Video Game Cameos & References (A)

Fonte: http://www.flyingomelette.com/cameos/cameosa.html

A Boy and His Blob (NES)

Programmers: Some of the programmer's names are written on the wall of the subway, including Dave (creator David Crane), Jess (graphics designer Jesse Kapili), and Rick ("tech wizard" Rick Booth). Status: TRUE: These screenshots of the subway's wall and the list of programers prove it. Note the '89 on the wall, too, the year the game was made: (Subway Screenshot) (Credits Screenshot)

Movie (Indiana Jones): The title music sounds similar to the Indiana Jones theme and the title itself is written in the same font that the titles for all three Indiana Jones movies were written in. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: As seen in this (Screenshot), the title does use the Indiana Jones-style font. The first few notes of the title theme, as heard in this (Midi) are the same as the Indiana Jones theme.

ActRaiser (SNES)

Music (20th Century FOX): The first part of the ending credits theme is nearly identical to the "20th Century FOX" fanfare. Status: TRUE: Here is a (Midi) of the ActRaiser ending theme, and a (Midi) of the "20th Century FOX" fanfare. The first part of the ActRaiser midi is nearly identical to the FOX midi.

Real Place (Angkor Wat): The temple that appears in Marahna is based on Angkor Wat. This is also one of the many locales used in Illusion of Gaia. (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Here is a (screenshot) of the ActRaiser temple, and a (screenshot) of the Angkor Wat temple as it appears in Illusion of Gaia's opening sequence. Please note that this does not count as a cameo for Illusion of Gaia because that game takes place in the real world.

Movie (Star Wars): The music for the Great Tree in Northwall sounds like the Attack Run music in Star Wars. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Some of the music in ActRaiser is very reminiscent of music from Star Wars, especially some parts in the ending theme (refer to the midi above). It's similar enough that I don't think it's coincidence.

ActRaiser 2 (SNES)

Cross-Series/Programmers: In many of Enix's games, the "Phoenix" is the ultimate power, which is not only a cameo in itself because it appears in so many different games, but also a reference to Enix, the games' creator, since the last four letters of "Phoenix" are "Enix". In ActRaiser 2, one of your strongest magic attacks is a diving Phoenix move. Status: TRUE: Here is a (screenshot) of the diving Phoenix in action. The fact that "Phoenix" and "Enix" are so similar cannot be coincidence.

Movie (Aliens): The ants in Demon's Cave have elongated heads like the Alien in the Alien movies. And the boss of this area looks remarkably like the Alien Queen. It's even attached to a huge egg sac and eventually tears free of it. Status: TRUE: Too strong a resemblance to be coincidence. Here are some screenshots for proof: (Alien Ant) (Queen Ant)

Adventure (Atari 2600)

Programmers: There is a secret room hidden in the game with the name of the programmer, Warren Robinett, written vertically down the screen. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ai Cho Aniki (PCE)

Character Cameo: Benten (from the original Cho Aniki game) makes a cameo appearance in the intro. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Art (Rembrandt): One of the bosses is a muscled version of Venus from Rembrandt's "Birth of Venus". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from (Masaya's Ai Cho Aniki Site) proves it.

Art (The Birth of Adam): Adam from the first Cho Aniki game turns up as a boss. He is based on Michelangelo's "The Birth of Adam" painting. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Ai Cho Aniki 2: Seinaru Protein Densetsu (PS2)

Character Cameo: Samson (from the previous three Cho Aniki games) is one of the Protein's bodyguards. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Mythology (Biblical/Greek): The characters Samson and Adonis are named after two historical bodybuilders. Samson was a strongman in the Bible, Adonis was the perfect man in Greek legend. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Literature (Alice in Wonderland): Level 3 is a parody of Alice in Wonderland. The name is what gives it away (Alex in Wonderland) and the imagery in the game confirms it: caterpillars smoking pipes while reclining on mushrooms, psychotic cats and playing card enemies. Also, the final boss dresses exactly like Alice from the Disney film. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Art (The Birth of Adam): Adam from the first two Cho Aniki games turns up as a boss. Adam from the first Cho Aniki game turns up as a boss. He is based on Michelangelo's "The Birth of Adam" painting. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Air Fortress (NES)

Programmers: The hero's name is "Hal Bailman". He is obviously named after the company that made the game, HAL Laboratory. (Credit: ACC Kain) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. FO's Note: I have to wonder if this is also meant to be a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey. "Bailman" is very similar to "Bowman", and of course, there's HAL...

Ai Senshi Nicol (FC)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): Occasionally, Konami Man flies by onscreen as a bonus item. (Credit: Arnold, & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Reliable Source, (OPCFG)

Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean (Saturn)

# Movie (Various): Thanks to Working Designs' English translation, there are a lot of movie, TV, and commercial references in this game. Some quotes from movies: "I'm 'a gonna git you, sucka!" # "May the force be with --- oops! Wrong adventure!" from Star Wars. (Screenshot) # Eka makes a reference to Bruce Lee when talking to the King of Gadel. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Commercials (Various): Some quotes from commercials: # "It's strong enough for a man, but made for a woman." (Ladies' Secret) # "Finger-lickin' good!" (Kentucky Fried Chicken) # "It'll turn your frown upside down." (Kiddie City) # "I've got a headache THIS big!" (Excedrin) # "Somebody at the circus may have just won ten million dollars!" (Publisher's Clearinghouse) (Credit: Kairobi King & Flying Omelette)

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

TV Shows (Gilligan's Island): When you talk to the sea captain he says, "Sit right back and you'll hear a tale...a tale of a fateful trip", which is from Gilligan's Island. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Wind Beneath My Wings): There's a woman in Gadel who tries to sing "Wind Beneath My Wings", but she gets the lyrics all wrong. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Pic 1) (Pic 2) (Pic 3) (Pic 4)

Movie (Ghostbusters): When the Captain tells you about the Ghost Ship and asks if you still want to set sail on his boat, you're given a "yes" or "no" choice, and the "yes" choice is "I ain't afraid of no ghost!", which is from Ghostbusters. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

TV Shows (The Muppets): When Krishna turns Eka into a pig, Kia calls her "Miss Piggy". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Aliens): In Mycent, this one guy talks about seeing "Dark Jim" in the graveyard and he says, "If you see Dark Jim, it's GAME OVER, man! GAME OVER!!" That's from Aliens. (Screenshot) Status: TRUE: Although normally saying "Game Over" in a video game is not an Aliens reference, it is in this case because the line is delivered exactly the way the character Hudson delivered it in the movie.

Music (I Will Always Love You): In one town there's a woman who sings the Dolly Parton song "I Will Always Love You", which was made even more famous in the movie, The Bodyguard. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Bizarre Coincidence? (Aliens): There are Sentry Guns in some caves, which were quite possibly inspired by the movie Aliens. Although these ones shoot arrows instead of bullets, they look very similar to the ones in the movie. (Screenshot)

Status: Unproven: It's possible that it's just coincidence, though they do look very similar. Note that these sentry guns are only for background effect and do not actually work. Also note that the unknown man who was killed by them looks nearly identical to the main character, Pike. Creepy.

Famous Person (Dionne Warwick): There is a reference to "Psychic Friend" Dionne Warwick. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2)

Products (NyQuil): Lulu's medicine AyeQuil that she gives to Leos to cure her fever is a spoof of NyQuil. It's even mentioned that it's a green liquid. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (A Few Good Men): At one point in the game, you're given a choice of telling the truth or not and the "not" choice says, "She can't handle the truth!", which is a spoof of the famous line from A Few Good Men. (Normally, when a line like this has become so commonplace, I wouldn't bother accepting it, but Albert Odyssey has so many other intentional cameos and references, it may as well be included.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (War): When the Birdmen and Beastmen are thinking of going to war, one of them says, "War! What is it good for?", which is from "War" by Edwin Starr, a very famous anti-war song. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Alex Kidd in High-Tech World (SMS)

Cross-Series (Fantasy Zone): The stereo in Paul's room plays music from Fantasy Zone. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Space Harrier): There is a question about Space Harrier in the quiz. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: If you clean the sign, it says, "Sega is No. 1!" Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Out Run): The whole point of the game is that Alex Kidd is trying to get to the arcade to play Sega arcade games, and the ending shows him playing Out Run. (Credit: Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (www.vgmuseum.com) proves it.

Anime (Anmitsu Hime): This game was based on a Japanese game called Anmitsu Hime, which in turn was based on an anime of the same name. Sega changed the main character (a princess) into Alex Kidd for the American release, but mostly all the other characters that appear in the game are from the Anmitsu Hime anime. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. The official site for (Anmitsu Hime) proves it. Here's a neat (Picture) from that site that shows all the main characters. If you've played Alex Kidd in HighTech World (or just looked at some of the screenshots here and in my review), you'll probably recognize most of them.

Alien Soldier (Mega Drive)

Cross-Series (Gunstar Heroes): One of the pieces of music in the game is taken from Gunstar Heroes, even though the two have nothing to do with each other. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Alleyway (GB)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Mario rides the paddle that you control in this game. He jumps in at the start of the game and also appears on the boxart. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Stages 16-18 are all copies of the same Mario head puzzle. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): After every three stages you play in a bonus stage, and all of these are based on Mario characters and enemies: Mario (3), Koopa Troopa (6), Blooper (9), Piranha Plant (12), Bullet Bill (15), Goomba (18), Cheep Cheep (21), and Bowser (24). (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): When you win the final puzzle, you get a retro "Mario Bros." cartoon head on the congratulations screen. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Alundra (PS1)

Famous Person (Jay Leno): There's a character in the beginning of the game named "Jaylen" who bears a striking resemblance to Jay Leno. (Screenshot) Status: TRUE: It could just be coincidence, but I doubt it, considering the similarity of the names.

Commercials (Century 21): Early in the game you can find a rundown house with a sign outside that reads "Call Centurius XXI". This is a take on "Century 21", a real estate agent. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Alundra 2 (PS1)

Real Place (Spain): Much of the game world seems to be based loosely on Spain. Toroledo is most certainly named after Toledo. They also have a bullfighting arena in Toroledo, although it's not the same thing as real-life bullfighting. The map even looks vaguely like Europe, complete with Italy's "boot", although the areas in the boot are still "Spanish" (like Paco village is located there.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Aliens): When you fight the boss of the whale, the enemies it spits out are Alien chestbursters. They are based more on the chestburster in Aliens because they have those little spindly arms to help drag themselves along. If that wasn't strange enough, when you beat the boss, it falls through the shaft in the floor, and you're given an overhead view of it falling into space (which makes no sense since you're inside a whale, not in outer space.) This is clearly a rip-off of the Alien Queen getting thrown out the airlock. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Aliens): In addition to the above reference, the second form of the final boss has an "Alien" mouth. There's also a part in the story where Alexia is trying to divert the attention of a huge skinny bug-like monster away from other people. This scene is very reminiscent of how Ripley diverted the attention of the Alien Queen away from Newt. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Raiders of the Lost Ark): There are two Raiders of the Lost Ark references: A part where Flint is running away from a giant boulder, and a part where light shines through a temple and through an object to highlight the location of something on a wall. Status: TRUE Verified by FO.

