Top 10 Video Game Hoaxes of All-Time

Written by Game Rant's Riley Little and Kyle Matthews.

The need to witness or unlock secret content in games has always been somewhat of a primal instinct. Be them easter eggs, secret achievements/trophies, or even golden weapons - there's an obsessive compulsive need to have every facet of a game at your disposal. It's even better when you can then show off accomplishments to friends. More often than not however, gamers learn about the existence of these things from another source, whether it be through friends, members of the esteemed press, or through hearsay on the internet. The only downside to learning of unlockable or secret content in a game is that the source in which the information derives from can be shady. As a result, some tips turn out to be duds, but that hasn't stopped the popularity of each hoax from reaching unparalleled levels of believability - Just look at the infamous cow level of Diablo. Odds are that everyone has been duped by at least one rumored video game secret at some point in their lives, and Game Rant has compiled a list of the top ten most devilish video game-focused trickery of all time. We can almost guarantee that you've been had by at least one of these myths – we certainly have. Akuma Playable in Resident Evil 2

The Resident Evil franchise is one of the largest in gaming today, but even its audience is susceptible to a good prank. Back in 1998, Electronic Gaming Monthly allegedly printed an issue claiming that Street Fighter's Akuma could be unlocked as a playable character in Resident Evil 2. As fans soon found out, this report was yet another one of the magazine's infamous April Fool's tomfoolery. Gamers were told that they'd be able to unlock Akuma if they managed to complete Resident Evil 2 six times through (on both scenarios), and get 'A' ratings on all the missions using only a handgun and a knife. They would then have to simply start a seventh game, and type 'Akuma' into the computer screen. One of Street Fighter's finest was said to then burst out of a cryo tank, and could then be used as a playable character from there on out. The fictional character addition, Akuma, didn't need guns and instead could shoot fireballs at the evil zombie hordes. He was apparently able to open any door sans key. The issue of EGM that created this rumor is currently unknown, but that hasn't stopped people from falling for this bad joke. Laura Croft Nude

Amid the technological advancements in gaming in the mid-90s, Tomb Raider swept players into an action adventure thrill ride that challenged conventions by putting a woman in the lead role - awesome! Unfortunately, adolescent man-children would come to abuse the ass-kicking femme fatale, and thus begins the tale of the "nude code." The famed Lara Croft "nude code" has been kicking around since 1996. Message board users would create elaborate stories of hidden levels and developer cheat codes, sending gullible players into a flurry of wasted hours and unsatisfied nether regions. Just when the fire would die down, another theory would pop up and players would be back to trying to unravel Tomb Raider's secrets - as well as Lara Croft's. This is one of the first cases of influencing gamers and their perception of cheat codes and hidden content in video games, and it became a gaming phenomenon. Minecraft Ghosts

Minecraft has endured one of the fastest-growing gaming communities ever, with countless public servers and game modifications keeping players busy for years to come - or at least several months. With such an expansive community however, chances are good that a few people are going to want their own 15 minutes of fame. The legend of Herobrine started back in 2010 when Minecraft was still in Alpha, and a user named 'CreepyPasta' posted a disturbing screenshot and accompanying story on the Minecraft forums. The post claimed that a character would appear during gameplay, which resembled the default player model but with white eyes. One thing led to another, and it was suggested that this character was actually a ghost of Minecraft creator Notch's deceased brother, Herobrine. This has since been proven false by Mojang, though Notch claims he may add the character in a future update. Bigfoot in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas

There was certainly a lot to love about Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and the copious amounts of hidden easter eggs that were part of it. One of the most widely believed pieces of hidden content actually isn't real though. The urban legend that spread like wildfire was that the mythological Bigfoot could be found within the game, and even images surfaced online of the beast roaming the in-game forests. The rumor went like this: If players wandered through Mt. Chilliad or Back O Beyond at night, they'd have a small chance of running into Bigfoot. GTA players perambulated their way around the woods in hopes of crossing paths with the legendary beast, but after countless failed attempts the easter egg was written off as an elaborate hoax. Even Rockstar co-founder, Terry Donovan, debunked the prank in an interview with EGM (issue number 187), claiming that "There is no Bigfoot, just like in real life." Even though the Sasquatch doesn't exist, the gaming community did create a mod for GTA: San Andreas so that gamers could finally meet the monster. Final Fantasy 7 Aeris Death

In 1997, Squaresoft's foray into 3D graphics with Final Fantasy VII pushed the boundaries of computer hardware and storytelling. Its use of full motion video also helped cement its place in video gaming history, as for many players it was the first time a video game had made them feel something deeply emotional. To this day, very few cutscenes have affected players the way Aeris' death did. According to many internet rumors circulating in the late '90s, it was possible to keep her alive, through a series of convoluted and mundane actions in the game -- anything from finding hidden items to doing quests for characters that don't exist. Unfortunately, all of them are bogus, but that hasn't stopped some internet personas from making their claim to fame by suggesting they have the answer. The fact is, Aeris needs to die in order for the rest of FF7's story to make sense, and any claim that she's able to be saved is simply false. Sonic and Tails in Super Smash Bros Melee

