The original "Google in 1998" Easter egg was introduced by Google in 2013 to celebrate the company's 15th anniversary. Users could trigger it by searching for "Google in 1998" on Google.com. This action would transform the current search results page into a replica of how Google's Search Engine Results Page (SERP) looked back in 1998, the year Google was officially launched. The domain google.com was registered on September 15, 1997 and Google inc was formally incorporated on September 4, 1998.

The original Easter egg displayed a simplified, text-heavy SERP, characteristic of the early days of the web. It featured the old Google logo (with the exclamation point), a basic layout with 10 blue links, and minimal formatting. The design reflected the limited capabilities of web browsers and internet connections at the time. The search algorithm, known as PageRank, was developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University. It ranked websites based on relevance, a revolutionary approach at the time.

The Easter egg was widely appreciated as a nostalgic and educational experience. It allowed users to see how much web design and search technology had evolved. It generated positive media coverage and online discussions, highlighting Google's history and the progress of the internet itself. The contrast between the 1998 SERP and the modern SERP, with its rich features, images, and knowledge panels, was striking. It served as a reminder of the simpler, less commercialized internet of the late 1990s, before the introduction of features like Google AdWords (launched in 2000).

We chose to enhance this Easter egg because we wanted to provide a more authentic and immersive recreation of the 1998 Google search experience. The original Easter egg was a great starting point, but we aimed for a higher level of detail. Our goal was to make users feel like they were truly using a computer from that era. Recreating the visual style accurately was crucial for achieving this feeling of nostalgia.

Our enhanced version goes beyond the basic SERP transformation of the original Easter egg. We've meticulously recreated the entire 1998 SERP user interface, paying close attention to the fonts, colors, and layout. We've achieved this using a pixelated font that closely mimics the low-resolution displays of the time. Crucially, we've also placed the recreated SERP within a simulated Internet Explorer 4.0 browser window. This adds a significant layer of authenticity, as IE 4.0 was a dominant browser in 1998. The original Easter egg simply changed the current results page; ours creates a complete visual environment.

When you click the button at the top of this page, you'll be presented with a recreation of Google's 1998 Search Engine Results Page, displayed within a simulated Internet Explorer 4.0 browser. The old Google logo, the simple layout, and the pixelated font all contribute to the retro aesthetic. You can enter a search term in the search box, and the page will display results as they would have appeared in 1998. Although it looks like 1998 Google, the search results actually come from modern Google, but displayed in the old style.

The "Google Search in 1998" Easter egg offers a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience the internet's early days. Our enhanced version on this website aims to provide the most faithful and immersive recreation possible, combining the accurate SERP design with the context of a contemporary browser. We believe this attention to detail adds significant value to the experience, making it more than just a visual change. We encourage you to try it out and explore the other restored and enhanced Google Easter eggs we've curated here.