If trick-or-treating isn't on your to-do list for Oct. 31, then I have an idea for you. Go online and check out Google's Halloween 2018 Doodle. Like always, the company created an annual Halloween Doodle for its homepage — but this year's graphic is unlike any other. Why? Because it doubles as multiplayer game where you can embody a ghost and compete against other players on the internet. It's spooky, competitive, and totally worth skipping that scary movie marathon for.
If you want to learn more about Google's first multiplayer game Doodle ever, grab some Halloween candy and sit tight. The Doodle game — which is called Trick-or-Treat: The Great Ghoul Duel — lets players explore a spooky virtual world and collect "wondering spirit flames" on the go. The point of the game is to collect the most flames in two minutes (or, as Google puts it, "before the moon is gone").
It's not all fun and games, though. While playing inside of the spooky Doodle, players can intercept flames from one another while they're returning them to their home bases. With that being said, you'll need to steer clear of your internet opponents during the game.
Now, you might be wondering how to decipher your opponents from players on your team. Thankfully, that information will be given before you start playing the game. When you open Google and hit the "Play" button in the center of the Doodle, you'll be asked to either host a game or skip the tutorial. If you want to play the game against strangers, skip the tutorial and get started.
Once you skip it, Google will wait a few moments for other players on the internet to join the game. Once they do, eight players (including yourself) will be divided into two teams. One team will be green, and one team will be purple. Google will tell you which team you were placed on before the game starts.
After you've been given your color (and a cute little ghost character), you'll be thrown directly into the game. From that moment, you can use the arrow keys to navigate your way around the screen and start collecting spirit flames. Again, watch out for players on the opposite team — because they can steal your spirit flames while you're on your way back to your home base. However, the rule goes both ways — and you can intercept your opponents' spirit flames, too.
According to Google's blog post about the game, players who receive the most spirit flames will be able to unlock powers like night vision and speed boosts (spooky!). Therefore, you should try your best to collect as many spirit flames as possible.
If you'd rather not compete against strangers on the internet, you can host your own game of Trick-or-Treat: The Great Ghoul Duel instead. In order to do so, hit the "Play" button on the Doodle, and then press "Host Game." After that, you'll be given a link URL that you can use to invite your friends into a private match. It's that simple.
Now that you know about Google's Halloween 2018 Doodle, you'll be able to play the game while you're handing out candy. That sounds like a solid Halloween to me.
