We look back at some of the most bizarre and cringeworthy gaming rumors
The gaming rumor I believed was that there was a way to unlock the Infinite Chainsaw in Resident Evil 7 by completing Madhouse mode under 6 hours. Then I would be able to use the chainsaw infinitely, because Resident Evil 7, why not?
I was not the only one who believed this, and it seems that there is always a belief that some secret, or unlockable, or cheat code exists in every game, be it big or small. Sometimes these rumors are based in fact, other times it’s a baseless rumour that spread like wildfire among your classmates.
The memories of these ridiculous myths and Easter eggs flooded in as I read through the thread, from the creepy myths and Easter eggs in San Andreas, like the ghost cars and the rusted wheelchair on a pier, to the more comical, like Luigi in Super Mario 64. Each one brought with it a sense of nostalgia, as we reminisce about the hours spent trying to unlock things that did not exist, or searching for things that were never there.
Here are some of the most ridiculous gaming rumors I believed when I was younger, and others that you may have believed as well.
Resident Evil 7 – Infinite chainsaw
There were rumors that you could unlock the Infinite Chainsaw in Resident Evil 7 by completing Madhouse mode under 6 hours. Apparently, you would then be able to use the chainsaw infinitely, because Resident Evil 7, why not?
I remember hearing about this and thinking, “that makes sense,” because the only thing Resident Evil 7 needs more of is chainsaws.
GTA San Andreas – Bigfoot
Bigfoot is real, and he’s in GTA San Andreas. This was a rumor I believed for a while in my early teens, alongside the idea that you could unlock Luigi in Super Mario 64 by jumping into the water at the castle.
I spent hours in the woods looking for Bigfoot, and even got my entire class to play the game so we could all look for him together. I can’t imagine how embarrassed I would be if I tried this one now, but back then it seemed like a good idea.
San Andreas – creepy myths and Easter eggs
Some users shared their favorite creepy myths and Easter eggs in San Andreas, like the ghost cars and the rusted wheelchair on a pier.
Others recalled the fear of encountering the chainsaw killer at the panopticon in San Andreas.
Resident Evil 4 – Leech Zombie
There was a rumor that if you killed the Leech Zombie in Resident Evil 4 too early, the game would glitch, and you would be unable to defeat Bitorez and unlock the true ending. I remember believing this one and playing through the game very slowly.
Resident Evil – nude code
The infamous nude code for Lara Croft in the original Tomb Raider game on PS1 was mentioned, along with various versions of the rumored code, which involved tapping buttons on the bed in the mansion or jumping into the pool.
I remember trying it and getting half of Lara to disappear, which I was pretty happy with.
Super Mario 64 – Luigi, Yoshi, and Mew
Some users remembered the cheat code that was supposed to strip Lara but ended up making her explode instead, and others shared their experiences of finding Yoshi on top of the castle in Super Mario 64, but were disappointed that he wasn’t playable.
However, others pointed out that Yoshi was playable in the DS version of the game, which I did not realize until now.
Super Mario 64 – DS vs N64
There was a discussion about whether the DS version of Super Mario 64 or the N64 version was better, in which many users defended the N64 version, as it had a larger world and more secrets to discover. It was also mentioned that Yoshi was originally supposed to be playable in the N64 version but was cut due to storage limitations.
Super Mario 64 – button combinations
There was a joke about the correct button combination to catch Mewtwo, with the user humorously calling someone “a filthy casual” for not knowing the proper combination.
Pokémon – button combinations
I remember having my own technique of waiting for the third wiggle before holding the button down to catch Pokémon.
There was also a discussion about the rumor of catching Pikablu by beating the Elite Four 500 times in a row, which one user claimed was false, but I remember hearing about it too.
Pokémon – ghost in Lavender Town
There was an interesting discussion about the ghost in Lavender Town, which is supposedly caused by the high number of sudden deaths that occurred at that location while playing the game. Some users claimed it was true, while others said they had never experienced anything strange while playing the game.
Halo – Master Chief’s face
Most of the Halo games offered little to no insight into the mysterious Master Chief, and one user shared their disappointment at not seeing Master Chief’s face in the ending cutscene of Halo: CE, despite a rumor suggesting it could be unlocked.
Halo – Sgt Johnson
On the same thread, a user humorously recalled the iconic line from the cutscene, “Swiggity swooty” as Sgt Johnson hugs it out with an elite.
Starcraft – Ghost
Many mentioned their experience of believing the rumor that Starcraft: Ghost was coming out, only to be disappointed when it was canceled.
The legend of Bigfoot
The legend of Bigfoot was one of the more prominent rumors shared, and one user even went to great lengths to stage a chainsaw killer photo in the game.
Resident Evil – chainsaw
Another user shared their experience of hearing about a way to unlock the infinite chainsaw in Resident Evil 4, which they also tried, along with a rumor that you could unlock the Chainsaw in Resident Evil 7 by completing Madhouse mode under 6 hours.
This user also mentioned the rumor of unlocking Luigi in Super Mario 64, known as “L is real.”
