Z or R
Twice
Type “z or r twice” into Google and the same barrel-roll Easter egg fires. Here’s exactly where that phrase comes from, what those buttons actually did on the N64 controller, and why Google made it a second trigger for the same trick.
What Happens When You Search “Z or R Twice”
Go to google.com, type z or r twice (no quotes), and press Enter. The entire search results page rotates 360 degrees, exactly the same CSS3 animation that fires when you search “do a barrel roll.” Google Search, tested 2024
These are two triggers for one Easter egg — not two separate tricks. Google launched both on November 3, 2011, and both have worked continuously ever since. The animation is four seconds long, spins once, and returns the page to normal. Your search results are untouched.
Two phrases, one Easter egg
Both search phrases trigger the identical 360° CSS rotation. “Z or r twice” is the alternate trigger — it is the in-game button instruction that Peppy Hare delivers in Star Fox 64 right alongside the phrase “do a barrel roll.”
The N64 Z and R Buttons — What They Actually Were
A persistent misconception online is that the N64’s Z button was an “analog trigger.” It was not. Both the Z button and the R button on the Nintendo 64 controller were digital buttons — simple on/off inputs with no pressure sensitivity.
| Button | Location on controller | Input type | Function in Star Fox 64 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z | Underside, rear — pressed with middle finger | Digital (on/off) | Barrel roll (aileron roll) to the left |
| R | Top-right shoulder button | Digital (on/off) | Barrel roll (aileron roll) to the right |
The N64 did have one analog input — the joystick — but neither Z nor R shared that property. This matters because the Peppy Hare instruction “press Z or R twice” is asking the player to tap a simple digital button twice in quick succession, not to squeeze a pressure-sensitive trigger. Nintendo 64 controller hardware spec
Pressing Z twice (quickly) performed an aileron roll to the left; pressing R twice performed one to the right. The move gave the Arwing spacecraft a brief invincibility window, allowing it to deflect incoming enemy shots. That’s what made Peppy’s advice both memorable and genuinely useful in-game.
How Peppy Hare’s Line Became a Google Trigger
Star Fox 64 was released in North America on September 30, 1997 for the Nintendo 64. It was a 3D rail shooter that cast the player as Fox McCloud, piloting an Arwing fighter through a series of planetary missions. Peppy Hare, the eldest member of Fox’s wingman team, provided tutorial-style combat advice mid-mission. Nintendo, Star Fox 64 NA release
His most repeated line was: “Do a barrel roll! (Press Z or R twice!)” The parenthetical was literally the in-game button instruction delivered as spoken dialogue — unusual for the era, and memorable enough to outlast the game by decades.
By 2011, “do a barrel roll” had already circulated as an internet meme for years. When a Google engineer built the Search Easter egg, they included both the meme phrase and Peppy’s original in-game button prompt as triggers, letting players of the game recognize the full quote immediately.
The exact Peppy Hare quote
“Do a barrel roll! (Press Z or R twice!)”
The parenthetical — the part Google turned into a second search trigger — was the in-game control prompt. It told the player which buttons to press. Google treating it as a standalone searchable phrase is the Easter egg within the Easter egg.
It’s Actually an Aileron Roll
Both phrases — “do a barrel roll” and “z or r twice” — trigger the same Google animation. And both reference the same maneuver in Star Fox 64. But that maneuver is, technically speaking, an aileron roll, not a barrel roll.
A barrel roll traces a wide corkscrew path through the air while maintaining forward momentum in a curved arc. What the Arwing does — and what the Google results page does — is a flat 360° rotation around the craft’s own axis, with no change in flight path. That’s an aileron roll. The naming is wrong, has always been wrong, and has never mattered to the millions of people who searched it anyway.
FAQ
What does “z or r twice” do on Google?
It triggers the same Easter egg as searching “do a barrel roll” — the entire Google search results page rotates 360 degrees using a CSS3 animation, then returns to normal after about four seconds. It has worked since November 3, 2011.
Where does the phrase “z or r twice” come from?
From Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64, 1997). The character Peppy Hare delivers the line “Do a barrel roll! (Press Z or R twice!)” during gameplay. The parenthetical is the in-game button instruction. Google included it as a second trigger for the Easter egg alongside “do a barrel roll.”
Were Z and R analog or digital buttons on the N64 controller?
Both were digital buttons — simple on/off inputs with no pressure sensitivity. The Z button sat on the underside of the controller, pressed with the middle finger; the R button sat on the top right shoulder. Neither was an analog trigger. The N64’s only analog input was its joystick.
Is “z or r twice” the same Easter egg as “do a barrel roll”?
Yes, completely. They are two separate search queries that fire the identical 360° CSS rotation animation. Google launched both triggers simultaneously in November 2011. There is no difference in the effect produced.
Do other phrases trigger the barrel roll Easter egg?
Only “do a barrel roll” and “z or r twice” are confirmed triggers. Other guesses — “do a loop,” “do the twist,” and similar phrases — do not produce the animation. If a phrase isn’t on a verified list, assume it doesn’t work.