Sonic and Tails in Super Smash Bros Melee

Back when the GameCube was still a young system, the follow-up to the N64 hit, Super Smash Bros. had fans frothing at the mouths. The sequel gave players more characters, stages, and unlockables for their favorite fighting game franchise, but one thing many long-time fans are aware of is an infamous rumor that accompanied the title. The prank foretold of a method in which both Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails could be unlocked. This rumor originated from an issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, where the magazine posted the piece as an April Fool's joke. The only problem with the joke was that it fooled many readers, and people went on believing it for several months after the initial publication was released. The myth claimed that if a player was able to defeat 20 enemies in 'Cruel Melee' mode the duo would be unlocked, but those who completed the task never received their prize. The prank did get a group of people demanding that the SEGA's mascot get in on the fray, and the character was eventually added to the Super Smash Bros. Brawl roster as a result. Mew Under Truck

Legitimately obtaining the legendary Pokemon Mew was one of the hardest tasks of the original Pokemon Red and Blue. The only way to add the creature to a Pokedex, without the use of a GameShark or glitch, was to attend an event where Nintendo gave the Pokemon away. Still, that didn't stop a rumor from going around and tricking innocent gamers into believing they could nab to Pokemon in-game fair and square. As the rumor goes, Mew was hiding underneath a truck next to the S.S. Anne in Vermillion City. To confront and capture the coveted number 151, gamers needed Pokemon with the moves Surf, Cut, and Strength. The claim was that if the player Surfed over to the vehicle, Cut the tires on it, and then proceeded to move it out of the way using Strength, then the legendary Mew would emerge and challenge them to a battle. The only problem with this alleged strategy was that slashing the tires and pushing the car were both impossible – instantly debunking the myth. Gamers eagerly trying to catch 'em all, were caught off guard by this hoax. Unlock Luigi in Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64, Mario's first true foray into 3D gaming, proved to be a terrific one, and many consider the Nintendo 64 classic to be the best game in the series to-date. With all the hidden stars, secret coins, and even a cameo from Yoshi, many were baffled at the lack of the Italian plumber's brother, Luigi. You can't have the Super Mario Bros. without both brothers, and a few hooligans decided that if Nintendo wasn't going to put Luigi in Super Mario 64 then they would. The hoax was based around a plaque on a star statue in one of the castle's courtyards. The plaque has a cryptic message engraved on it, stating "L is real 2041." This is where the rumor began, and it was said that the often overlooked sibling could be obtained by gathering every single coin in Super Mario 64 – of which there was allegedly 2041. After gathering this massive heap of coins that exceeded the value on the plaque, players were instructed to return to the statue where Luigi was said to then emerge as a playable character. Gathering every single gold coin in 64 and returning to the statue doesn't do anything, but some gamers to this day are convinced Luigi rests somewhere within the game's code. Triforce in Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is arguably one of the best video games of all time. As such, many websites sprouted up even before its 1998 release, often documenting secrets, bugs and hacks within the game. The ultimate irony however, is that for a game centered around the mythical Triforce -- an object that possesses tremendous power in the Zelda universe -- it was virtually unobtainable in this game. But that didn't stop players from trying to find it -- for several years. In what has to be the biggest wild goose chase in video game history, the search for the Triforce in Ocarina of Time was a long and arduous one, full of clever hoaxes and doctored screenshots. Those unfortunate enough to fall for some of the more outlandish claims spent hours trying to throw bombs into the center of the lava pit below Ganon's Castle and attempting to beat Ganon with zero deaths without the Biggoron's Sword. While every claim would be justified by the phrase, "I know a tester/coder at Nintendo," every claim was proven false, and we had to accept that the Triforce is simply unacquirable in Ocarina of Time, but not for lack of trying! Polybius Myth

Possibly one of the oldest video game hoaxes to exist, the tale of Polybius is a long and convoluted one. Back in 1981, when '1984' was still a relevent topic, rumors and shady images of a government-developed arcade game had surfaced from Portland, Oregon. Players of this game had sworn that it caused headaches, amnesia, even the ability to never feel sadness again. It wasn't long before everyone wanted a piece of the action, and people often fought over it. In rare cases it caused nightmares and even suicide, but did it ever really exist? Wannabe internet trolls, take a seat -- this is how you make 'creepypasta.' The whole story about the alleged game has never fully come out. Over time the legend of Polybius has resurfaced, like a bad chain mail letter being adapted for email and Facebook status spam. There are people who still claim to have ROMs of this title, government mind control intact, but refuse to show it to anyone. Sadly, a lack of physical evidence of any kind has banished this once relevent title into the realm of myth and urban legend, and it remains as a powerful part of gaming history. To this day, there exist many websites that have documented the history of the hoax and offer their own opinions, like Polybius Theory. Top 10 Video Game Pranks

Each and every one of these hoaxes deserves a spot on this list, because of the impact they've had on the industry and community as a whole. A few of the previously mentioned pranks have forced a few of us into surrendering time that we can't get back, but at the very least we learned a valuable lesson afterwards. Rumors do make the industry a lot more fun, but remember what your parent/guardian told you, "You can't always believe what's on the Internet." There are hundreds of infamous video game hoaxes that have duped countless innocents throughout the years, and there are more than likely a number of them that didn't make the list. Be sure to let us know what you thought of our choices, and some other pranks or video game myths that have fooled you. Follow Riley Little and Kyle Matthews on Twitter @TheRileyLittle and @SuperKyol, respectively.