Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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It's rare that I pay much attention to Google Doodles—the little panels that appear on the site's homepage to coincide with some event or anniversary. However, lining up with the opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the site released a full blown game with several sport-adjacent minigames to try out and a full world to explore, topped off with gorgeous anime cutscenes from Studio 4°C that at least got me curious enough to check out the full thing. Let's analyse and discuss the games available, their novel use of Japanese folklore and their function as an advert for the larger Olympics!

PLAY THE DOODLE - google.com/doodles/doodle-champion-island-games-july-24

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Text intro animation by Isaac Holland - twitter.com/drazgames