Fans can’t stop talking about Google’s surprise minigames that blend Splatoon’s paint-splashing chaos with Katamari’s quirky rolling charm-two beloved styles reimagined inside a search engine Easter egg that has everyone playing instead of searching.
The Katamari minigame is particularly cute – and honestly challenging, much like the actual game – as you can roll the sphere all across the page, picking up bits and bobs of words and images. I’d highly recommend putting the game’s soundtrack on in the background as you play, since the game’s score absolutely slaps.
Here’s how you play the game: Google “Katamari” or “Katamari Damacy,” click on the Katamari symbol on the upper right corner (it will be jiggling a bit!), and then use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the sphere around.
Similarly, as fans have pointed out, if you Google “Splatoon” you can play a painting minigame that turns your cursor into a paintball gun.
How do you play the Splatoon ink splatting minigame on Google
To play Google’s Splatoon ink-splatting minigame, search for “Splatoon,” “Splatoon 2,” or “Splatoon 3” on Google. Look for the colorful animated ink splat (often near the game’s knowledge panel or top result), then click or tap it to activate the feature.
Activation Steps
Click the ink splat icon to enable splatting mode, where each subsequent tap or click anywhere on the screen fires colorful ink blobs with a satisfying “plop” sound effect. Special splats may occasionally form shapes like Inklings, Octolings, or eyes for added charm.
Gameplay Tips
There’s no scoring or win condition-just cover the screen in tricolor ink (pink, orange, green) as much as you want on desktop or mobile. An eraser icon appears at the bottom to clear the paint when done.
Does the Splatoon ink splat easter egg still work in 2026
Yes, Google’s Splatoon ink splat Easter egg still works as of January 2026.
Current Status
Recent fan discussions and activity on platforms like Reddit confirm the feature remains active when searching “Splatoon,” “Splatoon 2,” or “Splatoon 3,” with no reports of removal despite its 2022 debut.
Evidence of Longevity
Users continue sharing experiences into late 2025 and early 2026, describing ongoing sessions splatting ink across search results, indicating Google has maintained this interactive homage to the Nintendo franchise.