Movie (Star Wars): The Star Key is a Death Star reference. When Mephisto is talking to Flint about how it's moving into position, the screen in the background looks like the one in Star Wars showing the location of the Death Star as it moves into position to blast the rebel base. Also, the mini-boss you fight right after Zeppo at the start of the game looks like a Stormtrooper. (Credit: Crawl and 1000 & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ancient Domains of Mystery (PC)

Literature (Frankenstein/The Lord of the Rings): The description of the flesh golem makes it clear that it is Frankenstein's monster. The Dark Hurthling (in earlier releases they were known as Hobbits) says "My preciouss" when you talk to it. The orcs mention looking for a hurthling and you can find the Phial of Galadrial (named after Caladrial). (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Animal Crossing (GCN/N64)

Cross-Series (Various): There are playable NES games which you can find. They include Balloon Fight, Baseball, Clu Clu Land, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong 3, Donkey Kong Jr & Math, Excitebike, Golf, Ice Climber, Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros., Pinball, Punch-Out!!, Soccer, Super Mario Bros., Tennis, Wario's Woods (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Common knowledge.

Cross-Series (Star Fox): There is an Arwing from Star Fox which you can use as furniture. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database.

Console (N64/Gamecube): There is an N64 logo and a Gamecube logo which can be used as furniture. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database

Cross-Series (1080 Snowboarding): If you talk to one of the snobbish female animals about winter sports (in particular, snowboarding), they'll say they can do a 1080, but only in a video game. This is obviously a reference to the Nintendo 64 game, 1080 Snowboarding. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): If you talk to one of the athletic male animals late at night, they might say, "galloping Goombas!" (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros. 2): One of the animals you can get, Wart Jr., is a reference to Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2, even though they bear no physical resemblance. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified on numerous Animal Crossing sites.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Two pieces of furniture in the game are the Mario and Luigi trophies, which resemble their namesakes. There are also shirts with Toad's spots, Mario's M logo, and Luigi's L logo. Finally, special codes inside Nintendo Power can give you items from the Super Mario Bros. games. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database.

Literature/Cross-Series/Real Place (Various): Gulliver gives you replicas of real-life monuments and places. He even offers explanations as to why he fell overboard using references to places in other video games such as Hyrule and Toad Town. This is also a reference to Jonathan Swift's novel, Gulliver's Travels. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros./The Legend of Zelda): Kapp'n makes a mention of Mario in one of his songs, and even asks your character if they had been in a Hylian prison. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database

Cross-Series (Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask): Two outfits you can buy (and wear) are Kaffe's shirt and Anju's shirt, which both come from Kafei and Anju in the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database

Programmers: Totakeke (K.K. Slider) is based on the game's music composer, Kazumi Totaka; the man responsible for the strange "Mario Paint tune" that pops up all over the place. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database

Cross-Series (Mario Paint): Request K.K. Slider play "K.K. Song" (he never gives this song at random). It's Kazumi Totaka's signature tune (the "Mario Paint tune"). (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database

Animaniacs (SNES/Genesis)

Cross-Series (Gradius): There is a Vic Viper from the Gradius games hidden in one of the levels. The Animaniacs game was made by Konami, after all. (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Anticipation (NES)

Cross-Series (Space Invaders): One of the puzzles in this game is of a Space Invader, and it looks like the classic videogame alien ship. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Aquatic Games (Genesis)

Products (Penguin Bars): The game is sponsored by Penguin Bars (British snack food). Infact, you can play as the Penguin Bar mascot in the bonus level. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Arcana (SNES)

Cross-Series (Kirby): Kirby can be seen amongst the evil army in the intro of Arcana. Screenshot with one of the Kirbies attached for proof. (Screenshot) (Credit: Iqniz) Status: TRUE: Although no Kirby games yet existed at the time Arcana was released, HAL Laboratory must have already created him for use in future games, as there is no doubt in my mind that the character circled in that picture is Kirby.

Literature (The Lord of the Rings): It seems to me that certain aspects of Arcana were inspired by The Lord of the Rings. Galneon and his army in the beginning of Arcana is a lot like Sauron and his army in the beginning of The Lord of the Rings. In both Arcana and LotR, an elf and a dwarf join the traveling party, and there is a human betrayer in both. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Too many similarities to be coincidence.

Arkanoid: Doh it Again (SNES)

Cross-Series (Space Invaders): The blocks that define one of the stages are in the shape of a Space Invader. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Real Place (Easter Island): Doh, himself, is an Easter Island Moai head. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Art Alive (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): Sonic is a pasteable clipart object. (Credit: Michael Morrissette) Status: Unverified

Astroboy Tetsu Wan Atom: Atom Heart no Himitsu (GBA)

Cross-Series (Gunstar Heroes/Alien Soldier): There's a song from Gunstar Heroes used in a cutscene. There's also a transforming boss that is a direct reference to the "Seven Force" bosses from Alien Soldier and Gunstar Heroes. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Axelay (SNES)

Cross-Series (Life Force): The segmented dragon enemies from the Gradius and Life Force/Salamander games are on the Lava Planet level of Axelay. (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Life Force): The Lava Planet level also has those infamous solar flares from Life Force, but we just see them from an overhead, rather than sidescrolling perspective. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP2 (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): Sonic the Hedgehog can be found in Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP2 on the MegaDrive. (Credit: Richard Walledge) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from (www.portalsonic.com).

Azure Dreams (GB)

Cross-Series (Gradius): The Moai Familiar is probably a Gradius reference. It is also an Easter Island reference. (Moai Pic) Status: Unknown: Konami does put the Moai head in a lot of their games. Though whether its appearance here is truly meant to be a homage to Gradius is unclear.

Cross-Series (Castlevania): The Medusa and Succubus Familiars might possibly be references to Castlevania. (Medusa Pic) (Succubus Pic) Status: Unproven: It's also unclear if these are truly meant as homages or not.

Bad Dudes (NES/Arcade)

Famous Person (George Bush): In the NES version, the president in the end sequence looks like George Bush (Sr). Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Karnov): The first boss is Karnov. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Ronald Reagan): In the arcade version, the president in the end sequence is Ronald Reagan. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Balloon Kid (GB)

Real Place (Pennsylvania): Takes place in Pencilvania, a pun on Pennsylvania due to all the giant pencil-shaped buildings. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Bangai-O (DC)

Cross-Series (Gunstar Heroes): Level 12 is called the "Gunstar Planet", a reference to Gunstar Heroes. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie/TV Shows (Godzilla/Ultraman): Between stages, there are pictures shown of Ultraman beating up Godzilla and vice versa. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Banjo-Kazooie (N64)

Cross-Series (Conker): There is a picture of Berry the Squirrel from the Conker games in one of the ship's cabins in Rusty Bucket Bay. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong Country/Conker): Several characters from other Rare games are mentioned in the Furnace Fun quiz game, such as Funky the Monkey (Funky Kong), Cranky Kong, and Conker the Squirrel. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong Country): The beaver in Click Clock Woods is named "Gnawty", which was what the beavers in the Donkey Kong Country games were called.

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Music (Teddy Bear's Picnic): Gruntilda's Lair theme sounds a lot like "Teddy Bear's Picnic". Status: TRUE: There is no way I can believe the similarity of these songs is coincidence. Here are two midis for proof: (Banjo-Kazooie Midi) (Teddy Bears Picnic Midi)

Programmers: In Rusty Bucket Bay, "Twycross England" is written on the back of the boat, which is where Rare headquarters is located in real life. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Console (Gameboy): On the third file select in Banjo's house, Banjo is playing a Game Boy. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Banjo-Tooie (N64)

Cross-Series (Jet Force Gemini): Bottles' kids have posters of Jet Force Gemini characters in their rooms. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong Country): One of Bottles's kids has a Donkey Kong doll. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Barker Bill's Trick Shooting (NES)

Cross-Series (Duck Hunt): The dog from Duck Hunt makes an appearance in this game. You can even shoot it in the Balloon Saloon game. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Comics/TV Shows: Barker Bill himself is an old Paul Terry cartoon character who appeared in a comic strip as well as "introduced" several animation shorts in "Barker Bill's Cartoon Show". I place the date at around 1952. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Baseball (GB)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Mario and Luigi are the names of the pitchers for the Bears and Eagles. And Mario appears on the U.S. boxart as the pitcher. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Baseball Stars (NES)

Cross-Series (Ikari Warriors): Practically every player in the SNK Crushers is named after an SNK game character, two of them being Paul and Vince from Ikari Warriors. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (Multiplatform)

Famous Person (Sun Tzu): The main bad guy, Sin Tzu, is named after Sun Tzu, the Chinese man who wrote "The Art of War". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Obvious reference.

Battle Arena Toshinden 3 (PS1)

Famous Person (Michael Jackson): A character named Ten Count bears a very close resemblance to pop singer Michael Jackson, wearing the white suit from Moonwalker. His voice and moves are also too similar to be coincidence. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Battle Circuit (Arcade)

Bizarre Coincidence? (R.O.B.): Battle Circuit has enemies named R.O.B., posssibly after the Nintendo peripheral. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unproven

Battle of Olympus (NES)

Music (Bach): The music that plays when you talk to the gods is Bach's "Tocatta & Fugue". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Battletoads (NES)

Cross-Series (Wizards & Warriors): The rhino-like enemy that appears on the Dark Queen's Tower first appeared in level 1 of Rare's Wizards & Warriors game. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Wizards & Warriors Rhino) (Battletoads Rhino)

Cross-Series (Space Invaders): The enemies that steal your life energy blocks are take-offs of the original Space Invaders. It's even implied in the game's manual. (Screenshot) Status: TRUE: That it's explicitly implied in the manual is proof enough for me.

Cross-Series (The Staff of Karnath): The Karnath's Lair (the level with all the giant snakes) is named after a Commodore 64 game from Ultimate called "The Staff of Karnath". Ultimate later became Rare. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. A C64 game called "The Staff of Karnath" does indeed exist.

