Google doodles for London 2012 soccer

The latest doodle on the Google Search page is an interactive game of soccer (football), in keeping with the London Olympics 2012 theme.

The canvas of the doodle has been set on a green playing field and the name 'Google' is placed on either sides of the goalpost. Being an interactive doodle, it allows the user to the play as a goalkeeper. The game begins on hitting the Play button. The task at hand is pretty straightforward - the on-screen goalkeeper is required to stop the football from entering the goalpost. Either the goalkeeper can traverse the length of the goalpost, which a user can initiate by pressing on the direction keys on the keyboard, or the goalkeeper may require to jump to stop the balls coming up a little higher, and this the user can perform by hitting Space bar. 

Google doodles for Soccer

At the end of the game, a scoreboard appears. Users may either play the game again or share their scores on Google+ or read up on the sport. The page with additional information takes you to the Google page, complete with various news pieces on the sporting event in the London Olympics, and the sport's schedule. It also includes a Medal Count table, along with brief trivia on the sport. 

One of Google's earlier doodles was an interactive doodle for basketball at the London Olympics. The user could be a basketball player and enjoy the thrill of the game. You began by the hitting the Play sign, then pressing the Space bar twice in a row to get the on-screen player to aim for the basket and make the move. At the end of the game, users were presented with a scoreboard. They had the option of either playing the game all over again, sharing it on Google+ and/ or finding out more about the sport at London Olympics 2012. Clicking on the Search option in the scoreboard allowed users to view the entire schedule pertaining to the sport, all the latest news on the sport, along with a little history.

Previously, Google doodled for the London 2012 hurdles. The doodle had you play as the on-screen runner. It showed a runner on a track, who takes his position at the starting point and gets going the minute you hit the Play button. The doodle required you to alternate between the side arrow keys on the keyboard to boost the speed of the on-screen runner and press the Space bar to jump over the hurdles that appear at regular intervals. With the instructions going on side-by-side, even as the athlete runs, you could easily move on from hurdle to hurdle. At the end of the run, a score is flashed, and users are given the option to either play the race again, share the score on their Google+ page, or quickly get all the information on London 2012 Hurdles.