Shocked Pikachu
Image: The Pokémon Company

April Fools' Day on Easter Monday? Is this a crossover episode?

A crossover this is not, though that hasn't stopped many from crossing over into the realm of world-class comedy for a giggle on 1st April.

As ever, those on the gaming side of the internet have been quick to get involved too (and yes, that might include us at Nintendo Life). The day is still young, though we thought it was only right to start bringing some of the greatest gaming gags together for you to check out.

We will be adding to the following list as more prospective comedians continue to pop up, but for now, here are the best joystick jokers that we've spotted so far...

2024's Best April Fools' Gaming Gags

April 2024 Nintendo Direct Round-Up

Did you catch all of the game announcements from the Nintendo Direct that absolutely definitely happened today? Don't worry if you missed out, our video team has got you covered with the following round-up.

SEGA Lands New "Sonic Ambassador"

Remember Sonic Man from the 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog? The game may have never made its way onto Nintendo consoles, but its Sonic superfan has been officially announced as SEGA's newest Sonic Ambassador. There is even a full interview with the man himself, for those interested.

'1-2-Switch: Flashmob Frenzy' Is Coming To Switch

Oof. Just when you thought that Nintendo's 2024 lineup was looking a little sparse, rumours of 1-2-Switch: Flashmob Frenzy come along to whip us into a... uhh... frenzy? Who did this?

Yacht Club Games Launches Skincare Brand

'D by Yacht' is an upcoming skincare brand from the creators of Shovel Knight. The secret ingredient: dirt. You can even book skincare consultations with a rather familiar-looking "esteemed Dirtmatologist".

Dave The Diver Gets A Dating Sim VR Spin-Off

MINTROCKET, the developer behind Dave The Diver has announced a spin-off project, 'DokiDoki Leahs VR,' a dating sim starring Duff's dream beau. It's "coming soon" to "Virtual Quest" and "PlayVacation VR" consoles.

Pokémon Sleep World Championships

There's a competitive scene for all kinds of Pokémon players these days, including Pokémon Sleep pros, it seems...

PowerWash Simulator's New 'Dirt' Mode

"Become a menace" and "cause property damage" in PowerWash Simulator's new 'Dirt' mode where your objective is to turn squeaky-clean objects into mucky messes. Okay, we really wish his one was real.

SEGA Dreamcast Mini Announced

Does this one play with our emotions a little too much? Maybe. But hey retro gaming podcast @RetroBlastUS tweeted the 'official reveal' of the SEGA Dreamcast Mini. That hurts.

Elon Musk Buys Rockstar Games

Horrors like this belong on Halloween, not 1st April. Touché, @videotechuk_, this one is evil.

Guilty Gear Perfume

The official Guilty Gear Twitter account went all-out this year with the reveal of a massive Guilty Gear comic series. While we will have to wait another 150 years to see the finished product (according to the announcement tweet) the team did reveal a "sample" of what's in store, including an ad for the "Smell of the Game" perfume.

Introducing The 'Virtual Boy Pro'

We have to hand it to IGN, this one is a belter. Check out the following trailer for the "newest member of the Nintendo Switch family".

There's a small selection of some of our favourite gaming gags so far this year — but we'll be keeping an eye out for more over the course of today!

What's your favourite so far? Let us know in the comments.