Get ready, because the much-anticipated second season of Squid Game is on the horizon, set to premiere on December 26. Netflix is actively building excitement for the new episodes, and in a clever marketing move, they’ve collaborated with Google to present a unique interactive experience right within the search engine. This addition is surprisingly enjoyable.

How to Engage with Google’s Hidden Squid Game

The term “hidden” is somewhat misleading, as discovering this game is a breeze for anyone even slightly interested in the series. To find it, simply type “Squid Game” into Google’s search bar. In addition to the usual array of cast information, release dates for the upcoming season, and articles, a special Squid Game icon featuring the show’s signature shapes—circle, triangle, and square—appears at the bottom of your screen.

Clicking on this icon launches a mini-game of “Red Light, Green Light” layered over your search results. Regardless of whether you’ve watched the show, the gameplay is straightforward: you guide a small team of six competitors towards a giant doll positioned at the top of the page. Move toward it while its back is turned, and halt your progress when the doll turns around. Any movement during its gaze results in a “loss.” Fortunately, your character will not meet a gruesome fate as they would in the series; instead, they display a nervous look and walk away. (At least, nothing fatal is shown on-screen.)

Interactive controls include a green button to advance your team and a red button to freeze them in place. The doll will sing a brief tune before turning but does so at unpredictable intervals, creating a challenge in timing your moves. It might be beneficial to mute the sound and keep your eyes focused on the doll’s actions instead.

Image Credit: Jake Peterson

Interestingly, even when you succeed in the game, your characters still exhibit that anxious look, just like when they fail. These challenges have a way of testing everyone!

This isn’t the first instance of Google unveiling a hidden feature or game within its platform. The well-known “Dinosaur Game” surfaces in Chrome when there’s no internet connection, but countless other games and features are embedded in Google. For a fun experiment, try searching “do a barrel roll!”