So, it's 1st April. That makes manoeuvring the internet an act of danger at every click as we try to figure out what's real and what isn't. This year, to be frank, few pranks have genuinely fooled anyone, but will have hopefully raised a smile — or a scowl, in some cases.
Nintendo Developing "Virtual U" — A Look Into the Future
Yep, that's ours, which seemed like an obvious choice with most of the internet banging on about Virtual Reality in recent times. It's not actually beyond the realm of possibility that such an idea is being considered by Nintendo, though the images we used are undoubtedly ambitious, with Sony's Morpheus and Oculus Rift showing the reality of bulkier designs. VR has been 'the future' a lot, in the '90s and beyond, but it now has stronger technology and billions of dollars behind it. We'll see how it goes, but this gave us an excuse to make jokes about hardware endorsed by the very real World Dental Federation, so we're happy.
Google Maps Launches a Pokémon Challenge
When Google does an April Fools', it has plenty of cash to make it something truly brilliant. While the video for this is too ridiculous to consider real, including crazy but fun-looking augmented reality play to "catch" 'mon all around the world, Google Maps does have — until 2nd April — a very real mini-game. This one has been a bit of a viral hit as a result, with some members of the Nintendo Life community actually searching Google Maps, collaborating and sharing locations, and catching them all. Kudos to Google and those of you that have completed the task at hand.
Sega's MEGAne Drive
We're back to Virtual Reality with this effort from Sega. This "wearable entertainment" is in the form of Mega Drive / Genesis inspired lenses that change the way you see the world, and look rather rad while worn in trendy wine bars, apparently.
Mighty No. 9 Has a Peculiar New Demo Build
In a humorous parody of its own videos showing Keiji Inafune playing a fresh build, Comcept has posted the video above showing Capcom's TOM-PON, aka Naoya Tomita — who worked on the original Mega Man among others — playing a frankly bizarre new version of the game.
Game Informer Reveals Zelda: Other Z
This has been doing the rounds for a little while as it was in Game Informer magazine; restrictions of print forced the publication's hand. You can see in the image above — the clearest we could find via mbla 78 on Twitter — the overall idea of this fake project. It's Team Ninja giving Zelda the same treatment as Metroid: Other M, with disastrous consequences.
Nester Added to Super Smash Bros. Roster
Rather like the 1DS spoof of last year, this one went to the trouble of setting up a website and URL similar to the official efforts from Nintendo, before producing a Nintendo Power-themed reveal of Nester as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Bonus points are earned for the fake screenshots, too.
The FrostbiteEngine Team Taunts Wii U
(Update: The Frostbite team has now deleted these tweets, highlighting how contentious they arguably were. Above, in place of the original embedded tweet, is a screengrab of what was posted). We include this one as it's high profile, though it's up to personal opinion whether this strays from being humorous to just plain insulting, as the team behind one of the most powerful graphical engines in the industry teases the Wii U. The first tweet is above (update, now a screengrab), with follow-ups confirming Half Life 3 as a Wii U exclusive and "quantum entanglement for Zero Latency connections" coming only to Wii U.
Nintendo to Re-Issue Special Edition Cartridges
One for retro fans, as a mock interview on the-gamers-lounge.com with Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime confirms the return of special edition cartridges for NES classics. Citing high pre-order numbers for the RetroN5 system, this one refers to left-over Wii accessories being melted down for the cartridge production.
So those are some, and certainly not all, of the April Fools' articles we've come across. Let us know which you like the most in the poll and comments below — we've left ours out as it'd be too heartbreaking if it failed to win.
Which of these April Fools' is your favourite? (413 votes)
- Google's half-real Pokémon Challenge
- Sega's MEGAne Drive glasses
- Mighty No. 9's peculiar new demo build
- Game Informer's Zelda: Other Z reveal
- Nester added to the Super Smash Bros. roster
- The FrostbiteEngine team taunting Wii U
- Nintendo to re-issue Special Edition cartridges
- I don't like any of them
Please login to vote in this poll.
