Old school flashback! Google couldn't wait for April Fools' Day to prank the web with its 8-bit version of Google Maps, temporarily replacing its standard version. Shortly after the "upgraded" Google Maps went live, Reddit users posted world landmarks and historic sites that could be viewed on the map: the Parthenon, Area 51, Mount Everest (with a Yeti or hiker, say commenters), and many more "Easter eggs."
"PLEASE don't let this be a joke. 8-bit Street View is the greatest achievement in the history of all mankind," said one Reddit user. Someone else on Reddit added, "Google... I want this for android navigation! You already did the work. Just release it."
On Friday, Google posted this YouTube video:
Accessing the 8-bit map is easy. Use Google Maps as you normally would to search for cities or landmarks, then click on the "Quest" picture icon in the right area of the screen to view the map as large colored pixels.
Another April Fools' tease: When you load the map, you may see this joking response: "Your system may not meet the requirements for 8-bit computations."
Last year, Google pranked the interwebs by introducing a faux new feature called Gmail Motion that would let users type emails by using gestures. The Institute of Creative Technologies later brought the concept to life.