Battletoads/Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Solar Jetman): The spaceship that you pilot in one level is Solar Jetman's pod.

Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Solar Jetman Pic) (Battletoads/Double Dragon Pic)

Cross-Series (Asteroids): That same spaceship level is based on the old Asteroids game. Status: TRUE: Rare seems to have a thing for referencing old arcade games. See the Space Invaders reference under Battletoads.

Programmers: The subtitle of the game is most likely a reference to Ultimate, Rare's former self. (Credit: Kairobi King & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Rare was started as a subdivision of Ultimate by Chris and Tim Stamper. This seemingly generic subtitle was actually a clever homage.

Beach Spikers (GCN)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): There is a stage with a giant Sonic the Hedgehog statue. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): There are unlockable costumes and parts to allow you to play as Ulala from Space Channel 5, Honey from Fighting Vipers, Nei from Phantasy Star, and Janet from Virtua Cop, as well as uniforms with the Daytona USA logo on them. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Beatmania (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Metal Gear Solid): There are at least two Metal Gear Solid song remixes in Beatmania. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): In some of the game's music videos, you can see Konami Man playing with a yo-yo. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by (The OPCFG)

Biker Mice From Mars (SNES)

Products (Snickers): In the European version of the game, there are Snickers ads. There are so many of them that it's not even funny. You can even buy a Snickers bar in the shop. (Credit: Per Arne Sandvik) Status: TRUE: Article at (Encyclopedia-Obscura) confirms it.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure (NES)

Famous Person (Various): Check the label for Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure for NES. The label for the game is the same as the box for the movie, showing the historical figures from the movie, but wait a minute: where are they in the game? You rescue people in the game such as George Washington, Paul Revere, Confuscious, William Shakespeare, Al Capone, Jesse James, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Cleopatra, Rembrandt, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and perhaps a few others. Certainly historical people (some say there might have been a British king named Arthur, but he was nothing like the legendary King Arthur), but where were they in the movie? Nowhere. What happened to Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Ghengis Khan, Beethoven, Socrates, Billy the Kid, and Sigmund Freud? For shame, LJN, you didn't do your homework (pardon the pun) when you made this game. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (GCN)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): If you collect enough emblems, you'll be able to use the Sonic the Hedgehog egg. It is called "The Egg of the Blue Hedgehog". (Credit: Deven711 & Michael Morrissette) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Cross-Series (NiGHTS): There's also a NiGHTs egg. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Biometal (SNES)

Movie (Aliens): Biometal is full of enemies that strongly resemble the alien from the Alien movies. Status: TRUE: Resemblance too strong to be coincidence, screenshots for proof: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2)

Bionic Commando (GB)

Console (Game Boy): The flooring of one level is made out of Game Boys. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Bionic Commando (NES)

Cross-Series (Commando): Super Joe from Commando is the person you have to rescue in the game. (Credit: Shadow Villgust) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. This was done to replace the Nazi storyline when the game was ported to America. Capcom couldn't use Nazis in the game due to Nintendo's thenstrict censorship rules.

Famous Person (Adolf Hitler): In the original Famicom game, you were fighting the Nazis. That's why the final boss looks like Hitler. (Credit: Aaron Campbell) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources have confirmed this.

Bishi Bashi Special (PS1)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): One of the eight playable characters is Konami Man. (Credit: Martin Brear & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by (The OPCFG)

Blades of Steel (NES)

Cross-Series (Gradius/Contra/Jackal): Sometimes during the breaks between periods, the computer will start up a mini version of Gradius on the scoreboard, which is just the Vic Viper versus a Xaerous Big Core Fighter. After you either destroy the Xaerous or are destroyed yourself, the scoreboard then flashes the logos for Contra and Jackal, then announces "WHAT AN EXCITING GAME - FANTASTIC GRAPHICS - AWESOME MUSIC", which is followed by "ALL YOUR FRIENDS WILL WANT IT" and then the Konami logo. (Credit Dire 51 & RoyalRanger) Status: TRUE: Screenshots provided by Dire 51 prove it: (Pic 1) (Pic 2) (Pic 3) (Pic 4) (Pic 5)

Blast Corps (N64)

TV Shows (The Dukes of Hazzard): One of the cars is based on the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard TV show. When you beep the horn, it plays "Dixie". (Credit: Camira Breen) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

TV Shows (The A-Team): There is a black van that is based on the A-Team van. The horn sound is Mr. T saying "Outta my way!" (Credit: Nyk'chendhe) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Blaster Master (NES)

Bizarre Coincidence? (Friday the 13th/A Nightmare on Elm Street): I have to wonder if the guys at Sunsoft watched too many horror movies. The hero of Blaster Master is named "Jason", and his frog's name is "Fred" (Freddy). (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unproven: But it's too bizarre a coincidence to leave off.

Blaster Master: Blasting Again (PS1)

Music: A small part of the lobby area is a remix of part of the music for the grass land area in Blaster Master and a part of the catacomb music for the ground area is a remix of the castle area. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: In the first area, a statue of the next-to-last boss of the original Blaster Master can be found embedded in a wall. (The boss that's pictured on Blaster Master's box and label.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Specific Reference: The third boss is a remake of the cube boss from the original Blaster Master. Ironically, they're both the third bosses in their respective games. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Bomberman (NES)

Cross-Series (Lode Runner): In the Famicom ending of Bomberman, when he turns into a human, it says "Bomberman becomes Lode Runner. See you again in Lode Runner!" (Credit: Hobbes) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Milon's Secret Castle): In the US Bomberman for NES, when Bomberman turns human, the screen says "maybe you will recognize him in another Hudson game". You see Bomberman walk off the screen, and when he comes back on the screen, he is in human form. Bomberman's human form, as it turns out, is Milon from Milon's Secret Castle. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: Unverified

Breakdown (XBOX)

Console (XBOX): An XBOX can be seen on a table along with a few blank, green game cases and discs. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Breath of Fire (SNES)

Cross-Series (Ghosts n Goblins): Arthur's head appears in paintings on walls. Arthur is from the Ghosts 'n Goblins game series. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): There's a way to make Chun Li, from the Street Fighter games, appear in the town of Bleak by talking to one of the thieves in a house. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Bizarre Coincidence? (Mega Man 5): The Goda boss looks a lot like Stone Man from Mega Man 5. Status: Unproven: It could just be coincidence, but Capcom already got in the G'n'G and Street Fighter references, so I'd be surprised if a Mega Man reference didn't make it in, too. (See Oddities 34 for picture comparison.)

Movie (Aliens): The true form of the final boss looks very "Gigerish". Giger is the artist who developed the Aliens for the Alien movies. (Credit: Spauldingae) Status: TRUE: Resemblance too strong to be coincidence. Aliens would be used again in Breath of Fire 2. (Screenshot)

Bizarre Coincidence? (Legend of the Ghost Lion): Breath of Fire has a song that's nearly identical to a song in Legend of the Ghost Lion. I don't even know how that's possible. Either Capcom copied it, both games had the same composer, or it's a real song. (Credit: SethraShnoo) Status: Unknown: This one is very strange. I explored this uncanny musical similarity in Oddities 27.

Famous Person (George Romero): The town that's overrun by zombies is called "Romero". George Romero is the director of those famous zombie movies Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. This can't be a coincidence. The town must be named after him.

Status: TRUE: I'm also taking into account the fact that Capcom originally wanted George Romero to direct the Resident Evil movie, though someone else eventually did. Too much evidence for this to be coincidence.

Breath of Fire 2 (SNES)

Movie (Aliens): There's a part where you have to save a bunch of people in a town by going down a well. The people have these creatures, called Chiroru, attached to their faces that look exactly like the facehuggers from the Alien movies. The boss of this area, the Terrapin, has a very Alien-like head and jaws and even a giant egg-sac, like the Alien Queen. Status: TRUE: Too many similarities of these enemies to the look and behavior of the Aliens characters for this to be coincidence. Screenshots provided by CB007: (Chiroru Screenshot) (Terrapin Screenshot)

Character Cameos: Bo and Karn from Breath of Fire make a cameo on a hidden island, and Bleu is a hidden playable character. Also, the Breath of Fire 1 version of Nina appears briefly in a cutscene. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Ghosts n Goblins): The Gargoyle and Amom enemies strongly resemble Firebrand from Gargoyle's Quest, Demon's Crest, and Ghosts 'n' Goblins. (Credit: Iqniz) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (Kilgore Trout): When Bow is under suspect for being a thief, there are two characters involved: a man named Kilgore and a monster named Trout. Put those two together and you get Kilgore Trout, Kurt Vonnegut's character in many of his novels. (Credit: metroid213) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Commercials/Products (Remington/Baretta): Lemington and Baretta are 2 weapon-selling characters you can get to live in Township. They are named after the real-world arms dealers Remington and Baretta. (Credit: MJB817) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Prima Breath of Fire 2 Guide.

Literature (Flowers for Algernon): There is a boss named Algernon that you fight in a field of flowers. This could be a reference to the book "Flowers for Algernon". (Credit: MJB817)

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Algernon is too unusual a name for this to be coincidence.)

Cross-Series (Darius): There is a fish enemy called Darious. Possibly a reference to the Darius series of shooters, known for their giant robot fish enemies. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Coincidence?: It's true there is a fish enemy called "Darious", but I'm not 100% sure it's a reference to the Darius game series because they weren't made by Capcom.

