1. Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary: Nov. 23
Google celebrated the iconic British show “Doctor Who” in sci-fi, retro style with a game on its 50 anniversary.
Using time travel and 11 doctors, the object of the game is to retrieve all the Google letters. In cooperation with the BBC, some original sounds from the show are used.
2. 100th Anniversary of the Crossword Puzzle: Dec. 21
Google created an interactive crossword puzzle to celebrate this 100-year-old game with timeless appeal.
The puzzle was made by Merl Reagle, one of the best crossword constructors today. Arthur Wynne created the first crossword puzzle ever.
3. Zamboni: Jan. 16
Frank Zamboni’s 112th birthday was celebrated with a game in which the goal is to smooth over the scuff marks made by skaters. Watch out for the pop-up banana peels or ice cream though. Zamboni invented the ice resurfacing machine that bears his name.
4. Qixi Festival/Chilseok: Feb. 14
The Asian version of Valentine’s Day, the Qixi festival, was celebrated in a nice doodle game.
It falls on the seventh day of the seventh month, and has a beautiful story behind it, which is told in the process of playing the game.
The story goes that two lovers were separated by a great river and forbidden to meet. Birds helped them reunite by building a bridge.
5. Google’s Birthday: Sept. 27
Google celebrated its 15th birthday with a Piñata game.
Though Google is unsure when exactly its birthday is, it chose to celebrate it on Sept. 27 this year.
