OK, stop what you’re doing, open Google Chrome, go to Google Search, and enter: “Do a Barrel Roll.” Yes, the search results page does…a barrel roll! You’ll see something like this:
The gag is the latest in a long line of loony Google Easter eggs, which PCWorld has diligently tracked for years. (Check out our April 2011, January 2011, and March 2008 compilations of Google’s best pranks and put-ons.)
It’s unclear how long the Barrel Roll trick has been up and running. Mashable reports the Easter egg is a tip of the hat to Star Fox 64, a scrolling shooter video game that debuted on the Nintendo 64 game console in 1997.
Here’s another way to see the barrel roll: Type “Z or R twice” in Google Search. In the Nintendo game, Star Fox team member Peppy Hare instructs protagonist pilot Fox McCloud to “do a barrel roll,” which the player achieves by pressing “Z” or “R” twice. The catchphrase has garnered Internet meme status.
“Do a Barrel Roll” is trending on Twitter, naturally.
“I want to do a barrel roll on every page on the Internet,” wrote Twitter user Michael Litman.
And Twitter user “The Tanooki” tweeted: “Channel your inner Peppy: Tell Google to ‘Do a barrel roll!'”
Warning: Beware of motion sickness.
Contact Jeff Bertolucci at Today@PCWorld, Twitter (@jbertolucci) or jbertolucci.blogspot.com.