Breath of Fire 3 (PS1)

Specific Reference: A mural showing the final battle in Breath of Fire is shown just before the title screen, and can be found later in the game. (Credit: Spauldingae) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): Chun Li from Street Fighter 2 can be seen in the Audience during one of the fights in the Arena. (Credit: Spauldingae) Status: Unverified

Character Cameos: Throughout the game, you can find characters that look like other characters from the other Breath of Fire games, including Rand (Fahl), Sten (outside Genmel Arena), Bow (outside Genmel Arena), Gobi (fish merchant), and Jean (in the Windian Dungeon). Also Gary, one of the miners that frees Ryu, looks like Bo from BoF. You fight Ox from BoF in the Dauna Mines. Deis, the Master, looks like Bleu from BoF. The other miner that frees Ryu is Mogu from BoF. Spar (from BoF2) doesn't appear in the game, but Peco is based on him. Hachio, the cook at the Wildcat Cafe in BoF2, is now the cook at Wyndia Castle. (Credit: Joe Cottle) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Street Fighter Alpha): In the audience during the Contest of Champions, you can see Sakura from Street Fighter Alpha there. (Credit: Joe Cottle) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: There is a mural of Katt from Breath of Fire 2 in front on the Genmel Arena. (Credit: Joe Cottle)

Status: Unverified

Movie (Little Shop of Horrors): There is a plant enemy named Audrey, which is a reference to the plant from "Little Shop of Horrors." (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Paul Bunyan): The lumberjack named Bunyan is an obvious reference to Paul Bunyan, the lumberjack of American legends. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Breath of Fire 4 (PS1)

Character Cameo: MoMo from Breath of Fire 3 makes an appearence in Wyndia as a master. She teaches whoever studies under her "Snooze", which makes them fall asleep if they're placed on the back row, thus gaining more HP/AP per turn. (Credit: Andy Thorley)

Status: Unverified

Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (SNES/Genesis)

Movie/Music (Various): The title is a spoof of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", and almost every stage level is a spoof of a movie or song title: 1. Cheese Wheels of Doom = Possibly Temple of Doom 2. Forbidden Plummet = Forbidden Planet 3. A Bridge Too Fur = A Bridge Too Far 5. Night of the Bobcat = Possibly Night of the Living Dead 7. The Good, the Bad, and the Woolies = The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly 8. A Fistfull of Yarn = A Fistful of Dollars 9. Dances With Woolies = Dances With Wolves

11. Rock Around the Croc = "Rock Around the Clock", the famous song by Bill Halley and His Comets 12. Claws for Alarm = Cause For Alarm! 13. Eye of the Bobcat = "Eye of the Tiger", the song from Rocky III 15. Lethal Woolie = Lethal Weapon 16. A Farewell to Woolies = A Farewell to Arms (Credit: Troy Demetrius) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry): When Bubsy says, "Well...it worked for Clint...", he's referring to Clint Eastwood. When he says, "Go ahead...make my day", he's imitating Dirty Harry. (Credit: Troy Demetrius) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Elvis Presley): Bubsy also says, "Hey! I thought I saw Elvis back there!" Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Bucky O'Hare (NES)

Cross-Series (Life Force): The Red Planet has those fire-arches from level 3 of Life Force. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Gradius): The Red Planet also has the rock-spewing volcanoes from Gradius. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Bug! (Saturn)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): You can race against Sonic in one of the bonus stages. (Credit: Michael Morrissette)

Status: Unverified California Games (NES)

Music (Louie Louie): The main title theme of California Games is clearly based on the song "Louie Louie". It also bears a slight resemblance to "Summer Days" from Grease. (Credit: Flying Omelette, Deven711, & Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Midi of Summer Days) and (Midi of Louie Louie) for proof.

Cannon Spike (DC)

Cross-Series (Various): Arthur from Ghosts 'n Goblins, Cammy, Charlie, and Vega from Street Fighter, B.B. Hood from DarkStalkers, and Mega Man are all in this game. However, Vega is called "Balrog" here. (Credit: Crawl and 1000 & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Resident Evil): One of the stages is a homage to Resident Evil. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Capcom vs. SNK 2 (DC/PS2)

Character Cameo: Falcon from the Power Stone games makes an appearance in the background of the Nairobi stage standing atop a car. The person standing next to him is Leona Heidern. (Credit: PenguinMan26 & Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: It's pretty hard to miss the giant E. Honda and Haohmaru mock-ups in Aomori, but look closely in the background, and you can see a giant Guile, too. (Credit: Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: In the rotating Shanghai background, you can identify Li Xiangfei from Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 and June from Star Gladiator. (Credit: Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Quite a few people in the London background, including Karman Cole from Art of Fighting 3, who is talking with Billy Kane and his sister, Lilly. You can also spot Elena and Dudley from Street Fighter 3. (Credit: Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: In the Osaka Arena, notice the screen in the background. The Capcom vs SNK 2 Tournament was sponsored by the Masters Foundation (as in Ken Masters) and the Garcia Concern (Robert Garcia.) Kinda ironic, as Robert isn't playable, but Ryo and Yuri are. (Credit: Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Yun's brother, Yang, appears for a couple of his super combos. Batsu and Hinata appear in Kyosuke's Final Symphony Remix super combo. (Credit: Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: When Yamazaki and Chun-Li fight, Hon Fu from Fatal Fury 3 appears, then Yamazaki uses the HP form of the Serpent Slash on him. (Credit: Sotenga) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: When night falls in the London stage (Round 2), you can see Rose from Street Fighter Alpha. Also in Shanghai, you can see Hsien Ko from Darkstalkers. (Credit: Deguello1) Status: Unverified

Castlevania (NES)

Cross-Series (Gradius): There's a secret Moai head item that can be found in the 2nd Quest, which is a reference to the Moai heads in Gradius.

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Various): The names in the end credits are spoofs of real actors who played monsters in old monster movies, such as Lon Cheney and Bela Lugosi. And Vram (Bram) Stoker, who wrote the original Dracula novel, is credited, too. (Credit: ErniePants) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Various): The Dracula, Mummy, and Frankenstein bosses are all based on famous movie monsters. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. This appears to be true. The weird ending credits and the film spokes on the title screen seem to prove it.

Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest (NES)

Movie (Alien/A Nightmare on Elm Street): This could be really stretching it, but I noticed that the enemy called "Freddy" bears a striking resemblance to the Alien from the first Alien movie. It's something about the dark coloring, smooth head, little square mouth, and humanoid form. It's not entirely implausible because many of the monsters in the early Castlevania games were based on movie monsters. Even if the Alien resemblance wasn't intentional, this enemy was most likely named after Freddy Krueger. Here's a (screenshot) of him (left), but you'll probably need to see him while actually playing the game to notice the resemblance. Status: Unproven

Specific Reference: One of the villagers says, "After Castlevania, I warned you not to return", which is a direct reference to the first game in the series. (Credit: James FP) TRUE: This was proven on my (Oddities Page).

Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)

Miscellaneous: Alucard is just Dracula spelled backwards. (Credit: Al Bhed) Status: TRUE: Common knowledge.

Mythology (Mesopotamian): The final form of Dracula is based on the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu. This, incidentally, was the demon that possessed Reagan in The Exorcist. Given the number of movie references in the Castlevania series, I'm slightly tempted to think this was the reason for its inclusion, though I don't know that for a fact. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Vlad Tepes): In the credits, Alucard has the name Adrian F. Tepes, which is a reference to Vlad Tepes, "The Impaler". He was referred to as a "real life vampire" because of his savage habits. (Credit: ShadOtterdan & Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Castlevania 64 (N64)

Music: "Opposing Bloodlines" from Dracula X is the music that plays on the title screen. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. It's a much slower, violin version of it.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)

Cross-Series (Kid Dracula): Galamoth from Kid Dracula is mentioned. (Credit: Jason Krietsch) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Alucard is also in the game, under an assumed name and with black hair again. (Credit: Jason Krietsch) Status: Unverified

Castlevania: Bloodlines (Genesis)

Famous Person (Elizabeth Bathory): The penultimate boss is Elizabeth Bartley, who is based on Elizabeth Bathory, an actual English noble. Supposedly she used to hire staff, kill them, drain their blood and bathe in it. (Credit: Andy Thorley)

Status: Unverified

Music: "Beginning" from Castlevania 3, "Vampire Killer" from Castlevania, and "Bloody Tears" from Castlevania 2 are hidden tunes in the game that can only be accessed by putting a code in and upgrading your weapon to Level 4. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: John Morris is supposed to be the son of Nathaniel Morris, who was killed by Dracula in Bram Stoker's original Dracula novel. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Eric LeCarde's weapon was the Alucard spear in the Japanese version, a reference to Dracula's son. I'm not entirely sure on this one, but I heard that Eric LeCarde *was* Alucard in the Japanese version. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)

Specific Reference (Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest): Castlevania 2 is at the core of the storyline. Maxim mentions how Simon Belmont had to collect the parts of Dracula, and you have to do that in this game as well. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Vlad Tepes): The Dracula parts are called Eye of Vlad, Rib of Vlad, etc. References to Vlad Tepes, "The Impaler". (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): The ape skeletons throw barrels at you, an obvious Donkey Kong reference. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2)

Music: The music in the final level is a revamped version of "Calling from Heaven" from Castlevania: Bloodlines. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Music: The credits music is an orchestral version of "Wicked Child" (Castlevania) and "Bloody Tears" (Castlevania 2). (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (N64)

Music: The music that plays when you fight Dracula's first form is "Illusionary Dance" from Dracula X. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Music: The music that plays in the Art Tower is "The Sinking Old Ship" from Castlevania: Bloodlines. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1)

Cross-Series (Gradius): If you perform a special move (like a Street Fighter 2 fireball move) while holding the Shield Rod, a shield from Gradius will appear in front of Alucard. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Literature (Hamlet): Right after leaving Dracula's chamber in the inverted castle, you can go up or go down. Go down and you'll encounter a skeleton that's comically kicking his own skull around. The skeleton's name is Yorick, quite obviously named after the Shakespeare character. (Credit: Dire 51)

Status: Unverified

Movie (The Wizard of Oz): There are enemies in the game based on the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man from "The Wizard of Oz". (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Castlevania Dungeon.

Cross-Series (Kid Dracula): Garamoth from Kid Dracula is a boss. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Castlevania Dungeon.

Character Cameo: One of the bosses is three ghosts mimicking Trevor, Grant, and Sypha from Castlevania 3. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Castlevania Dungeon.

Cross-Series (Gradius): If you use the Shield Rod together with the Fire Shield, you can summon three dragons from the Gradius series. (Credit: Iqniz) Status: Unverified

Literature (The Lord of the Rings/The Silmarillion): The Castlevania: Symphony of the Night staff obviously liked Tolkien. The Ring of Varda's description says, "The golden ring to rule over all!" This is obviously a reference to the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings. Also, Karasuman drops a ring called "Ring of Feanor". Feanor is a popular character in The Silmarillion, also written by Tolkien. Lastly, the Fire Demon drops a powerful sword called the "Marsil". This may be a reference to "Narsil", the sword that Isildor used to cut the ring from Sauron's hand at the beginning of The Lord of the Rings. (Credit: Iqniz) Status: Unverified

Champions of Norrath (PS2)

Literature (The Lord of the Rings): You fight a monster called Shelox that is most definitely a rip-off of Shelob from The Return of the King. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Cho Aniki (SNES)

Art (The Birth of Adam) Adam from Michelangelo's "The Birth of Adam" is one of the playable characters. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Verified by (Encyclopedia-Obscura).

Cross-Series (Wings of Wor): The runaway fantasy train is based on the locomotive monster from Wings of Wor. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Verified by (Masaya's Ai Cho Aniki Site).

Famous Person (Elvis Presley): Sabu is based on Elvis Presley. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Verified by (Encyclopedia-Obscura).

