In yet another blow to the productive heart of the Web (?), Google has decided to integrate a version of Solitaire into its search results, with rules identical to those of the classic Windows game. The Solitaire is supposedly optimized for mobile devices, but with some extra characters in the search string, you can play it from your desktop without any trouble. Alongside Solitaire, Google has also added a special edition of Tic-Tac-Toe, in case you want something simpler.
How many horror stories, how many office disputes. Bosses ordering the removal of Windows games, and employees secretly restoring their copies. If this was already a “problem” in the Windows 3.x era, imagine the scale now in a hyperconnected world, with social media at our fingertips and a huge variety of online games. Even Google itself has inserted several titles into its search engine, some of which are still available in the Doodles section or through special mirrors. Last week, Google quietly added two more games: Solitaire and Tic-Tac-Toe.
How to Access the Games
All you need to do is type either “solitaire” or “tic tac toe” into the search engine, without the quotes. Both games seem to be optimized for mobile devices, and it’s likely that Solitaire won’t appear in a normal search, but with a click here you should be able to access it without issues.
Google’s Solitaire follows the same rules we remember from Windows Solitaire: three cards per move in Hard mode (one in Easy), alternating colors when building columns, the “retirement” of cards begins with aces, and only kings can occupy empty spaces. In short: Easy is too easy, and Hard will demand several attempts before you finish.
Tic-Tac-Toe: A Simpler Challenge
In the background there’s also Tic-Tac-Toe (three in a row, zeros and crosses, ta-te-ti, cat, etc.), which unlike Solitaire offers three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, and Impossible) or the option to play against a friend. The only thing I can add about Tic-Tac-Toe is that “Impossible” is really impossible. After all, the only winning move is not to play.
