YouTube easter egg lets you play Snake while clips load (video)

No, not Metal Gear Solid's Snake. We're talking about the Snake that was popular before the smartphone was a twinkle in the industry's eye. Google has imbued YouTube videos with an engaging new easter egg that lets you play the apple-chasing game while your video stream buffers -- simply mash your keyboard's up and down arrow keys during most any clip to increase YouTube's time-wasting potential tenfold. What's that you say -- your internet connection is so ludicrously fast that videos play instantly? Ah, my lucky friend, let us introduce you to YouTube's 4K mode. Or, for a special treat, hijack the footage we've provided after the break to get your meta-giggles going.

[Thanks, Alan]

[Openwave Posted Jul 25th 2010 1:52AM]

@slipdisc say hello to clearwire. Its a wonder they're the first out the gate with 4g.

[Kelso Posted Jul 25th 2010 1:46AM]

wow how pathetic it's actually good to have 1mb/s so I can have time to press pause and the up left arrow keys

[HikaKao Posted Jul 25th 2010 2:05AM]

Anyone else having a hard time understanding the guy in the video?

[CrymeLord Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:09AM]

@HikaKao

I thought it was in another language. Then suddenly I'd hear some English words. Then it would fade back into that weird language. Then I'd hear some English words again. It scared me a little.

[monkeycrackers Posted Jul 25th 2010 2:06AM]

I've had it with these motherf***ing snakes in my motherf***ing youtube!

[DefPoet Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:02AM]

@monkeycrackers
Snakes on a plane

[Wiggy Fuzz Posted Jul 25th 2010 2:39AM]

i almost want slower internet speeds now so i can play loading circle snake :P

[bigbank Posted Jul 25th 2010 3:09AM]

pause the video, and then hold the left arrow key and it should start playing within a second or so. Btw, it only works with videos that use the new style player

[shift123 Posted Jul 25th 2010 3:24AM]

works with left and right arrow keys too!

[jlx31 Posted Jul 25th 2010 6:24AM]

Direct link to working youtube video where you can play a live game of snake!
http://bit.ly/bGm98L

[MoonWalkerCTE Posted Jul 25th 2010 10:13AM]

This has been around for a while Engadget and you can play whenever you want on the video, it does not have to be loading.. And also the video has to be in the "Game" section..

[pintolulz Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:56PM]

@MoonWalkerCTE No it doesn't. I played it while loading this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZEPQvHU5os&feature=PlayList&p=766B1066EAFC9EE5&index=2&playnext=1

[FlyinggPenguin Posted Jul 25th 2010 12:12PM]

@MicrosoftOwns I smell a troll..

[JustThatNerdyGuy Posted Jul 25th 2010 1:25PM]

Ah Nokia, remember those times, those where good times, shame about now...

[ksinf Posted Jul 25th 2010 6:00PM]

Here's a video with a non-distracting solid black background that the easter egg can be played on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RzTXFF0OYE

Oh and it's also got the greatest music ever.

[Yankee Posted Jul 25th 2010 11:18PM]

LOL, that is so Google. Awesome :]

[ojuniour Posted Jul 26th 2010 1:20AM]

this only work on the new youtube player. BTW it also works on the nexus one too.
Sicne the track ball is mapped to the ARROW keys on the keyboard and clicking the trackball is mapped to the ENTER key. It also works for games that utilizes the arrow key for movement.

I hope one day thy can release a version that can also map for tilting and custom mapping to the trackball also.

[R94N Posted Jul 26th 2010 2:05AM]

Excellent! So whilst my 1080p videos are loading, I can play SNAAAAAAAAAKE!

[Casey2010 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:24AM]

Awesome! Now I have something to do while my videos take forever to load on dial-up.

[Mr Morgan Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:48AM]

i tried my damndest to play snake while a video loads but the 100mb/s cablevision connection will not let me. Even the 4k video started playing instantly. is there another way to get to it. i want to play snake.

[GumbyX Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:42AM]

No that it will be noticed, but there is an easier to follow video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Nrqamezok&feature=related

I find the vid posted in the article is too shaky-cam for my taste (screen jumps to follow mouse pointer).