Programmers: Uminin is the mascot of the company who made the game. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Chocobo Racing (PS1)

Music: The White Mage's theme is the town theme from the original Final Fantasy. Mythril Mines uses the Gurugu Volcano theme, which is strange because Gurugu Volcano is also in this game. (Credit: Isaac) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: You can unlock Cloud and Squall as playable characters. You can also unlock Bahamut, King of the Espers. (Credit: Isaac) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Chrono Cross (PS1)

Character Cameo: In the scene where you visit Kid's past in Lucca's house, you can see pictures of the main characters from Chrono Trigger, as well as a broken-down Gato. (Credit: PenguinMan26) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Serge's level 5 tech is Luminaire, which shares the same name as Crono's most powerful tech from Chrono Trigger. Also, Glenn and Serge can perform the dual tech called X-Slash, just like Frog and Crono could in Chrono Trigger. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: If you use Serge's flying arrow tech with the Mastermune equipped, Masa & Mune's combined form from Chrono Trigger will appear during the attack. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Looney Tunes): Janice's Level 7 tech is called "What's Up Doc", which is a reference to Bugs Bunny's catch phrase. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: ***SPOILER WARNING*** If you beat the game with the cave girl Leah in your party, she'll tell you that she plans to name her daughter Ayla. This is a reference to the cave girl Ayla from Chrono Trigger. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: There is an archipelago south of Mount Pyre (the chain of islands in the center of the ocean, in the middle of all the other islands) called the "Bend of Time". After beating the game once, play it again on New Game+ up to the point where you get the boat. Land your boat there, and you will see portals and a save point. Enter the door, and you'll see a pig-creature tell you to walk around the room three times (similar to when you first meet Spekkio in the original Chrono Trigger). After doing so, you'll encounter and fight Ozzie, Slash, and Flea from Chrono Trigger. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Chrono Trigger (SNES/PS1)

Programmers/Cross-Series (Final Fantasy 2): When you get the programmer's ending, one of the characters will say something like, "If you think this is hard, try Final Fantasy 2!" Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Mythology (Biblical): Melchior, Belthasar and Gaspar are the names of the three wise men in the Bible. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. The game's translator has admitted to naming these characters after the three wise men in at least one interview.

Famous Person (Various): Slash, Flea and Ozzie are all named after famous rock stars. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Star Wars): Biggs, Wedge, and Piette, who are all located in Norstein Bekkler's lab, are named after Star Wars characters. (Note: Biggs is called "Vicks" on the American SNES version.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Chu Chu Rocket (DC)

Console (Dreamcast): One of the levels in puzzle mode is called "Dreamcatch" and features the Dreamcast logo in the middle of the board (the rocket is in the middle of the Dreamcast spiral). (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

City Connection (NES)

Music (Chuck Berry): The theme song is a derivation of a Chuck Berry song, either "Johnny B Good" or "Back in the USA". (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Civilization 2: Test of Time (PC)

Famous Person (Jules Verne/JRR Tolkien): Two of the tracks are called "Jules Verne" and "Tolkien" after the authors of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "The Hobbit", respectively. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Clay Fighter (SNES)

Famous Person (Elvis Presley): Blue Suede Goo is a spoof of Elvis Presley, and his name is a take on the song "Blue Suede Shoes". (Credit: ErniePants) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Clay Fighter 2: Judgment Clay (SNES)

Movie (Terminator 2: Judgment Day): The title is a spoof of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person/Real Places (Various): The level Mudville Gardens seems to be based on Madison Square Garden, even down to a caricature of Don King. Mount Mushmore is a spoof of Mount Rushmore, but the only identifiable head is Elvis Presley. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Clay Fighter 63 1/3 (N64)

Cross-Series (Boogerman/Earthworm Jim): Boogerman and Earthworm Jim are playable characters. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Columns 3 (Genesis)

Music: There is a remix of "Clothos" from the original Columns game hidden in the sound test. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)

Cross-Series (Banjo-Kazooie): In the option room/file select you can see a Banjo head from the Banjo-Kazooie series. There is also a Kazooie umbrella. (Credit: Kysy) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series/Console (Killer Instinct/Game Boy): When Conker gets bored he takes out a Game Boy and plays Killer Instinct. (Credit: Kysy) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Banjo-Kazooie): The wasps are from Banjo-Kazooie. (Credit: Kysy) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong 64): The robot bear shoots a missile that resembles the one of Donkey Kong 64. (Credit: Kysy) Status: Unverified

Movie (Aliens): The final boss is the alien from the Alien movies. Before fighting him, Conker comes out of a small room wearing a "power loader" suit and says Ripley's, "Get away from her, you bitch!!" line from Aliens. And you defeat the Alien by throwing it out of an airlock. (Credit: Kysy & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (The Matrix): The Bank Heist level parodies The Matrix. (Credit: Kysy) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (The Terminator): The haystack boss and his background music is based on the Terminator. He even has Arnold's famous line from the first movie, but it's been changed to, "Buff you, asshole!" Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (The Wizard of Oz): When you beat the Great Mighty Poo, he quotes the Wicked Witch's "I'm melting!" speech from The Wizard of Oz, but it's been changed to "I'm flushing!" Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Jaws): When you get close to the dogfish, you hear the theme music from Jaws. The final cutscene with the dogfish also parodies Jaws. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (The Untouchables): The Weasels parody a scene from The Untouchables. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (The Godfather): Don Weasel also says, "I'll make you an offer you can't refuse", which is the most famous line from The Godfather. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Dracula): When Conker talks to the Vampire, the characters, scenery, and dialogue parody both Francis Ford Coppola's version of Bram Stoker's Dracula and the original Dracula with Bela Lugosi. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie/Music (A Clockwork Orange/Purcell): The expression on Conker's face, the way he drinks the milk, the music (Henry Purcell's "Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary"), and the

camera angle used in the beginning and the end when he's sitting on the throne is a reference to A Clockwork Orange. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (The Exorcist): The robot bear boss with the hand puppet parodies The Exorcist. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi): When the Panther King appears on his throne in the bank vault, the background is based on the Emperor's Throne in Return of the Jedi. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Pulp Fiction/The Matrix): The ending scene where Conker goes through a bunch of weapons and decides on a Samurai sword is a Pulp Fiction reference. Also, the way the weapons are presented (a long rack against a blank white screen) is another Matrix reference. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Apocalypse Now): At the end of "It's War!", the general quotes Apocalypse Now. ("The horror...the horror...") Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Alien3): The zooming view down the tunnel in "It's War!" is an Alien3 reference. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note: Because the camera is twisting upside-down, and Conker runs to the end of the tunnel and closes a door shut on the spider-like enemies that are chasing him, I am inclined to believe this is an Alien3 reference, but I could be wrong.

Movie (Saving Private Ryan): The war chapter also spoofs Saving Private Ryan. The events in the first cutscene are taken completely from Ryan, and one sub-chapter is called "Saving Private Rodent". (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade): Conker's line, "Tediz...I hate these guys!", is a spoof of Indiana Jones's line in The Last Crusade, "Nazis...I hate these guys!" (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

TV Shows (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?): Sometimes, when Conker picks up money, he says, "Who wants to be a Millionaire?", a reference to the game show of the same name. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Contra (NES/Arcade)

Movie (Alien): The giant Red Falcon head in the final level looks like the alien from the Alien movies. The pods that surround the Heart (the final boss) look very similar to the eggs in the Alien movies, and the scorpion-like things that leap out resemble facehuggers. Status: TRUE: Too many similarities here to be coincidence. Screenshots for proof: (Red Falcon) (Facehuggers)

Movie (Predator/Rambo): The picture of the blonde commando on the cover of Contra's box and label is based on the picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger from the cover of the "Predator" movie. The other commando looks a bit like Sylvester Stallone from the "Rambo" movies. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Too many similarities to be coincidence. I don't think Konami could possibly deny it. See Oddities 16 for picture comparisons.

Contra 3: The Alien Wars (SNES/GB)

Movie (Alien): The big Alien-like Red Falcon head is in the final level of this game, too. It looks more like a (very large) chestburster in this game, though. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from (Contra HQ) proves it.

Movie (Predator): After you kill the Red Falcon from Super C (the crawling thing), the music will sound a lot like the stuff in several parts of the movie Predator. (Credit: Phyllis LaForte)

Status: Unverified

Bizarre Coincidence (Independence Day): The introduction where the Red Falcon blows up the city has a VERY strong similarity to the movie, Independence Day. (Credit: Mando Garza) Status: Coincidence: It's a rare case of a movie imitating a game (possibly) instead of the vice versa, because Contra 3 was actually made long before the movie Independence Day. However, this entry is too bizarre to leave off.

Contra: Hard Corps (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Castlevania): There is a secret stage in which you fight a really strange robot "Belmont". The boss's music even begins with the first few notes of the Castlevania Level 1 theme, "Vampire Killer". (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Contra: Legacy of War (PS1)

Cross-Series (Gyruss/Pac-Man): In stage 2, there are two arcade machines set up in an open hut. Presuming that you don't shoot either of them, you can play Gyruss and some sort of Tank game that was obviously inspired by Ms. Pac-Man. (Credit: jup) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Crack Out (NES)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): In this Breakout clone, Konami Man's head appears as an item. (Credit: Sverker Johansson & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: (OPCFG) confirms it.

Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure (GBA)

TV Shows (The Three Stooges): After defeating the first three bosses, Uka-Uka says "Cortex! Crash has defeated 3 of your stooges!", a Three Stooges reference. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Crash n the Boys Street Challenge (NES)

Music (Various): All of the songs that play in this game's opening cinema are classical songs, among them Beethoven's 5th Symphony and the first movement of Spring from Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". (Credit: Junus Crowe & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Critical Depth (PS1)

Movie Reference (James Bond): There's a secret character called Agent 326 who's obviously a spoof of James Bond. He's a British agent who likes wine and women, and his vehicle is a stylish sportcar submarine similar to the Lotus Esprit S2 in the James Bond movies "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "For Your Eyes Only". (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Crusader of Centy (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): Sonic the Hedgehog is relaxing on a beach. (Credit: FlowingMindspin) Status: Unverified

Crystal Castles (Atari 2600/Arcade)

Music (Tchaikovsky): Part of the Nutcracker Suite plays when you clear a level. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Crystalis (NES)

Cross-Series (Athena): The slime enemies originally appeared in SNK's early NES game, Athena. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Athena Slime Enemy) (Crystalis Slime Enemy)

Character Cameo: There's a rumor that SNK puts the characters "Kensu" and "Athena" into a lot of their games. So, the character "Asina" might be based on "Athena". (Credit: Magical Yard Gnome) Status: Unverified

Curse of Monkey Island, The (PC)

Cross-Series (Grim Fandango): Murray from Grim Fandango (another LucasArts game) makes a cameo on Puerto Pollo, or at least a skeleton looking exactly like him. He also wears a button that says "Ask Me About Grim Fandango", which could be a reference to the pirate in the SCUMM Bar wearing the "Loom" button in The Secret Of Monkey Island. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Dance Dance Revolution (PS1/Arcade)

Programmers: The song "Make a Jam" from the very first mix might as well be called "The Konami Song". During the chorus, you do the Konami code with your feet (the steps go U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R) and you can also hear the music for the walking Konami logo. I believe you can see a Konami logo in the background graphics as well. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Gradius): The song "Gradiusic Cyber". Besides the name, there is also a voice sample from Gradius 2 in the beginning. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Salamander): The song "Salamander Beat Crush Mix" in Konamix. I'm guessing the music in the beginning is from Salamander. This song is also originally from Beatmania. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Silent Hill): There is a song called "Silent Hill" which is actually NOT related to the game in any way. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Music (Beethoven): The song "End of the Century" uses Beethoven's Ninth Symphony for the basis of the chorus. The artist credited for the song is "No. 9". (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Music (Chopin): On the 7th Mix, there is a song called Kakumei, which means Revolutionary, and the song is a remix of Chopin's Revolutionary Etude. (Credit: PenguinMan26) Status: Unverified

Music (Vivaldi): On the 8th Mix, there is a song called V, which is a remix of the Winter movement in Vivaldi's Four Seasons. (Credit: PenguinMan26) Status: Unverified

Music (Gradius 2): On the 7th Mix, there is a song called Burning Heat!, which is a remix of a song in Gradius 2. (Credit: PenguinMan26) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Castlevania): There's a small, slightly distorted sample from Vampire Killer, the first level music from Castlevania, about 20 or so seconds into the song 'PARANOiA'. It's not in any of the subsequent remixes, though. (Credit: Will B) Status: Unverified

Music (Various): The song called Sobakasu is a remake of the theme song "Freckles" from the anime show, Ruroni Kenshin. Also, "Dream A Dream" is a spin-off of "In the Hall of the Mountain King". (Credit: WelcmeOblvion465 & Will B) Status: Unverified.

Dark Savior (Saturn)

Movie (Predator): The boss called "Blade" (who appears in Parallels 4 and 5, and only as a frozen statue in the others) is definitely based on the Predator. It looks just like the Predator, the only real difference is that it's bright purple. (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2) Status: TRUE: Resemblance too strong to be coincidence. Screenshots prove it.

Movie (Alien3): Dark Savior reminds me a LOT of Alien3. Both start out with people on a ship carrying a monster/alien and everyone on board except one person is killed. The monster in Dark Savior, Bilan, can burn through metal walls with acid, just like the Aliens' blood. Both take place on an all-male prison world, and the monster roams around the prison killing everyone. Finally, in both, there's an "evil company" wanting to use the monster for a weapon. Status: Bizarre Coincidence?: Could be coincidence, though I doubt it.

Cross-Series (LandStalker): There is a bar called "Stalker" in JLO town. This is a reference to Climax's earlier Sega Genesis game, LandStalker. Inside the bar, "Stalker" is written on the back wall in the same color and font as it is on LandStalker's boxart and title screen. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Dark Silhouette: Silent Scope 2 (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Metal Gear): After you complete the first phase of the second level, the second guy (the guy with sunglasses) says "Now let's play Metal Gear for real!", a reference to the Metal Gear video game series. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

DarkStalkers 3 (PS1)

Bizarre Coincidence? (Pokemon): One of the people behind the "Scroll Design" is called "POKKEMON". (Credit: Pokejedservo) Status: Unverified

Movie (The Wolf Man): John Talbain, the werewolf character, must have been named after John Talbot, which is the name of the man who becomes a werewolf played by Lon Cheney Jr. in the classic movie, The Wolf Man. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Too similar to be coincidence.

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): One of Hsien-Ko's victory texts says, "Use your weapons if you have to. This isn't a street fight." (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Daytona USA (DC/Saturn)

Cross-Series (Virtua Fighter): There's a statue of Jeffrey from Virtua Fighter. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): There is a Sonic statue on the Beginner Course. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from The Killer List of Video Games (www.klov.com) proves it.

Cross-Series (Various): Certain high score initials in the Saturn version will trigger various songs from other Sega games, such as Virtua Fighter, Afterburner, the Alex Kidd series, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Hang-On, Virtua Cop, and Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Dead or Alive (PS1)

Cross-Series (Ninja Gaiden): Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden is a playable character. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Dead or Alive 2/Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore (DC/PS2)

Cross-Series (Ninja Gaiden): Dead or Alive 2 contains Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden as a playable character. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Hulk Hogan): The character Bass is VERY obviously modeled after Hulk Hogan. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Deception/Monster Rancher): Some of Helena's secret costumes are taken from the Deception games. And two of the items in survival mode are "False Suezo" and "Suezo" from Monster Rancher. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Death Gate (PC)

Literature (Dragonlance): You can meet a character on Pryan called Zifnab. This character is a direct rip-off of Fizban from the Dragonlance books. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Defender (Atari 2600)

Programmers: There is a way to turn all the enemies on-screen into the letters "BP", which stand for "Bob Polaro", the game's programmer. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Defender 2 (NES)

Cross-Series (Punch-Out!!): The level introduction music for the NES version of this game is CLEARLY ripped off of the boxer introductions from NES Punch-Out!!. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. I'm absolutely not joking about this one. I don't know what HAL was thinking.

Devil May Cry (PS2)

Literature (The Inferno): The names of Dante and Virgil are taken from The Divine Comedy by Dante, otherwise known as Dante's Inferno. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: Verified by Crawl and 1000.

Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

Cross-Series (Banjo-Kazooie/Conker): You can play as Banjo from the Banjo-Kazooie games and Conker from Conker's Bad Fur Day & Pocket Tales. Even though, technically, they appeared in this game before the others were released, I'd still consider it a cameo because those games were in the planning stages at the time. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Dino Crisis (PS1)

Cross-Series (Resident Evil): Some of the crates in the facility basement have the Umbrella logo on them. Umbrella is the company in Resident Evil responsible for the viruses. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (PS2)

TV Shows (Star Trek): Captain Gordon looks a LOT like Captain Kirk. He acts just like a hybrid of Captain Kirk and Flash Gordon. (Credit: FeyerbrandX) Status: TRUE: Similarity too strong to be coincidence. See Oddities 35 for picture comparisons.

TV Shows (Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers): The Prism Ranger spoofs the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. (Credit: FeyerbrandX) Status: TRUE: Similarity too strong to be coincidence. See Oddities 35 for picture comparisons.

Anime (Revolutionary Girl Utena): During one of the next chapter preview sequences, Etna calls herself "Evolutionary Girl Etna". This is a reference to the anime series "Revolutionary Girl Utena". (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Anime (Mazinger-Z): During another one of the next chapter preview sequences, there is a giant robot called "Pringer Z". This is a reference to the anime series "Mazinger Z". (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Disney's Aladdin (Genesis)

Character Cameo: In the dungeon level, you can see Mickey Mouse ears on some skeletons. You can also see Sebastian from The Little Mermaid chained to the wall. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous: The dog with the key in his mouth from Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride can be found in the Sultan's Dungeon stage. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: In the Desert stage, you'll come across a pair of Mickey Mouse ears hanging on a clothesline. Not only that, but if you position it so that it looks like Aladdin is wearing the ears, a 1-up will appear! (Credit: SlyDante)

Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Goofy's face can also be found on a pillar in the Desert stage as well. If you stand behind it and wait a few seconds, you'll be lifted up to a secret area. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Dizzy 1: The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure (C64)

Programmers: The debug code is "TROWBRIDGE" after the place in the UK where the game was made. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Dizzy 3: Fantasy World of Dizzy (PC/C64)

Real Place (Australia) The screen "A Strange New World" is supposed to represent Australia. The way you fall through the center of the Earth and end up in a bizarre upside -down world where everyone wears hats with corks dangling off of them. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Donkey Kong (GB)

Character Cameo: This game seems to bridge the gap between Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Junior and Super Mario Bros. DK Junior was never in the original DK, but in this extended version he is in subsequent levels as an enemy and general mischief maker. (Credit: Aaron Campbell) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Specific Reference: There are shrinking mushrooms, which appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2j (aka The Lost Levels). The ending features Mario eating a super mushroom and growing, with SMB-style pipes and "?" blocks in the background. In the finale, DK eats a super mushroom and becomes a super-huge boss. Also, the keys look like the ones in Super Mario Bros. 2. (Credit: Aaron Campbell & Crawl and 1000)

Status: TRUE: Screenshots at (www.vgmuseum.com) prove it.

Movie (King Kong): Donkey Kong's building climbing, woman-kidnapping antics, not to mention his name, are totally based on the classic King Kong of movie legend. (Credit: Aaron Campbell) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. There's an interesting story behind this. MCA Universal tried to sue Nintendo for copyright infringement. However, Nintendo won the lawsuit when they proved that the King Kong story was public domain and, in fact, MCA Universal had previously proven it to be public domain so that they could use it, too.

Donkey Kong 64 (N64)

Cross-Series (Jetpac): You can unlock Jetpac, an old game made by Rare that's a predecessor of sorts to Solar Jetman. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Banjo-Kazooie): The gorillas can throw oranges for weapons, an idea begotten from Conga the gorilla in Banjo-Kazooie. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Specific Reference: You can also unlock the original Donkey Kong arcade game. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Console (Gamecube): On the wall of DK's treehouse, there is a photo of a Dolphin. One of the endings also had the characters auditioning for a Dolphin Donkey Kong game. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The red steel girder and phonograph from Donkey Kong Country are in DK's treehouse. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Donkey Konga (GCN)

Music (Hamtaro): The Japanese Hamtaro theme is one of the songs. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

Specific Reference: In the opening sequence, Cranky Kong is standing on one of those red "floors" from the original Donkey Kong arcade game, and playing the original Donkey Kong theme on a phonograph. Cranky also makes lots of references to the arcade game wh you en talk to him. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)

Cross-Series (Killer Instinct): There's a Killer Instinct arcade game in Cranky's Cabin. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario World): Mario and Yoshi are on the pedestals in the ending sequence. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (The Legend of Zelda): If your percentage is too low when you complete the game, Link will be on the 3rd pedestal. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog/Earthworm Jim): In the Cranky's Hero Ranking thing, there is a trash can in the lower right-hand corner with a sign saying "No Hopers" on it. Sonic's shoes and Earthworm Jim's gun can be seen by the side. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (SNES)

Cross-Series (Super Mario 64): Wrinkly Kong plays an N64, and you can hear music from Super Mario 64 when she does. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (The Legend of Zelda): If you tell Bazaar you don't want to hear what he has to say about the castle, he says something about a "cheeky kid named Link". (Credit: Codie Martin ) Status: Unverified

Donkey Kong Junior (Multiplatform)

Music (Bach): Bach's Toccatta & Fugue plays at the very beginning as the Mario Bros. hoist up Donkey Kong's cage. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

DOOM 2 (PC/GBA)

Cross-Series (Wolfenstein 3D): Two hidden levels, entitled Wolfenstein and Grosse, are respectively the first and last levels from the first episode of Wolfenstein 3D. "Grosse" is named after the boss character Hans Grosse. Also, the only enemies found in these levels are the SS guards. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it. (Screenshot) of SS guards.

