Google Zerg Rush
Warning: Incoming swarm! Learn about the interactive 2012 Google Easter egg where you must defend your search results from a relentless attack of falling Os.
The Meaning of Zerg Rush
The term "Zerg Rush" originates from the massively popular real-time strategy game StarCraft, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 1998. The Zerg, an alien race, are known for their ability to quickly spawn massive swarms of cheap, low-level units to overwhelm their opponents in the early stages of a match.
In gaming culture, a "Zerg Rush" became synonymous with overwhelming an enemy through sheer numbers rather than advanced strategy or powerful units.
The Easter Egg Mechanic
To honor this legendary gaming tactic, Google implemented a hidden game. Searching for "Zerg Rush" triggers an invasion of small "O" characters (resembling the letters in Google) that drop from the top of the screen and begin attacking the search results, eating away their health bars. Users can fight back by rapidly clicking the Os to destroy them before the entire page is consumed.