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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsYes—but not anymore. Google Maps hosted a real Where’s Wally/Waldo hidden-object game beginning March 31, 2018, as an April Fools’ Day promotion. It was never a permanent Maps search feature, and the promotion has since expired.
What Google Maps actually offered
The promotion placed an illustrated hidden-object game inside Google Maps. Instead of searching for an address or business, players scanned crowded scenes for the striped-shirt character. Google’s U.S. announcement called him Waldo; readers in the United Kingdom, Australia and several other markets know him as Wally.
Google described the experience as a way to travel through different destinations while finding Waldo and his friends. It ran on Android, iOS and desktop, and could also be started with Google Assistant by saying, “Hey Google, Where’s Waldo?” (Google’s announcement).
How the 2018 game worked
These are archival instructions for the 2018 promotion, not current Google Maps controls:
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- Open Google Maps on desktop or in the Android or iOS app.
- Look for the animated Waldo/Wally character waving at the side of the interface.
- Select him and choose Play.
- Search the illustrated scene visually until you find Waldo/Wally.
- Continue to the next destination after each successful find.
- Find additional characters to earn badges; Google also encouraged players to share screenshots with #WaldoMaps.
The launch could also be initiated through Google Assistant on a phone, Chromebook or Google Home device. Interface details varied by platform, country, language and rollout timing.
Where were the search scenes?
The reported sequence took players through a deliberately global set of illustrations:
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| Scene | What it represented |
|---|---|
| Andes Mountains | Chile |
| Surfers Paradise | Australia |
| Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium | South Korea |
| La Tomatina | Spain |
| Hollywood | United States |
| Picard crater | The Moon |
The scenes included more than Waldo/Wally. Players could also spot Wenda, Woof (often recognizable mainly by his tail), Wizard Whitebeard and Odlaw. Google’s announcement described badges for discovering the character and his friends.
Why some headlines say Wally and others say Waldo
“Wally” and “Waldo” are localized names for the same fictional character, not separate Google games. “Waldo” is standard in the United States and Canada, while “Wally” is used in the United Kingdom and several other regions. Google’s U.S.-focused announcement used Waldo, so both search terms appear in coverage of the promotion.
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Can you still play it in Google Maps?
No normal, officially supported version is available today. A Google Maps Help Community response on March 20, 2019 said the game had only been available briefly around April Fools’ Day and could no longer be played (Google Maps Help Community).
If you follow an old article and do not see the waving character or a Play button, your phone is not necessarily at fault. Updating the app does not normally restore an expired promotion, and searching “Where’s Wally?” or “Where’s Waldo?” in the current Maps search box is an ordinary place/search query—not the old visual game. An Assistant request may likewise produce a normal web or Maps result.
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Archived screenshots, videos and web pages can document the experience, but they are not a live feature. Google could run a different seasonal promotion in the future, yet that would be a new event rather than a return of the 2018 game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Google put a hidden-object game in Maps
The stunt fit Google’s earlier pattern of using Maps for playful, time-limited experiences, including a Pac-Man April Fools’ feature in 2015. The Wally/Waldo game combined product publicity with a lightweight activity that encouraged people to open Maps, explore illustrated locations and share results. That context explains the feature without changing its status: it was a functioning game, but also a temporary marketing promotion.
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What the headline gets right—and wrong
- Right: Google Maps genuinely hosted a Wally/Waldo search game.
- Right: It launched March 31, 2018, ahead of April Fools’ Day.
- Wrong today: It was not a permanent search option and is no longer normally playable.
- Wrong description: It was an illustrated hidden-object activity, not a Street View scavenger hunt or an augmented-reality Maps mode.
For the historical launch details, platforms, Assistant command, characters and badges, see Google’s March 31, 2018 announcement. Contemporary instructions were also reported by Forbes, while rollout context appears in Fast Company.
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