Cross-Series (Return to Castle Wolfenstein): In the GBA version, the swastikas found on the walls of the hidden levels are replaced by the stylized "W" found on the cover for Return to Castle Wolfenstein. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

dot.hack//Infection (PS2)

Cross-Series (Tail Concerto/Silent Bomber): When reading news reports, there are ads for Tail Concerto and Silent Bomber, two games made by the same developers as this game. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Double Dragon (NES)

Programmers: The throwable boxes bear the initials "TJC". Technos Japan Corporation? (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Double Dragon Advance (GBA)

Movie (The Matrix): One type of enemy is very obviously modeled after Agent Smith from The Matrix movies. (Credit: MJB817) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources have confirmed this.

Dragon Quest 5 (SFC)

Character Cameo: Esturk of Dragon Warrior 4 is the optional super-boss. (Credit: Yoichi) Status: Unverified

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (SNES/Gen)

Programmers: The walls of one level have Virgin posters on them. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Dragon Warrior (NES)

Comics (Nintendo Power): Two of the townspeople are named after Howard and Nester from the Nintendo Power comics. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Dragon Warrior 3 (NES)

Real Place (Planet Earth): The outerworld map is very much shaped like planet Earth. Many of the towns are named after real-life locations, based on where they are on the map. Edinbair is named after Edinborough, which makes sense since it's located on an island that looks like the UK. Greenlad is named after Greenland, and it's located on an island that looks like Greenland. Romaly is named after Rome, and it's located on a part of the overworld that looks like Italy. Portoga is named after Portugal, and it's located on what might be the overworld's "approximate location" of Portugal. Noaniels is named after Norway, and it's located on what might be the overworld's "approximate location" of Norway. (Credit: Yoichi) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Specific Reference: The Dark World is basically Alefgard of DW1/2 fame. (Credit: Yoichi) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note: This area has an absolutely beautiful harpsichord version of the Dragon Warrior Overworld Theme.

Dragon Warrior 7 (PS1)

Character Cameo: At Verdham, there are two townspeople who bear a striking resemblance to Nara and Mara from Dragon Warrior 4. (Credit: Yoichi) Status: Unverified

Drakkhen (SNES)

Specific Reference: The ending of the game says, "Coming soon...Drakkhen II!" The weird thing is, there are two different Drakkhen II's. The first Drakkhen II was for the PC, and since SNES Drakkhen was ported from a PC game, that's most likely the one it's referring to. However, the Super NES never got that game, but it did get Dragon View. Dragon View's copyright

information screen does indeed call this game "Drakkhen II", also, but it's not the same game as the PC Drakkhen II. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Dr. Franken (GB)

Music (Beethoven): Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is the main theme, and plays through almost the entire game. The opening/ending theme may also be classical, but I don't know its title. (Credit: Ragnorak-X) Status: Unverified

Driv3r (PS2/XBOX)

Cross-Series (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City): To unlock certain mini-games, you have to hunt down criminals called "Timmy Vermicelli". Not only does the name sound like that of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City main character Tommy Vercetti, but the criminals look just like Tommy as well. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Dr. Muto (GCN/PS2/XBOX)

Programmers: Dr. Muto's planet is called Midway which is a reference to the company that made the game. There's also a giant Midway symbol on the floor in the lab. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Genesis)

Character Cameo: Scratch and Grounder from the weekday Sonic cartoon series appear in the game's opening sequence, and you fight against them, too. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: VGmuseum.com proves it.

Famous Person (Davey Crocket): Davey Sprocket is based on the historical figure Davey Crocket. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Literature (Humpty Dumpty): Humpty is based on the children's nursery rhyme character, Humpty Dumpty. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Coconuts from the Sonic Saturday AM cartoon series turns up as an enemy. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Duck Hunt (NES)

Miscellaneous: This game is actually a sequel to one of Nintendo's old Kousenjuu (beam gun) toys. Images of ducks were reflected off a wall and you had to shoot them. I don't think the infamous dog was in it though. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Duke Nukem 3D (PC)

Music (867-5309 (Jenny)): Somewhere on a bathroom wall in one level of the first episode, the phone number 867-5309 can be found, an obvious reference to Tommy Tutone's "867 -5309 (Jenny)". You have to get up really close to the wall to see it. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (DOOM): In a hidden room of a church in one level, the main character from DOOM can be found, dead and with his legs torn off. Duke will even comment "Hmm. That's one 'doomed' space marine!" (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Movie (Aliens): In certain levels, you can find women encased in pods. Examine them and they will weakly say "Killlll...meeee...", a possible reference to Aliens. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Music (Born to Be Wild): A level in the third episode has a karaoke bar. Examine the microphone and Duke will (rather badly) spout "Borrrn to be wiiiiiild..." The large monitor there also displays those words below a scene from inside a car. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Movie (They Live): There is a line at the beginning of the third episode that goes, "I'm here to kick ass and chew bubble gum, but I'm all out of gum". That is probably a reference to a similar line in the movie "They Live". (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (O.J. Simpson): In the beginning of level 1-1, there is a billboard saying "Innocent?," which is a reference to the O.J. Simpson trial. (The game was made in 1996.) Also, in the bar, you can see O.J. Simpson's white Ford Bronco being chased on TV. (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Balls of Steel): In the arcade in level 1-1, there is a pinball machine called "Balls of Steel", which is both a reference to another game by Duke Nukem 3D creators 3D Realms, and the pinball game by Apogee that inspired it. (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: In the arcade in level 1-1, there is an arcade machine with the boxart from Duke Nukem 2 on the screen. When you use it, Duke says, "I don't have time to play with myself." (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Rise of the Triad): Near the blue key slot, and outside of its kiosk, there is a sign that says "3D Realms Destruction Co." 3D Realms made the game. Hanging from the chapel

roof of the church is a monk from the 3D Realms game series "Rise of the Triad." (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: Unverified

Movie (Star Wars): One of the secrets is Luke Skywalker wearing an Imperial Stormtrooper uniform. When you find it, Duke will say, "Now this is a Force to be reckoned with." (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: Unverified

Movie (Indiana Jones): In the cave area, you can see Indiana Jones's body impaled on a wall . When you see it, Duke says, "We meet again, Dr. Jones!" Also, when you grab the atomic health power-up on the pedestal, the cave starts to collapse, a Raiders of the Lost Ark reference. (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Movie (The Terminator): After unlocking the blue key door, go down the conveyer belt as far as possible. When you come to a rocket propelled grenade, you'll also see a blue, metallic corpse which happens to be the exoskeleton of the Terminator (T-800). When you see it, Duke will say, "Terminated!" (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: Unverified

Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Final Fight): Final Fight's Haggar is the Inn Keeper. (Credit: amitrius17) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Dynamite Headdy (Genesis)

Music (Tchaikovsky): The second boss music is the Nutcracker. Also, in the first boss background, you can see Nutcrackers changing backgrounds. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

# Movie (Various): Many level names are parodies of movie titles: Toys in the Hood: Boyz in the Hood # Clothes Encounters: Close Encounters of the Third Kind # Terminate Her Too: Terminator 2 # Stair Wars: Star Wars # Spinderella: Cinderella # Fly Hard: Die Hard # Headdy Wonderland: Alice in Wonderland # The Rocket Tier: The Rocketeer # Illegal Weapon 3: Lethal Weapon 3 # Far Trek: Star Trek # The Escape: The Great Escape (Steve McQueen film) # Mad Dog and Headdy: Mad Dog and Glory # Mad Mechs: Mad Max # Heathernapped: Kidnapped # Towering Internal: The Towering Inferno (Another Steve McQueen film) # The Flying Game: The Crying Game # Twin Freaks: Twin Peaks (a 1990 TV miniseries created by David Lynch) # Fatal Contraption: Fatal Attraction # Finale Analysis: Final Analysis (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Earthbound (SNES)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): The two lead singers of the Runaway Five look like Mario and Luigi. (Screenshot) Status: Coincidence?: In the Japanese version of Earthbound (Mother 2), the entire band, including the lead singers, are wearing black. Only in the American version are they wearing

red and green. My theory is that they weren't originally supposed to be based on Mario and Luigi, but someone noticed the resemblance while the game was being translated and had their colors changed.

Famous Person (The Blues Brothers): The Runaway Five (at least the lead singers) were inspired by the Blues Brothers. They were called the "Runaway Brothers" in the Japanese version, so this reference does appear to be 100% true after all. Status: TRUE: Too similar to be coincidence, particularly the way they look as clay models that were pictured in the game's strategy guide. My second theory for the color change could be that Nintendo was paranoid about copyright infringement lawsuits. (But that's pure speculation.)

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong/Space Invaders): In the arcade, although it is pixelated greatly, you can see the original Donkey Kong and Space Invaders arcade games. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Mr. T): There are NPC's in some towns that look like super-deformed versions of Mr. T. (Screenshot) Status: Coincidence?: It could be coincidence, but they really do look like him.

Movie (War of the Worlds): The title screen of Earthbound is a scene from War of the Worlds. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Music (Chuck Berry): The New Age Retro-Hippie's song is a derivation of a Chuck Berry song, either "Back in the USA" or "Johnny B Good". (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: (Midi) This song gets parodied in a lot of games. It also appears in City Connection and Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.

Famous Person (Nessie): Tessie, the dinosaur in the lake, is obviously named after (and based on) "Nessie", the not-so-infamous-anymore "dinosaur" of Loch Ness. (Screenshot) (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Obvious reference.

