Introduced by Google in 2014, the dino game (also called Chrome Dino or T-Rex Runner) was built into the Chrome browser as a creative and entertaining Easter egg. It activates automatically when a user loses internet access and tries to load a webpage. Rather than a blank error message, users are greeted with a small pixel-art T-Rex. What looks like a static icon becomes an active game with a single tap of the spacebar.

The idea came from Chrome UX designer Sebastien Gabriel, who described the game as a way to provide a “prehistoric” experience to reflect being offline—as if you’ve gone back in time.

How to Play the Chrome Dino Game

Playing the game is extremely easy but surprisingly challenging:

• On desktop: Press the spacebar to start and jump.

• On mobile: Simply tap the screen to jump.

• The T-Rex runs forward automatically, and your task is to avoid obstacles such as cacti and pterodactyls.

• As time passes, the speed increases and the game becomes more difficult.

• Press the down arrow on desktop to duck under flying enemies.

• The game includes a day-night cycle, changing the screen background from white to black and back.

The goal? Survive as long as you can and chase a high score. There’s no official end, but the game caps the score at 99,999 before it resets.