Comments 69
I was quite fooled when IGN had that believable trailer for a Legend of Zelda Movie a few years ago.
I REALLY wish Mushroom Kingdom Hearts had been a reality
I should have known about the Virtual Reality glasses but I was fooled for a moment.
The frostbyte joke wasn't even funny let alone one of the best. You guys didn't mention Bayonetta 2 also coming to PS4 and xbone.
Don't Forget Mariowiki,s Year of Waluigi
http://www.mariowiki.com/Waluigi%27s_Warehouse
http://www.mariowiki.com/Waluigi_to_Fitness
@jcags I'd agree on the Frostbite one, but it's there as one that's been high profile / getting a lot of attention. It's definitely a divisive one, certainly.
None of them made me chuckle honestly...
NESTER!!!!!
I clicked Google's but you guys would come second.
April Fools days can die in a pit of fire for all I care, I just find it annoying.
That said, I think the Google & Pokémon one is still fun in its own way.
Glad the guys behind froztbyte think WiiU is a joke... Not that i care that much about their opinion. WiiU has better games on it than any game that runs through their engine. Its just annoying how the industry views Nintendo.
@jakysnakydx That would be amazing!!!!
I don't like any of them. VIRTUAL U FTW!
I'm glad I hadn't seen the Frosbyte engine prank out there until now. That is just cruel!
Anybody else notice that Game Freak and Nintendo was not credit in the "Google Maps Pokemon Challenge"
Looks like Frostbite have deleted their Wii U tweets. It's a sad state of affairs when even proper companies in the gaming industry resort to fanboy-level bashing.
A good joke would be Nintendo announcing they are getting out of console business and would go exclusive software to the highest bidder. Would love to see the Nintnedo hatedom beg for them to go to their fav "big two" console!
As far as I've seen so far today, SmashWiki "announced" Wreck-It Ralph as a SSB newcomer (with Vanellope as an assist) and Bulbapedia got a Canadian background.
I don't think it was April Fool's, but the Nintendo ON video was amazing!!
Virtual U was also quite great.
I always loved the EGM magazine April fools jokes like Sonic running down the snowy hill in Stryder or Simon Belmont in Teenage Mutnant Nin ja Turtles code or the Street Fighter Sheng Long tease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EGM_April_Fools'_jokes
Ok guys, who remembers the snes mortal kombat april fools joke in ONM years ago ?
The one where they told you to sellotape a penny to the top of the cartridge in order to trick the snes into thinking the cartridge was heavier lol and play to the end without taking a single hit then input a code, and when you hear raiden go "ALLIBABBALEEEH" it had worked, then you would have blood in the snes version.
They even had screen shots and everything.
Google's Pokemon challenge is really neat. I'm almost gotten them all, actually!
@ThomasBW84: Personally my favorite for this year isn't on the list and that would be be Blizzards
http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/outcasts/
I honestly thought the artical about Tom being editor was the joke!😉
@NFreak007 Good job we screencapped em! The fiends
Eh, I don't like any of them. Not because they suck, but just because I loathe April Fools. And that's no joke.
Why isn't the Wii U on the list of April Fools jokes?
The frostbite one is not an april fool, it's just an excuse for a free taunt.
None of them. This is a stupid tradition. The end.
(And yes, I'm quite fun at parties, thank you very much.)
@efaulk84 that one was so funny best April fools in a long time
I voted for the Google Pokemon prank. I saw it on Youtube and instantly knew it was an April Fools Joke but reading some of the comments also saddened me because there were people that were very excited for this. So I believe Google went all out on their prank to make it as believable as possible. Maybe Nintendo should partner with Google to do this for real????
Zelda Other Z. Besides that last paragraph it was just hilarious.
@Superiorspider That's 3 years too late for that joke, my friend.
