Urban Legends in video games are much more common than most people believe. These fictional stories are based on rumors associated with video games. There are plenty of examples of video game urban legends that people can’t stop talking about, including Sonic.exe, Mario 64, and Polybius, to name a few. But what exactly is an urban legend, and why is everybody freaking out about these video game urban legends?

Urban legends have been around forever. We see and hear of these urban legends everywhere; they are part of our cultural zeitgeist. From fantastical tales of all-powerful deities, demonic presences, abominations of man and beast, and so forth – urban legends run the whole gamut.

They are stories, parables, extrapolations, wild imaginations, gross distortions of passed-down stories, and near-legendary status tales spawned from varied sources, notably modern-day marvels like video games.

While many of these games have made the rounds in the virtual gaming arena, they remain enigmatic rarities – largely hidden from public view. For poker enthusiasts looking to bring a bit of the magic of urban legends into their gaming sessions, Zynga Poker offers a world-class online poker experience with tools that keep the thrills alive.

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But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s follow up on three video game urban legends and how they impact audiences worldwide

Sonic.exe The Demon Hedgehog

Let’s begin with one of the most popular video game urban legends – Sonic.exe. Sonic the Hedgehog is a world-class legend. Everybody knows his name. Everybody loves him. But did you know that there is an urban legend of Sonic.exe?

This isn’t the version of Sonic that everybody is used to – it’s the demonic version of Sonic. This little critter may look like the hero, but one glimpse into his black eyes reveals a terrifying reality – he is pure digital evil. This disturbing piece of digital entertainment begins with a myth.

The myth tells the story of Thomas, a.k.a. Tom. He received a CD with a letter imploring him to destroy the piece of hardware. Of course, Tommy Boy was having none of it. He kept the CD, played the game, and unleashed Sonic.exe. As he played this morbid game, he was met with terrifying scenes of dead virtual animals on different levels, a demonic Sonic, and unimaginable horror. Believe it or not?

Mario 64

This one’s a stretch of the imagination, but it fits snugly into the urban legend video game lore. Super Mario 64 is customized. This urban legend swept the virtual gaming landscape, instilling fear in players. It’s based on the 1996 three-dimensional platform Super Mario 64. It’s predicated on rumors, gossip, conjecture, and all that good stuff.

Super Mario 64 – based on the above – conducted experimental AI to customize specific aspects of the game to individual player preferences. Rumour has it this was also done for every playthrough. For example, players spoke of difficulty with enemy placements, unexpected video game levels, and unique nonplayer characters (NPC)s.

Such dramatic changes have fuelled a veritable urban legend in the Super Mario realm. Indeed, Mario creator Miyamoto attested to the game constantly changing with players playing. But many critics have dismissed his words as translation-related inconsistencies – he was a native Japanese speaker. Believe it or not?

Polybius

Here’s an urban legend based on the fictitious arcade game from 1981. The game showcases an urban legend that speaks of a government-funded psychological experiment based in Portland, Oregon. According to the legend, the experiment utilized addictive, psychoactive elements that impacted players profoundly.

The Polybius arcade machines were apparently strategically placed at arcade halls and other venues and frequented by men in black suits. Then, all of a sudden, all the machines disappeared. When it was initially released over four decades ago, it was met with phenomenal public interest.

Barely a month later, the game disappeared from the face of the earth – never to be seen again. Believe it or not?