If you’ve ever typed “do a barrel roll” into Google and watched the page spin, you’ve seen a little piece of internet magic. It’s a simple, one-time trick. But what if you want to go beyond that? What if you want to do a barrel roll 20 times?
Whether you’re curious, bored, or just love spinning things for fun, this guide will walk you through how to make your browser do 20 spins in a row—without breaking your computer or your brain. We’ll break it down step-by-step and even throw in some funny stories and extra tips to make it more fun.
What Exactly Is a Barrel Roll?
Let’s get the basics out of the way first.
A barrel roll is a full 360-degree spin—like a loop but with a twist. It originally comes from airplane stunts, where the plane rolls around its forward path, kind of like doing a corkscrew in the air.
Gamers will remember it from Star Fox 64 on the Nintendo 64. Press the “Z” or “R” button twice, and your ship would spin to dodge enemy fire. That one line—“Do a barrel roll!”—became a meme, and then Google decided to jump on it too.
If you go to Google and type do a barrel roll, the whole page spins. That’s it. One spin. Just for fun.
But let’s face it—one spin is never enough.
Why Would Anyone Want to Do a Barrel Roll 20 Times?
You might be thinking, “Okay, spinning once is cute… but twenty times? Why?”
Here are a few honest reasons:
- To challenge yourself: Can you watch the screen spin 20 times without getting dizzy?
- To prank a friend: Set it up on their computer and watch them try to figure out what’s going on.
- To entertain kids: This one is a hit with younger cousins and siblings.
- To learn a little coding: Making this happen is a fun, beginner-friendly way to dip your toes into JavaScript.
- To impress someone: Hey, not everyone knows how to make a webpage spin like a ride at a carnival.
True Story:
A few years ago, I was working from home and needed a quick break. My nephew (he was 9 at the time) was sitting beside me, bored. I showed him the Google barrel roll. He thought it was the greatest thing ever. Then he said, “Can you make it spin more?” We ended up finding a script online, tweaked it, and sat there laughing as the screen flipped over and over. My stomach? Not so thrilled. But my nephew still talks about it every time he visits.
The Basic Trick: One Roll at a Time
Let’s start simple.
If you just want to see it once, here’s what to do:
- Go to Google.
- Type do a barrel roll in the search bar.
- Press Enter.
Boom. The page spins. That’s the classic trick.
But now imagine doing that 20 times. Typing it out over and over, refreshing the page, hitting Enter again. Fun becomes work really fast. That’s where a smarter method comes in.
How to Do a Barrel Roll 20 Times Automatically
Here’s where the real fun starts. You can actually make any webpage spin over and over using a small bit of code. This isn’t hacking or anything shady—it’s just a little JavaScript that tells your browser to rotate the page.
What You’ll Need:
- A desktop or laptop (don’t try this on your phone—it’ll just annoy you).
- A browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
- About 2 minutes of your time.
Step-by-Step Guide: Make Any Page Spin 20 Times
We’ll use a bookmarklet. That’s just a bookmark that runs a tiny bit of code instead of opening a webpage.
Step 1: Open Your Browser
Open Chrome, Firefox, or any browser that supports bookmarks.
Step 2: Show the Bookmarks Bar
If you don’t see your bookmarks bar, press:
- Ctrl + Shift + B (on Windows) or
- Cmd + Shift + B (on Mac)
This makes it easier to access the bookmark later.
Step 3: Create the Bookmarklet
- Right-click the bookmarks bar and choose “Add Page” or “Add Bookmark.”
- Name it something fun like Barrel Roll x20.
- In the URL or location field, paste the following code:
javascript:(function(){
let count = 0;
function roll(){
if(count < 20){
document.body.style.transition = “transform 0.6s”;
document.body.style.transform = “rotate(” + (360 * (count + 1)) + “deg)”;
count++;
setTimeout(roll, 700);
}
}
roll();
})();
- Save it.
Step 4: Use It!
Now, go to any website—Google, YouTube, your favorite blog—and click your new Barrel Roll x20 bookmark.
Watch as the screen starts spinning. Over. And over. And over again.
(You might want to sit back a bit.)
Things to Keep in Mind
Before you go wild with spinning pages, here are a few friendly reminders:
- Don’t do it on important work pages. Spinning your project management dashboard 20 times probably won’t help productivity.\n
- Some websites won’t spin properly. Sites that use fancy design frameworks may not rotate cleanly.\n
- You can refresh the page to stop it. If it gets stuck or you feel queasy, just hit reload.
Bonus: Make It Spin Even More
Want to get a little extra wild? You can change the number in the script to do a barrel roll 50 times or even 100.
Just find this part of the code:
if(count < 20){
And change 20 to any number you want.
Warning: You may end up needing a nap afterward.
Other Fun Google Tricks You Might Like
If you liked do a barrel roll 20 times, you might also enjoy these other Easter eggs:
- Askew – Type askew into Google and watch the screen tilt slightly.\n
- Google Gravity – Search for “Google Gravity” and click the first link (not a regular Google page). The elements fall apart like they lost gravity.\n
- Zerg Rush – Search “Zerg Rush” and fight off a bunch of attacking O’s with your mouse clicks.\n
- Thanos – Search “Thanos” and click the Infinity Gauntlet icon. Half the results will disappear.
These little web tricks are reminders that the internet doesn’t always have to be serious. Sometimes it’s just about having fun.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to do a barrel roll 20 times isn’t going to change your life. But it’s a fun, harmless way to mess around with your browser and maybe learn a little about how scripts work. Plus, it’s a great way to kill a few minutes, make your friends laugh, or entertain your kids.
