I remember "playing" Progress Quest, a text based idle game, and there was that rumour that if you got past level whatever, the game would become graphical, with the most impressive graphics one would have ever seen.
No it doesn't.
... Unless I have not waited long enough?
Nimbus Terrafaux in MK1. Its funny how these fools jokes work. At school others were saying Nimbus was awesome etc. But how? He was a magazine mock up and that trick never worked lol. Fake news existed before internet.
Sheng Long is pretty funny because its obvious that Capcom based Gouki on this joke as he enters the ring against Bison in the exact same way. And that flaming dragon punch eventually went to Ken. But this trick was way too hard to even try anyway.
Akuma in RE2 was one I thought could be real, since RE2 also had Hunk and Tofu. But way too hard to even attempt. I never bothered with it.
Complex and nuanced morality system in games affecting the progress and outcome of the story.
Particularly in Bioshock, which it was the first time I saw it overhyped, and was completely disappointed by the really rough implementation.
But in game stuff... I used to believe Rayman could go transparent in the original game because I saw it on a magazine once and some kid said he knew how to do it.
Also there's the whole naked Lara stuff from PS1 Tomb Raider.
Guys we have woman's here playing live. They are actually playing it reeeaaallyyyy, it's a real game! 100% believable day 1! Please give trashman your 3DO SAT and PS1, weawal feweedee gwaficks!