- "Shorty Got Low (Self-Esteem and Self-Respect)"
Perpetrator: Clock Up (NSFW)
These screenshots are too outrageous to be real and too explicit to post uncensored. Titled Disgrace Academy Principal/Slave Club ~Mind Reading Training Transcript~, this Duel Love-inspired game allows players to molest girls in compromising positions with their DS's styli or microphones.
Scandalous? Very much so. But is it as bad as In the Afternoon Sunshine? Not even close.
- Changing of the guard
Perpetrator: Court Records
Originally established as a fan site for all things Ace Attorney, Court Records revealed that it would be following Capcom's lead, dumping Phoenix Wright for his succesor, Apollo Justice. Sprites and other media of the defendant were pulled, leaving little trace of the series' original star.
Before you find the site's administrators in contempt of court, however, we suggest you wait until tomorrow, when things will likely return to normal.
- Gotta Catch Oh-pall!
Perpetrator: The Tanooki
The third point in the Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Opal triangle, this game's announcement -- compete with a convincing press release! -- promises revolutionary features like 3D battles, voice commands, and a "new Battle Nation area."
Voice commands? So we can talk to our Pokemon now? We've always wanted to tell our Psyducks that they don't have to be so neurotic about everything; we love them no matter what, the sweet, ridiculous creatures.
- Web Site Invaders
Perpetrator: Yahoo! Japan
Ahhh! Just when you thought it was safe to search the internet, Space Invaders comes along and takes over your browser. Unlike the other flimflams we're featuring, this one actually has some lasting value to it, as you can play the classic shooter with your mouse or keyboard!
Pew! Pew!
- Experience vs Change vs Chain-Chomps
Perpetrator: N-Sider
N-Sider updated its front page to highlight its coverage of the 2008 Mushroom Kingdom presidential election.
To give readers a better idea of the candidates' positions on "the issues," N-Sider has put up cheat sheets for the political stances of Senator Goomba Bom-Omba (T), Princess Peach Toadstool-Mario (T), and Senator Bowser McKoopa (K).
Who do you plan to vote for? We're not sure yet whether we're ready for a Princess to take office, but we're also hesitant to let ourselves get caught up in all the Bom-Omba hype.
- April Fools' Day delayed
Perpetrator: Inside Games
The tamest of the bunch, Inside Games reported that April Fools' Day's release has been pushed back, thereby making all these jokes we're featuring and even this article irrelevant. Well, it's too late for us to quit now!
The new shipping date hasn't yet been announced due to unresolved problems in the production line, but customers can expect to wait exactly one year for April Fools' Day to hit stores.
- "So I herd u liek Mudkips??"
Perpetrator: deviantArt
deviantArt users woke up this April Fools Day to find their avatars replaced with an animated GIF of Water-type Pokemon Mudkip. While hilarious, it's a shame they didn't use Meowth instead. Meowth is the business.
The community site's anti-Mudkip subscribers revolted against the forced user icon by posting poorly angled photographs of themselves and disturbing artwork of coquettish animals with human genitals.
- Only for N64 (and NDS)
Perpetrator: Vooks
Parodying Nintendo's re-releases and the goofy "Konami's Best" packaging, Australian site Vooks kicked off April Fools' with a new line of ports for the Nintendo DS -- the Nintendo 64 Collection.
The "announced" titles include Excitebike 64, Mario Tennis, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, 1080 Snowboarding, and Mario Party 3.
Considering the Super Mario 64 DS remake, it's not that much of a farfetched prediction, but we doubt any of these classics will actually include "splitscreen game features" as the boxarts suggest.
- "I'm about kickin' ass, I'm about bringin' you a huge bag of popcorn."
Perpetrator: DS Fanboy
In an elaborate hoax, Joystiq sister site DS Fanboy posted a slanderous, digitally-altered photo of the venerable Reggie Fils-Aime. In the disparaging image, Nintendo of America's president was shown presenting a bag of freshly popped popcorn to the site's readers. Much to the chagrin of those fooled by the image, the popcorn was a lie. Attempts to contact DS Fanboy for comment have so far gone unanswered.
Note: We found this joke terribly immature and have removed the site from our bookmarks.
- Not US-Bound
Perpetrator: Starmen.net
After "months of scheduling, paperwork, and bribes," the Mother-crazed fans at Starmen.net secured an interview with Reggie Fils-Aime to talk about Nintendo of America's refusal to give the series its proper due in North America. Don't miss this video!
Reggie's answers to these tough questions are startling! Almost as startling as the size of the popcorn bag we featured him with earlier.
