The 6 Best Video Game Pranks of This Year's April Fools

A Dancing Zombie Hitler… Because Why Not?

Rebellion Developments, the makers of Zombie Army Trilogy, announced what they claim to be as “the next EVIL-ution of dance games!” Their new game Zombie Army THRILLogy is a Nazi Zombie-themed spinoff dance game. In this game, you will dance your way through the front lines and to ultimate victory with none other than Zombie Hitler. Did you see those “Thriller” dance moves??? The Allied forces, and that pitiful and weak display they call “dancing”, doesn’t stand a chance!

I’d like to think the dance playlist would feature such as songs like Johnathan Coulton’s “re: Your Brains”, Klaypex & Kings High’s “Brains”, and The Nearly Deads’ “Never Look Back.” Be sure to look out for this game coming to an arcade and (un)living rooms soon – and by soon, I mean never!

For more information on Zombie Army Trilogy, check out Ishmael’s review, and Yami & Ishmael’s Let’s Play video!

 Every Dog Has His Day, right Capcom?

Well played, Capcom! Your April’s Fool’s prank featuring the fake trailer for Dog Ace Attorney achieved the dialectic effect of amusing and dismaying a loyal fan at the same time. You played with the heartstrings of every gamer who ever had a soft spot for our canine friends, mashed it up with the incredible Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney franchise, and then leave us hanging with the stark, bitter truth that this game will never be? You can’t just tease a titular doggy protagonist dressed like Sherlock Holmes and NOT follow through. It’s a travesty, an injustice!

While the original Youtube video was taken down, the wonderful folks at Polygon managed to find an alternative link to the video, as well as use Google Translate to unlock priceless phrases such as “genre: dog court battle” or “number of play dog: one animal.”

In the end, Capcom, this effort was inspired and I give you two paws up! If you decide to change your minds and make this game a reality, may I suggest that Kiba the Cosplay Corgi to do motion caption and mascot duties for you?

Underwater Gaming at its Finest

Embedded and integrative technology is the pinnacle of the future that blurs the line between reality and virtual reality & with mankind and machine! Sony senses the winds of change and has bravely taken a bold step forward in innovation. With the release of this trailer, Sony showcases the PlayStation Flow. This new technology will push the boundaries of underwater gaming by allowing you to experience the game while in an actual swimming pool!

If you pre-order by the end of the week, you’ll receive all this plus a limited edition PS4 scuba diving suit, beach towel, and diving helmet. 

With slick looking and elegantly designed peripherals (including protective & streaming goggles, waterproof motion-sensing arm and leg pads, underwater earplugs/headphones, and a quick dryer as shown above), the PlayStation Flow puts Sony as indisputable king of these watery digital frontiers. If this was actually real, I would spend all of my time playing Final Fantasy X’s blitzball mini-game. What would you play?

The World of Warcraft meets the World of Dating Thanks To Tinder

 Should I swipe right or left? Decisions, decisions. 

You know – sometimes being a legendary hero of the Alliance is just so taxing on time. Every day you’re questing, raiding dungeons, felling foul beasts and monsters, grinding for loot, managing guilds, and so on and so forth. There is no rest for the weary, or for the life of a hero so it seems. Do you know what is appallingly absent in all this? No time for love or romance!

Well, no more! This April Fool’s Day Blizzard takes on the role of Cupid with the release of Patch 6.1.4. which introduces a brand new Garrison feature called the T.I.N.D.R. Box that is “designed to help your Followers locate the perfect complement to their Abilities and Traits.”  The rewards are great, but as we all know, love is a battlefield so this feature and its related quests will test your companions like never before with a challenging series of sub-quests and conditions before finally hitching your follower into a successful date and relationship.

Steam-Powered Video Game Console

Every year, the geek memorabilia powerhouse that is ThinkGeek releases a selection of incredibly awesome but fake items for sale on April Fool’s Day. This year’s selection was on point featuring amazing items such as a Guardians of the Galaxy themed Rocket & Groot energy shot & beer combo, or a carpet cat condo in the likeness of Voltron.

However, what takes the cake this year is Thinkgeek’s playful joke and homage to Valve’s Steam Machine (or Steam Box) – a Steam Machine console that is actually powered by “an integrated steam engine.” Beautifully constructed and furnished, and sporting steampunk vibes with reckless abandon, this system (fake as it is) is a beautiful piece of art with its brass moldings, varnished wood, and one impressive looking controller. If there’s any solace to be taken away with this, ThinkGeek is known to actually release some of their April Fool’s products into actual retail based on a voting system. We live in a democratic society, ladies and gentleman! For the sake of steampunk gaming, vote like your life depended on it!

 Great Scott! Marty McFly Stole and Brought This Mouse Back From the Future!

A little over a year ago, skateboard legend Tony Hawk showed a new world of promise and wonder as he tested out a prototype hoverboard being developed for commercial use and release. The Internet rejoiced! Our dreams to commute the streets with hoverboards, ever since we watched Back to the Future II, were being realized! However, this later turned out to be a prank. Our hopes and dreams were dashed and trampled upon (although since then, Mr. Hawk did indeed test out a real working hoverboard prototype). Surely, no company would be so cruel to once again prey on our emotional connection to Doc Brown and Marty McFly’s wild adventures through time and space, right?

Clearly, Razer is a company that prides itself on excellence, service, and the utmost value of trustworthiness towards it customer base. As always, they do not fail to deliver. In this video, it has revealed the world’s first hovermouse gaming peripheral under the flagship title of Project McFly. Players will no long experience bothersome latency issues due to friction and will experience a whole new level of gameplay experience by adding in movement on the x, y, AND z-axes. Furthermore, Razer boasts the cutting edge in patented motion, feedback, electromagnetic & flotation technologies to make all of this possible.

Razer has not provided a release date for this magical product… nor will it ever. Tut tut, Razer – we saw through your farce at the very beginning. Besides, Tony Hawk already beat you to the punch.

Which of these April Fool’s products would you like to see as real? Were there any others from past April Fool’s Days that come to mind? Feel free to comment below!