Google Doodle Champion Island Games: what is it and how to play

In celebration of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Google has released Google Doodle Champion Island Games, a free browser-based JRPG that is available to play for a limited time only.

Developed in partnership with Tokyo-based animation studio, Studio 4°C, Champion Island Games takes Google's Google Doodle logo alterations to the next level. The retro 16-bit Doodle features seven Olympic sport-inspired minigames, side quests and an array of characters, making it the most fully-fleshed out Doodle game we've seen to date.

Want to know more? Read on for everything we know about Google Doodle Champion Island Games and how you can play it.

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What is Google Doodle Champion Island Games?

Google Doodle Champion Island Games takes the form of a retro 16-bit JRPG, featuring anime cutscenes as well as heavy Japanese folklore and cultural influences. The browser-based game follows calico (c)athlete Lucky as she explores Champion Island.

The island features seven Olympic sports-themed mini-games and it's up to Lucky to defeat the champion of each sport and collect all seven of the sacred scrolls – completing hidden challenges and side quests in the process. You can even join a team to compete in the game's global leaderboards. Here is every spot mini-game featured:

Marathon
Table Tennis
Artistic swimming
Archery
Rugby
Climbing
Skateboarding

Each of these mini-games takes a different form, so while Artistic Swimming may be more akin to keyboard Dance Dance Revolution, climbing will see you trying to make your way up a snowy mountain while dodging snowballs.

Champion Island Games is Google's latest interactive Doodle, a temporary alteration to the logo on Google homepages that we typically see rolled out to commemorate holidays, historical figures or events.

Usually, Google Doodles can simply be an interesting change to the logo to reflect the occasion it's commemorating; Google Doodle Champion Island Games is instead a free browser-based JRPG (Japanese role-playing game). While we've seen Google feature games before, none have been quite this fleshed out.

How to play Google Doodle Champion Island Games

Google Doodle Champion Island Games homepage — (Image credit: Google)

Google Doodle Champion Island Games is a free browser-based game that's really simple to jump into. Simply go to Google's main homepage and select the logo. A pop-up box should appear with the mini-game in it.

Don't worry about your game not saving if you accidentally shut the window either, as your game will automatically save for you so you can jump in at any time while the Doodle remains live.

It's unclear when Google Doodle Champion Island Games will end, though it's expected that the Doodle will be available throughout the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (which ends on August 8). So make sure to explore everything the island has to offer before the games end.