There's also a fake tier list for Project M.
http://clashtournaments.com/project-m-3-02-tier-list-v1-01/
That google one is pretty cool. That frostbite one is garbage.
That frosbite one made me LMFAO XD
Honestly...i'm getting bored of the holiday itself....>.>
@jakysnakydx i went wild for excitement when i saw that! 1st time i was ever duped by april fools...hurts so bad
"I'm an apple at heart" hahahaha classic. Can I change my vote to Mighty No. 9 haha?
April Fools is one of those things which doesn't make sense in 2014.
I thought the Frostbite one was hiralious! It's now optimized for Mario and Zelda! LOL That would guarantee success for them, given that the majority of Nintendo gamers only buy Mario and Zelda! LOL XD
I actually wish Nester was added to the SSB4 roster.
The Pokemon Challenge is my favorite because of how cool it is, but Zelda: Other Z is easily my 2nd favorite. That was just plain hilarious.
Don't like that frostbite one this is NOT gen 4!!! That's the most disrespectful comment to our gaming history
Is the Frostbite one over into being insulting. Yes. Sure the date is a give away, but the overall context of it all along with their belittling and ratty public statements about the system puts it clearly in the trolling category using April 1 as a loophole to get away with it like a sad sick joke. It's rude and disrespectful to any Wii owner or potential owner given their past.
The rest on the whole are funny stuff.
That GPS based augmented reality Pokémon mobile game would be the best thing.
@SecondServing You do realize they were attempting to insult the Nintendo brand, Wii U and its entire fanbase, right? I see nothing humorous in that.
You guys got me good with the Nintendo VR.
They got me with the Nintendo VR. It looked really good! I hate April Fools day.
I'm glad Frostbite deleted those tweets. They were in danger of jeopardising the unprecedented relationship.
Lol i fell for the Gameinformer Zelda: Other Z ................[ok i must admit!! I fell for the Vitual U too -.-]
The Frostbite post was funny. Making fun of the WiiU never gets old.
I almost always let me fool by the jokes, upsi..., but this year, I was ready (well, the Google one was my warning, XD), and, Ok, about the jokes for Nintendo, the Google-Pokemon one is very interesting and very funny (and as Some people said out there, it can be good idea for a future game), but, the EA-Frostbite one, well, is a Joke, Good Joke, but it was a joke, very, very "heavy" (I still believe that this was a little hit of revenge of EA with Nintendo, jiji, well, upsi...)
Nester has suddenly become my #1 most wanted Smash character. No foolin'.
@edhe ZING!!
I felt for Nester in Smash when a friend posted it on my facebook timeline.
The people behind frostbyte engine are dicks. I mean seriously? Show some respect for a company making millions before you were old enough to wipe your ass.
Really frostbyte grow up.
Well Peter, time to apologize, AGAIN:
https://twitter.com/petermooreEA/statuses/451113995747876864
Mario Kart 8 delayed to add Captain Toad as a character. Nintendo Direct tomorrow about the Year of Captain Toad.
As far as the Frostbite one goes all I can say is - Butt hurt. So much butt hurt everywhere.
This year at E3, Link is going to shove the Master Sword up Frostbyte ass.
Man, Nester for Smash would be legitimately awesome.
And I loved the Frostbite Tweets, just because I love seeing companies and (relatively) high profile people dig themselves into a hole with polarizing messages, and then watching them try to save face. You keep an eye on the industry long enough and you can begin to make a nice list. Reminds me of Phil Fish, particularly. Except he didn't really try to save face, I suppose.
Well looo at virtual u being that small is impossible to start with lol
@jakysnakydx Yeah, I fell for that one, when it happened.
Zelda Other Z... really? I bet it's all filled with water temples.
Those Sega Glasses look dope lol as well as the Nintendo id buy em ;p
Lol!
Apple man should be included in the final game! He looks pretty cool!
The real April Fool's joke should be that Nester is actually in Smash.
Also, you should be able to play as the apple in Mighty No. 9 as DLC.
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