Top 10 Video Game Myths

top 10, gaming, myths, Nintendo, Mew, truck, Nude Raider, New Mexico Landfill, Bigfoot, Sasquatch, L is Real 2041, Ermac, Sheng Long, Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto, Goldeneye 007, Final Fantasy VII,

Top 10 Video Game Myths


Sometimes the rumors become more interesting than the games themselves. Welcome to Watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 myths in Video Games.

For this list were focusing on interesting myths about games, or their consoles that fueled much speculation, and we’re not discriminating between myths that were false, unconfirmed or turned out to be true. We’re excluding stereotypes about video games. And for horror related or as the internet calls it “creepy pasta” related stories, Check out our video for Top 10 Video Game Urban Legends.

#10: All Bond Cheat

“Goldeneye 007” (1997)


Lets start off with a myth that was the stroke of blind luck. In April 1998 Electronic Gaming Monthly wrote that Goldeneye had a cheat where you could play as Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton’s Bond characters in Mulitplayer … As an April Fools Joke. However in a twist of fate this story turned out to be true, as their faces were in the game’s code but were removed due to licensing issues.

#9: Weapons of PS2 Destruction


In late 2000 it was reported that 4000 Playstation 2 consoles were being shipped to Iraq, causing speculation that Saddam Hussein was … Depending on who you listen to: Rigging the PS2s together into a supercomputer, or using them in guided missiles. Neither of these statements turned out to be true as it would be far too impractical and costly to build either of these systems with console components.

#8: Sheng Long

“Street Fighter II” (1991)


The legend of hidden final battle in the popular fighting game emerged when Ryu says on his win screen “You must Defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance.” ‘Sheng Long’ however, was a mistranslation for Ryu’s “Shōryūken” move. But that didn’t stop EGM in the April Fools article from claiming you could fight him by unrealistic measures. Years later, the character Gouken in Street Fighter 4 is believed to be inspired by the mythical Sheng Long.

#7: Revive Aeris

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)


One of the most shocking scenes in the Final Fantasy series came in the 7th installment, when the game’s antagonist Sepiroth murders your party member Aeris. But some fans couldn’t accept that she was really dead, and rumors started to circulate that there was a way to resurrect her. Sadly for fans, though it is possible to use a cheat device to keep her in your party, officially, she stays dead.

#6: Ermac

“Mortal Kombat” (1992)


Another rumor fueled by EGM, but this time through reader letters. Players who saw Mortal Kombat’s audit menu noticed an entry under “Reptile Battles” for something called “Ermac’s, With a screenshot that showed a glitched red version of Scorpion. This was yet another misunderstanding, as Ermac actually stood for Error Macro. But that didn’t stop the creators from having fun with the myth. (Show Jade and Smoke saying “Ermac Who” ) Before making the character real in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

#5: Play as Luigi

“Super Mario 64” (1996)


With the popularity of Super Mario 64, screenshots began to emerge that seemed to show Luigi hidden in the game. In the castle courtyard there is a statue with the rather blurry plaque that reads “L is real 2401” with that number said to be the total number of coins in the game. But in reality the number of coins was 2672, and collecting them all, doesn’t bring in the Little Brother as many were led to believe. However Luigi is playable in the DS remake of the game.

#4: Mew’s Truck

“Pokemon Red & Blue” (1998)


Pokemon generated a lot of rumors in its early days, from Collecting the Armored Mewtwo as seen in the anime, to that unreachable grass patch on Route 1. But the most infamous one came from catching the legendary Mew. In the SS Anne’s dock lies a truck. Idea was that Mew was underneath it, and obtainable by using the Strength HM to push it. But no matter how much players pushed, the truck wouldn’t budge.

#3: Nude Raider

“Tomb Raider” (1996)


This is perhaps the most controversial myth on this list, which no doubt emerged from horny teenagers hoping to see Lara in her birthday suit. Footage emerged of Lara in the buff with claims of a nude code in the game, footage that was later debunked as an unofficial mod. Though that didn’t stop developer Core Design releasing a code for the 2nd game to purportedly make Lara strip naked … but instead the result was … (Show Lara exploding)

#2: Bigfoot

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)


Like Pokemon, San Andreas also attracted a lot of myths, from Ghost cars to UFO’s. But the most infamous myth came with screenshots of a Bigfoot or Sasquatch monster in the game. However, there is no such monster that appears in the game’s code, though fan made mods for the PC version do exist. Rockstar has had fun with this myth, by including a Sasquatch mission in Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare, and as an unlockable final mission in GTA V.


#1: E.T. Phone New Mexico

“E.T. The Extra Terrestrial” video game (1982)


When E.T for the Atari 2600 came out, the game was so bad that it was instrumental in the industry crash as a whole. The legend goes that with so many unsold copies sitting on store shelves, Atari recalled them all, crushed and then buried them in a New Mexico landfill. This myth remains unconfirmed, thanks to conflicting details from various former Atari employees, yet the story remains one of the industry’s biggest legacies.

Do you agree with our list? Which myths lead you going on a wild goose chase? For more legendary Top 10’s published everyday be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.

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