Type the phrase into Google's search box and the screen will perform a 360-degree spin.
The same effect can be achieved by entering “Z or R twice” into the search bar.
It is the latest such gimmick to appear on Google, following a similar amusement in which users could adjust the angle of the screen by entering the word “tilt” as a search term.
The search engine has also developed a reputation for such eccentricities through its “Google doodles”, which regularly spruce up its home page.
The barrel roll game does not seem to function on all browsers but appears to work best using Firefox and Chrome.
The xo-called Easter egg is a nod to Star Fox 64, the 1997 Nintendo game, in which a space pilot rabbit called Peppy tells character Fox McCloud to “do a barrel roll”.
The feat could be accomplished by pressing the “Z” or “R” buttons twice on the console’s handset.
“Today’s fun query, ‘do a barrel roll’, was created by a Google software engineer with the primary goal of entertaining users — while showcasing the power of CSS3, a presentation feature of modern browsers,” a Google spokesperson said.
“The ‘do a barrel roll’ query, which causes the search page to spin, will remain in place for a while.”
The feat could be accomplished by pressing the “Z” or “R” buttons twice on the console’s handset.
“Today’s fun query, ‘do a barrel roll’, was created by a Google software engineer with the primary goal of entertaining users — while showcasing the power of CSS3, a presentation feature of modern browsers,” a Google spokesperson said.
“The ‘do a barrel roll’ query, which causes the search page to spin, will remain in place for a while.”
