While attempting to write a review of Stanislaw Lem’s novel His Master’s Voice, I lost my concentration, began to surf the web, and came across a Euro Google-Doodle (from November, 2011) that I’d missed. The doodle commemorated the 60th anniversary of Lem’s first published work. So, for any other Lem fans (or other interested parties) who missed the doodle…

The doodle depicts two characters from The Cyberiad; the creators, Trurl and Klapaucius. The doodle features excellent animation by Sofia Foster-Dimino, who recreated the whimsical characters first drawn by Daniel Mroz, who illustrated several  Stanislaw Lem books.

The doodle is also a game; a series of puzzles (powered by HTML5, programmed by Marcin Wichary). As the player solves each puzzle, an element is collected and a new level is opened. There are three levels (math questions, identification of synchronous waves, and launching robots up to a satellite). When the three elements are collected, the final animation sequence is revealed. Click on the image below to go to the animated doodle-game; or, go to this YouTube video to watch the entire animation (~ 5 minutes). There is also an interesting Washington Post Article on the Lem-Euro-Doodle.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.