Do a Barrel Roll: Google Channels Apple and Nintendo

Google after you search for "Do a barrel roll." Screen shot by ABC News.

Got a moment to kill? Try this:

Go to Google’s homepage. Type in the words “Do a barrel roll.” Click Enter.

(Brief pause while you try it. Then please come back.)

Did the Earth move for you? The image in your browser should — well, it should have done a barrel roll. Is it a takeoff on Apple’s iPhones and iPadswith their built-in accelerometers — those little gizmos that tell a device when it’s been moved, turned on its side, propped up with one end on top? One blogger suggested Google is invoking Nintendo’s “Star Fox.”

No such notions, says Google, which sent us this explanation:

“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. The “do a barrel roll” query, which causes the search page to spin, will remain in place for a while.”

(By the way, you may not see the effect in older browsers. Newer ones support HTML5, the newest version of the code that makes online content work.)

Twitter has been lighting up as people discover “Do a Barrel Roll.”

A few sample comments:

“Google is being nerdy again and I love it.”

“It will bring you joy for approximately 5 seconds.”

“You won’t be disappointed. Or maybe you will if you are a grump.”