10 Video Game Hoaxes That Completely Fooled Everyone
7. Mario 64 - Luigi Is Real
I remember when Mario 64 came out, how amazing it was, how much of a gaming innovation. I literally played it until I made myself ill. Im not sure what it was, undernourishment, lack of sleep or just really bad motion sickness maybe (3D was still pretty new back then remember). Suffice to say, the time I sunk into it put me on my back. With that in mind, I feel so sorry for anyone who fell victim to this next hoax. Basically, when Mario 64 was released, given the fact that it had numerous secrets and easter eggs hidden within it (including a Yoshi cameo, would you believe), many fans were disappointed that Luigi wasnt included. Probably why the Luigi is Real hoax was lent such credence in its time. The whole thing centred on a star statue in the Princesss castle with is supposedly engraved with the phrase L is real 2041 (although it's not exactly fully legible, even in-game). It was posed that this was a message; that Luigi was in fact in the game and he could be unlocked. How? Well, it was said that Luigi could be obtained by collecting every coin in the game, which the theory argued was 2041, hence explaining the mysterious graffiti. Unfortunately, completing this task does sweet FA, although many remain unwaveringly convinced that he does exists in the game, trapped beneath a mound of code, just waiting for Mario to rescue him.
I remember when Mario 64 came out, how amazing it was, how much of a gaming innovation. I literally played it until I made myself ill. Im not sure what it was, undernourishment, lack of sleep or just really bad motion sickness maybe (3D was still pretty new back then remember). Suffice to say, the time I sunk into it put me on my back. With that in mind, I feel so sorry for anyone who fell victim to this next hoax. Basically, when Mario 64 was released, given the fact that it had numerous secrets and easter eggs hidden within it (including a Yoshi cameo, would you believe), many fans were disappointed that Luigi wasnt included. Probably why the Luigi is Real hoax was lent such credence in its time. The whole thing centred on a star statue in the Princesss castle with is supposedly engraved with the phrase L is real 2041 (although it's not exactly fully legible, even in-game). 
It was posed that this was a message; that Luigi was in fact in the game and he could be unlocked. How? Well, it was said that Luigi could be obtained by collecting every coin in the game, which the theory argued was 2041, hence explaining the mysterious graffiti. Unfortunately, completing this task does sweet FA, although many remain unwaveringly convinced that he does exists in the game, trapped beneath a mound of code, just waiting for Mario to rescue him.