Every once in a while Google graces us with a little game or fun fact in its logo, which I’ve now learned is called Google Doodles. Even if I tried, I don’t think I could come up with a better name for these games. It’s fun, bubbly, and catchy, perfectly encapsulating these hidden surprises.
There is nothing like that pleasant surprise when you open Google to these little gifts. To my surprise and teachers’ dismay, these games can be very addicting. Lucky for us, these little Google Doodles aren’t entirely random. Most of them are triggered by specific dates, for instance, the Magic Cat Academy Google Doodle, which was released around Halloween. Magic Cat Academy has a special place in my heart as I wait to see how each sequel adds to the game’s eight years’ worth of lore. However, it wasn’t until going deeper into researching these games that I realized the extent of the game’s story. Unlike any other Google Doodle, Magic Cat Academy is part of a trilogy, with its final volume releasing this year.
The first game of the series came out in 2016, titled Magic Cat Academy 1. The main character is a cat named Momo, named after the developer’s, Juliana Chens, cat. Although Google Doodles usually feel impersonal, I feel this touch added a lot of feeling to the game. In the first installment, the player is introduced to Momo at their Magic Academy, where a ghost, Marshmallow, steals his magic book, setting up the main conflict. The player works through five levels of fighting ghosts before defeating Marshmallow and finding his magical book.
Four years later, in 2020, the second Magic Cat Academy Google Doodle was released around Halloween. The chapter reveals to players the fate of Marshmallow with a surprising plot twist. The hero cat, Momo, then goes through another 5-level series to defeat Marshmallow. Once the player defeats the evil Marshmallow for a second time, Marshmallow is catapulted into space.
After another long-awaited four years, the final part of the trilogy was released, appropriately named Magic Cat Academy 3. When I opened my Google browser to discover the final installment of Magic Cat Academy, it was bittersweet. But my hopes were high.
With the amount of story building leading up to the latest game, I was ready for a satisfying ending for both Momo and Marshmallow. Luckily, I was not disappointed.
Once the player gets to the last level, an unexpected threat emerges. I enjoyed this switch in the plot, as the other games were more predictable. The new dynamics introduced between the characters added a level of depth I would have never expected from a Google Doodle game.
Like the games before it, Magic Cat Academy 3 continued its legacy of having a spooky and cute fall aesthetic. The game’s art style has a cozy, soft, and homemade feel. Along with the personalized soundtrack, it becomes apparent that someone put a lot of time and effort into the creation of this game.
Due to the fact that none of the characters in this game talk or have dialogue, the game developers have to add all the story and emotion through the music and characters. While the task might seem daunting, a company as large as Google should not, and did not, disappoint. Both the original soundtrack and game art felt homey and carefully crafted, adding much-needed emotion to a rather trivial game.
The key mechanic of Magic Cat Academy 3 is, of course, the actual gameplay. Magic Cat Academy 3’s gameplay is identical to the other two previous installments. The player must draw shapes and lines in a certain amount of time as ghosts slowly approach. The time at which the player has to draw the shapes slowly decreases as the player progresses, adding thrill and excitement to the game. Although I love the simple beauty and versatility of the game, I do have some reservations.
Most people who play Google Doodle games play them without using a computer mouse. While this is a subtle difference, it can have large consequences on one’s gameplay. Merely using the mousepad for these games can lead to increased struggle and delay, resulting in frustration when playing. I found myself annoyed and dissatisfied with this disadvantage. It made it much harder to advance further in the game without multiple retries.
In spite of this hindrance, I still highly enjoyed the game and would recommend playing. Although the games are no longer featured in the Google logo, you can still search for them by using the phrase “Halloween cat Google Doodle” with your choice of year, 2016, 2020, or 2024.
