed it. Thanks Google and thanks to Mr lem, too!

  • TomD

    Yep managed to do it. But found the second one quite hard. Could not discern a pattern so only succeeded through trial and error. Good fun though

  • Deborahg132

    coffee and a game great way to start the day

  • Pjdyde

    There will be a lot of lost work hours today with “nothing” being done

  • Coyotus9

    Completed! Nice way to wake up :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=784355290 Who Dares Wears

    Google have done it again – great idea and fun although didnt get much work done playing it ha ha

  • Rachel

    Brilliant doodle, very absorbing.

  • 7litrebig

    Awesome!  A great start to my day!

  • Amanda

    Never paid any attention to Google Doodles before – found myself clicking on it and completed the task – great fun.  Thanks

  • Justin McGrath

    A doodle from google….should it be called for ever more a doogle….??

  • eddie o connor

    too busy working….NOT

  • Clare&Ethan

    We loved this doodle! A great brain starter before my 9 year old son goes to school! Thanks Google!

  • Ben

    What a nice way to start  a gloomy Wednesday morning. Thanks

  • Mollygfarmer

    Completed it….. now im late for work! :-)

  • MarkL

    Very refreshing. Well done to the animators! Mark L

  • Shirleycraven

    Thought I did ok as I’m a lil mature and don’t do games but started something I couldn’t stop! :) Better get back to business now

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=721350507 Lauren Hiles

    …and done!

  • alex

    cool ;-)

  • Jonathon

    I really enjoyed that, a good start to the day for me, finished it eventually after 3 attempts

  • Sanj kuruppu

    good brain exercise well done

  • Pete

    wow -  that’s a fun way to wake up !!!

  • Norman Rodger

    Luckily I got into work early – it takes a while!

  • meg2007

    Superb, had to get to the end once started, thanks Google and Mr Lem.

  • http://www.mygonow.co.uk Kate

    GENIUS!! Absolutely loved it!

  • Tina Hoy

    I love the Google Doodles – this by far has to be the best. 

  • Muzzy

    Nice one :) got straight away and up to the end xD
    Proud to be Lem’s country m8.
    P.S. Read back in school ;)

  • Rebecca Carter1

    absolutly brilliant

  • Blue

    I forgot what I wanted to google, thanks!

  • SSLondon

    yep, takes several minutes to get right until the end then had a surreal encounter with the letter N….. great doodle.

  • http://www.amandagard.co.uk Me

    excellent!

  • Jinxter666

    Loved the artwork, enjoyed the game.  More please!
    Original version of Solaris (Russian) is one of my favourite SF films.
    Thanks Google!

  • Jackibedford

    Brilliant, a nice start to my day. Yes I forgot what I wanted to Google as well.

  • Geoff

    Great unexpected fun

  • Mark

    Good start to the day – missed the game first time. First time I have ever seen the google home page completely blank!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/robertmkay Rob Kay

    Nice start to my day, woke me up and got the grey cells going over my first coffee!

  • Deanomaster2

    That was very good thanks for entertaining my morning Google!!! :-)

  • Magrita

    amazing, thank you

  • Vanniella

    I did, til the very end [thanks for spoiling for others ;-) ] and it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E!! BEST DOODLE SO FAR!! :-)

  • Wellscuk

    Terrific – hope to see more of these!!

  • Khrusos

    Yes – it’s lovely and I felt like a child doing it, while wondering the entire time why it seemed so familiar. Laughed out loud at the end, but still didn’t realise it was in honour of Lem until I read it.

  • Chris

    Really enjoyed this. Fun, quirky and totally unexpected!

  • Synonymofcynicism

    google is performing basic psychometric testing on users i’m betting. Nice doodle, lovely little game, worried about there being more orwell than lem in that doodle… 

  • Evitagonzalez

    I played until the end. Great fun and in work time. Awesome!

  • http://www.facebook.com/Stephen.Allen01 Steve Allen

    I did and now I can remember what I was looking for in the first place, oh well… 

  • Chrissyw

    That was brilliant … lots of work in that small animation..x

  • http://twitter.com/Nigelpeacock Nigel Peacock

    Millions of hours of productive work will be lost today! Good fun though…

  • Luciadelion

    anything to postpone the weekly shop. Brilliant.

  • angryangryowl

    Brilliant. Such a lovely way to start the day

  • Alison

    Loved it, done in no time, just wished there was a little sound xx thanks google

  • Tellin71

    brilliant! and I completed the game quite quickly too! 

  • Nickky1961

    this was fantastic it was the coolest yet

  • Dr_sjtodd

    yup and now i’ve completely forgotten what I came on here for… :-)

  • TheLeazesEnd

    ecellent. certainly perked me up on arriving at work. gotta work now. yawn.

  • Ellen

    I did play to the end – I love a puzzle – & a great way to warm the brain up first thing!! It was intuitive too – nearly as much fun working out what was wanted as actually doing it and all the time wondering – why???? Loved it :-)

    • Tomasz Smolinski

      This Doodle based on one of Lem’s short stories, published in ‘Cyberiada’. The last machine has been designed to create things starting with N letter – and one of the creators asked the robot to do NOTHING. So it did.

  • mrembroiderer

    Ha Ha Brilliant!

  • Tim

    Absolutly fantastic, i loved it. Lets have some more PLEASE

  • Rufus Magnus

    Hellfire… what was it I was gonna google for? Finished the little game, though.

  • Jojo

    Sheer brilliance, love guessing what you had to do it complete the puzzle.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=588582984 Peter Keeble

    Awesome….

  • Alochhead2004

    Distracted me from my work for 10 mins but enjoyed the challenge! More please !

  • lembi

    Finished it, loved it, forgot what i wanted to search for. Excellent work Google

  • Jim_2007

    it was stupid and boring a utter waste of time i have work to do but got distracted by that stupid google game

  • Jim_2007

    p.s everyone below is ugly..

  • Maze

    Keep them coming “Ace”

  • http://twitter.com/stuseo Stuart Clark

    Absolutely loved this one! I had plenty of work today but this kept me distracted for a little while ;-)

  • Carby0

    Its hard not to play something as fun as this

  • John

    I finished this fun google doodle it was fun

    • Jim_2007

      you skum of the earth dont comment u fugly too

  • stephen Willingham

    i thought it was great! i enjoyed playing with it, and it was different.

    • Jim_2007

      oh really

  • Ronaldo_7

    the game fugly

  • Manuel

    Yes, I did solve that little intuitive tricky ‘doodle’ and had a very  pleasant few minutes (I am not to say seconds.’cause I did not measuring time). Groks to you.

  • Beatrix82

    can you find it to play anywhere now???