Google Halloween Game (Magic Cat Academy): How to Play It in 2026

Looking for the Google Halloween game with the little black cat? It is called Magic Cat Academy, the 2016 Halloween Google Doodle where Momo the cat draws spells to chase ghosts out of her magic school. It is still free to play in 2026, along with its underwater sequel and Google’s other Halloween games. Here is how to play each one, with tips to beat the final ghost.

Quick answer: Open the Halloween 2016 page on Google’s Doodle archive (doodles.google) and click Play to start Magic Cat Academy. Swipe the shape shown above each ghost’s head (a line, a V, an upside-down V and so on) to make it vanish. A lightning bolt clears every ghost on screen and a heart wins back a life. It works on desktop and phone, and there is nothing to install.

How to play the Google Halloween game (Magic Cat Academy)

1. Open the Halloween 2016 Doodle page and click Play. The game opens in your browser.
2. Click the play arrow to start. You are Momo, a first-year student at Magic Cat Academy.
3. Ghosts float towards Momo, each with a symbol over its head. Draw that symbol with your mouse, or with your finger on a phone, and the ghost disappears.
4. Some ghosts carry several symbols. Draw them in order from left to right.
5. Clear all five levels of the school: the library, cafeteria, classroom, gym and rooftop. A larger ghost waits at the end of each level.
6. Win back the stolen spellbook from the ghost on the roof to finish the game.

Spells and symbols

• Horizontal line ( — ): the most common ghost symbol.
• Vertical line ( | ): just as common; draw it straight down.
• V and upside-down V ( ^ ): draw them in one quick stroke.
• Lightning bolt: appears now and then and clears every ghost on the screen at once. Save it for the busiest moments.
• Heart: draw it when it appears to win back a lost life.

Tips to win

• Draw large, clean shapes. Small or shaky strokes often don’t register.
• Deal with the ghosts closest to Momo first.
• A mouse or trackpad is easier than a touchscreen for the boss levels, where symbols arrive quickly.
• If you lose, the game restarts from the level you reached, so keep trying.

Magic Cat Academy 2: the underwater sequel

For Halloween 2020, Google brought Momo back in a sequel set under the sea. She swims down through the Sunlight Zone, Twilight Zone, Midnight Zone and the Abyss, facing ghostly sea creatures such as a jellyfish, a vampire squid and an anglerfish. It plays the same way: swipe the symbol over each ghost. Find it on the Halloween 2020 Doodle page.

Other Google Halloween games you can still play

• The Great Ghoul Duel (2018): Google’s first multiplayer Doodle game. Two teams of four ghosts race to collect spirit flames and carry them back to base within two minutes. Play with strangers or invite up to seven friends with a link. Open it from the Halloween 2018 Doodle page.
• Halloween Pac-Man (2025): for Pac-Man’s 45th anniversary, Google ran a spooky Pac-Man Doodle on 30 and 31 October 2025, with eight levels including four haunted-house mazes made with Bandai Namco. The classic version is still playable: see how to play the Pac-Man Google Doodle and the Pac-Man in Google Maps trick.

Will there be a new Google Halloween game in 2026?

Google usually marks Halloween with a Doodle on 31 October, and in several years it has been a playable game. Google doesn’t announce them in advance, so check the google.com homepage on Halloween. Past games, including Magic Cat Academy, stay playable on the Doodle archive all year round.

More Google games and Easter eggs

• Do a barrel roll: make the search page spin.
• Google Gravity: watch the homepage fall apart.
• Let it snow: a winter Easter egg for later in the year.

FAQ

What is the Google Halloween cat game called?

Magic Cat Academy. It was the Google Doodle for Halloween 2016, and the cat is called Momo.

Can I still play Magic Cat Academy?

Yes. Open the Halloween 2016 page on Google’s Doodle archive and click Play. It runs free in any modern browser.

Does the Google Halloween game work on phones?

Yes. Swipe the symbols with your finger. It also works on tablets and Chromebooks.

Is there a Magic Cat Academy 2?

Yes. The Halloween 2020 Doodle is the underwater sequel, with Momo fighting ghosts in the deep sea.

Which Google Halloween game is your favourite? Tell us in the comments.