Google Doodles used to be simple drawings. Maybe a little animation if we were lucky. But then Halloween 2016 happened, and we met Momo. She’s this black cat at a wizard school who has to fight ghosts by drawing symbols in the air. People obsessed over it. So, when Google dropped Magic Cat Academy 2020 for Halloween that year, they didn't just make a sequel. They basically built a full-blown arcade game that lives in your browser. Honestly, it’s deeper than some paid mobile games.
Most people remember the 2016 version because it was fresh. But the 2020 sequel? That's where things got weirdly intense. It wasn't just "more of the same." The developers moved the setting from the school library to the literal bottom of the ocean. It sounds like a small change, but it completely flipped the vibe.
The Submerged World of Magic Cat Academy 2020
The game picks up right where the first one left off. A ghost that Momo defeated in the first game steals her spellbook and dives into the ocean. You’re playing as Momo, but now you’re underwater. There’s something inherently more stressful about "Water Levels" in gaming, and Google leaned into that.
The mechanics stay the same: you draw lines, V-shapes, and lightning bolts with your mouse or finger to pop the ghosts hovering over the screen. But in Magic Cat Academy 2020, the enemy variety spiked. You aren't just fighting generic white blobs anymore. You're dealing with spectral jellyfish, ghostly anglerfish, and these massive, terrifying underwater entities that take up half the screen.
It’s fast. Like, genuinely fast.
By the time you hit the third or fourth level, your hand is basically a blur. You’ve got to prioritize which symbols to draw first. Do you go for the shield to protect your health, or do you clear the small fry that are about to hit you? It’s a legitimate test of dexterity.
Why the Ocean Setting Actually Mattered
Google’s team—led by artists like Olivia When and designers like Justin Mauriello—didn't just pick the ocean because it looked cool. They used the different layers of the sea to represent difficulty spikes.
- Sunlight Zone: This is the shallow stuff. You’re fighting Immortal Jellyfish. It’s colorful and bright.
- Twilight Zone: Things get darker. You start seeing Boops Boops (yes, that’s a real fish name) and the ghosts get more aggressive.
- Midnight Zone: This is where the Anglerfish show up. It’s moody and the contrast makes the glowing spells look incredible.
- The Abyss: The final showdown.
Most browser games feel "cheap." This didn't. The music, composed by Silas Hite, shifts as you go deeper. It gets more muffled and atmospheric, mimicking the pressure of the deep sea. It’s a level of detail you just don’t expect from a logo on a search engine.
The Secret to High Scores
If you’re still trying to beat your old score or just playing it for the first time in the archives, there’s a trick to it. Most people try to draw every symbol perfectly. Don’t do that. The game is surprisingly forgiving with "sloppy" drawing as long as the general motion is there.
The real pro move in Magic Cat Academy 2020 is the circle. Drawing a circle creates a shield. In the later levels, you basically need to keep a shield up 100% of the time. The ghosts come in waves, and if you miss one symbol, you’re toast unless that shield is active.
Also, the lightning bolt? Save it.
The lightning bolt clears every ghost on the screen that shares a symbol. If you see a screen full of "V" symbols, one bolt wipes the board. It’s the ultimate panic button. But if you waste it on a single ghost, you’re going to regret it when the screen fills up five seconds later.
Behind the Scenes: Who Actually Made This?
It’s easy to forget that real people spend months on these. The team at Google worked on this during the height of the pandemic, which might explain why it feels so polished—everyone was stuck inside.
They actually looked at real marine biology for inspiration. The "Big Boss" in the 2020 version is a spectral version of a Siphonophore. If you’ve never seen a real one, Google it. They’re these long, stringy colonial organisms that look like aliens. Turning that into a ghost boss was a stroke of genius. It’s educational, kinda? In a "this thing is trying to eat my cat" sort of way.
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The animators also added tiny details to Momo. When she’s underwater, her fur sways differently. Her little wizard hat stays on through sheer magical will. It’s these small touches that separate a "doodle" from a "game."
Why We’re Still Talking About It Years Later
Usually, Google Doodles vanish from the collective memory after 24 hours. Magic Cat Academy 2020 didn't. It stayed relevant because it tapped into that "just one more try" energy that made games like Flappy Bird or Tetris so addictive.
It’s also accessible. You don’t need a $3,000 gaming rig to play it. You need a browser. That’s it. In an era where gaming is becoming increasingly expensive and complex, there’s something refreshing about a game where the only instruction is "draw a line."
There’s also the "Momo Cinematic Universe" factor. Fans have actually created lore for this cat. Is she a student? Is she a master? Why is she the only one capable of saving the world from ghosts? The 2020 version expanded that world. It showed that Momo wasn't just defending her school; she was protecting the entire planet, from the heights of the library to the depths of the Mariana Trench.
How to Play It Right Now
You don’t have to wait for Halloween. Google keeps an archive of all their interactive doodles.
- Search for "Google Doodle Archive Magic Cat Academy 2020."
- It works on mobile, but honestly, it’s better on a desktop with a mouse.
- Track your "Combo" meter. The higher your combo, the more points you get per ghost.
The 2020 version also introduced a "Hard Mode" of sorts by increasing the number of symbols per ghost. Some of them require four or five consecutive shapes to defeat. It’s a rhythmic experience. Once you get into the flow, it feels less like a game and more like a dance.
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Actionable Tips for Mastery
To actually "finish" the game and see the ending (which is pretty cute, honestly), you need to change how you think about the screen. Stop looking at Momo. Look at the edges of the screen where the ghosts spawn.
- Focus on the "Hearts": Some ghosts have a heart symbol. If you draw it, you regain health. Prioritize these even if you're at full health, just to get them off the board.
- The Spiral: There’s a special "Spiral" move in some versions that acts like a nuke. It’s hard to pull off under pressure, but it’s a life-saver.
- Multi-Touch: If you’re playing on a tablet, you can sometimes use two fingers to draw faster, though the game engine can get a bit confused if you’re too quick.
Magic Cat Academy 2020 proved that Google could make a legitimate sequel that outshone the original. It’s a masterclass in simple design, tight controls, and atmospheric storytelling without a single word of dialogue. Whether you're a cat lover or just someone who likes popping ghosts, it remains a high-water mark for what a browser game can be.
Go find the official Google Doodle archive and try to beat the 100,000-point mark. It’s harder than it looks, especially when the jellyfish start swarming. Use the shield constantly, don't panic on the lightning bolts, and remember that the "Abyss" level is as much about endurance as it is about speed.