Programmers: There is a dog in one of the towns named "Ruffini" who becomes "possessed" by the personality of one of the game's programmers. If you talk to him after beating the end boss, but before returning home, he'll give you an address to write to about your opinions of the game. (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2)

Programmers: There is a sign in Fourside that mentions something about work on a project for the (now-illfated) Earthbound 64 (Screenshot). There is also another sign that mentions Hal Laboratory (one of the game's developers) and says that you can see Mt. Fuji from their location. (Screenshot). (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Screenshots prove it.

Programmers: There's also a reference to APE, the other developer of Earthbound, in the form of a kid who wants to be one of their programmers when he grows up. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (Rambo): One of the Sharks compares Ness to Rambo. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Real Place (Apollo Theater): "Topolla Theater" is possibly a take on "Apollo Theater". (Screenshot) Status: TRUE: Names are too similar to be coincidence.

Famous Person (The Beatles): There are several references to the Beatles. One is a question about the song "Yesterday" (Screenshot), and the other is a Yellow Submarine (Screenshot). Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Screenshots prove it.

Console (NES): Ness was most likely named after the NES. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. I seriously doubt it's coincidence.

Cross-Series: (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past) There is a sign in Twoson with a strangely similar message to that of a sign in the south part of Kakariko Village in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Earthbound Sign) (Zelda Sign) Also, both games were translated by Dan Owsen. Either he made a reference on purpose, or he was reusing dialogue.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): In the Japanese version of the game, some of the default character names were that of other Nintendo characters, such as Mario, Peach, Yoshi, and Kinopio (Toad). Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Starmen.net.

Products (Coca-Cola): In the Japanese version of the game, the red trucks with the running stick figure on them were actually Coca-Cola trucks. (Screenshot) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Starmen.net.

Literature (Gulliver's Travels): The first two Sanctuary locations, Giant Step and the Lilliput Steps, are a reference to Gulliver's Travels. (Giant Step Pic) (Lilliput Steps Pic) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Commercials (Tombstone Pizza): There is a reference to those old Tombstone Pizza commercials that say, "What would you like on your Tombstone?" Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Art (Salvador Dali): The Dali's Clock enemy is a reference to artist Salvador Dali and his famous melting clock paintings. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Thomas Jefferson): Though it's spelled the Spanish way, there's a reference to former president Thomas Jefferson. (Credit: Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (Casey at the Bat): The Casey Bat is named after the famous poem "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Lawrence Thayer. In the poem, Casey struck out, and likewise, the Casey Bat misses its targets most of the time. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Earthworm Jim (Multiplatform)

Famous Person (David Bowie): Earthworm Jim's two different eyes are a David Bowie reference. Status: TRUE: Someone from Shiny, the creators of the game, verified this in Nintendo Power.

Music (Mussorgsky): The second level ("What the Heck") uses Modest Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain for the first half of its music. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Movie (Monty Python & the Holy Grail): The cow launching is a tribute to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (Credit: Creature of War) Status: Unverified

Programmer: The Andy Asteroid levels were named after the programmer Andy Astor. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Credits listed at (MobyGames) confirm there is a programmer named Andy Astor.

TV Shows (Tex Avery): When Jim sees Princess What's-her-name, he does an impersonation of the wolf from the Tex Avery cartoons. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: (VGmuseum.com) proves it.

Earthworm Jim 2 (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Mortal Kombat): In the first stage, "Anything but Tangerines", when you meet up with Bob the Fish, a message flashes on the screen saying "FINISH HIM!" in the same bloody slash letters used in Mortal Kombat. (Credit: Iqniz) Status: TRUE: Verified by Crawl and 1000.

Music (Beethoven): The background music for when Jim is in the intestine level is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Also, the music for the boss of the ISO 9000 level is the third part of Moonlight Sonata. (Credit: Crawl and 1000 & ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Lorenzo's Oil): The stage "Lorenzen's Soil" had its name taken from the movie "Lorenzo's Oil". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring (PS1)

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy 7): Cloud, Tifa, Sephiroth, Yuffie, Vincent, and Zack from FF7 are playable characters. And the boss Django is kinda like Red XIII. Also, in the Quest mode, some weapons from FF7 can be bought. Like Cloud's Buster Sword and Sephiroth's Masamune. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Elemental Master (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Lagoon): Those one-eyed flying insects from Lagoon are in it. (Credit: Magical Yard Gnome) Status: Unverified

Equinox (SNES)

Character Cameo: In the end, you rescue Shadax, the hero of Solstice. Yes, I know Equinox is the sequel, but I had to mention this anyway, because it's really bizarre that Shadax and Glendaal look nothing alike, and don't even look like they belong in the same time period or setting (one is an English Wizard, the other an Arabian Knight), yet they're supposed to be father and son! Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (The Silmarillion): In the Silmarillion, a Tolkien book, Melkor is described as the one god-turned-evil. Everyone hates him. "Melkor" sounds similar to "Melkior", which is the name Equinox gives to the wizard Shadax fought in Solstice, though he was called "Morbius" in Solstice. (Credit: Garland J. LaPalme) Status: Unproven: It's hard to say if Melkior is truly a reference to Melkor, but if not, where did Equinox's designers get this name from? Solstice clearly calls that character Morbius.

Escape From Monkey Island (PC)

Real Place (Starbucks/Planet Hollywood): The "Starbuccaneer's" & "Planet Threepwood" shops on Jambalaya Island are parodies of real-life franchises Starbucks & Planet Hollywood, respectively. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Pokemon): One of the items you take from the school on Knuttin Atoll is a "Lechuckachu" card from the "Piratemon" card game. Sounds like a spoof of Pokemon. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GCN)

Literature (H.P. Lovecraft): The Ancients are based on H.P. Lovecraft's Great Old Ones; gods that once ruled the world that were sent into exile, and are now trying to take it back. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note: Much of Lovecraft's early work is in public domain, so that's why Silicon Knights could get away with using them.

Literature (Hamlet): One of the sanity effects causes your character's head to fall off. If you pick it up, the character starts reciting Hamlet. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Literature (The Rats in the Walls): The scenario with Maximillian Roivas is based on the H.P. Lovecraft story "The Rats in the Walls". (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Literature (H.P. Lovecraft): The worms that attack Roberto, Edward, and Micheal are "Lovecraftian". Also, when Alex collects the page to Peter's chapter, you're taken to a cutscene with Pious bending over some human slicing things out of him with a hook-shaped dagger. According to Lovecraft, a sacrifice could be made more potent by removing certain organs. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600)

Cross-Series (Raiders of the Lost Ark): You can turn the flower into the Yar from Yars Revenge and Indy from Atari 2600 Raiders of the Lost Ark. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: You can make Howard Scott Warshaw's initials appear and also "JD", which are the initials of the game's graphic designer. Also, the phone pieces are in the shape of the letters H, S, and W, which is the programmer, Howard Scott Warshaw's initials. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

EVO: Search for Eden (SNES)

Movie (2001: A Space Odyssey): The Time Trans doors that appear between chapters are based on the large, shiny black rectangular monolith from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Excitebike 64 (N64)

Specific Reference: You can unlock the original NES Excitebike in this game. You can also unlock a 3D version of the original Excitebike later on. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database.

Extra Innings (SNES)

Famous Person (Various): The players on one of the teams are all named after people who work for or used to work for Nintendo Power magazine, including Gail Tilden (editor-in-chief), George Sinfield (of "George & Rob"), and others. There is even a player named "Nester". Another team has players named after famous authors, like Kafka, Tolkien, and (James Fenimore) Cooper. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Various): I'm beginning to think that everyone in this game is named after someone famous. There are teams with people named after famous painters, authors, musicians, philosophers, scientists, mathemeticians, politicians, and more. A sampling of the names: Giger, Moebius, Poincare, Freud, Euclid, Aristotle, Achimedes, Copernicus, Galileo, Davinci, Brubeck, Coltrain, Bowie, Mozart, Gandhi, Kennedy, Dali, Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Warhol, Monet, Gogh, Gaugin, Rodin, Manet, Kipling, Wordsworth, Lennon, Marx, Castro. One team has the names, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young right in a row like that. Another has Deckard and Tyrell from Blade Runner and Page and Plant of Led Zeppelin. There is even a team with Founding Fathers Washington, Franklin, and Adams. And one team has so many famous scientists and people that I just decided to take screen captures of it rather than list them: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2) (Credit: Crawl and 1000 & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Console (SNES): There is a really scary picture of a kid with a Super Famicom for a head on the select screen. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (GCN)

Art (Mona Lisa): In the Gryffindor Common Room, near the exit, you can see a "Mona Lisa" picture hanging on the side. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Haunting Starring Polterguy (Genesis)

TV Shows (Casper): After the second level, Poulterguy says "Yeah...and I'm what's-his-face, the friendly ghost", refering to Casper. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller (3DO/PC)

Cross-Series (Bloodnet): The password to Dolph's computer is BLOODNET. This is a reference to a PC game of the same name. When you're given the password, Rachel says something like, "What does Bloodnet mean? That's just an old computer game!" Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: Here's one that's easy to miss. When you're taken to Asmodeus's studio, there's a brief shot of his Director's Chair. The Take2 company logo is on the back of it, Take2 being the company that made Hell. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (The Rolling Stones): This game has two references to the Rolling Stones. One is when Cynna Stone says that the band played "Satisfaction" too many times at a wedding reception. The other is a character named "Mick" whose face looks like Mick Jagger's. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (I suppose the Mick character reference could be debatable, but I'm still marking it true, because the other mention of the Stones is rock solid.)

Famous Person (Dolph Lundgren): Is the character Dolph named after Dolph Lundgren? Possibly. They're both bodybuilders and Grace Jones, who appears in Hell as the Imperator Solene Solux, once dated him. Status: Unproven: I don't think it's coincidence, but it could be.

Mythology (Biblical): These ones are so obvious, I almost didn't want to post them. The main character Gideon was most likley named after the Gideon Bible and the character Dante after the author of The Inferno. Also, Asmodeus, Belial, and Beelzebub are all Biblical demons, and Mephistopholes comes from the story of Faust, about a man who sold his soul to the devil. Status: TRUE: Considering that the game is called "Hell" and deals with the subject of Hell, I seriously doubt ANY of these are coincidence.

Famous Person (Various): I have to mention this one because of how strange it is. Grace Jones plays Imperator Solene Solux and Geoffrey Holder plays Jean St. Mouchoir. Both of these actors have played James Bond villains (Mayday and Baron Samedi), and both appeared as their respective James Bond characters in the N64 game, Goldeneye 007. It's also worth mentioning that Dennis Hopper plays Pazuzu (our favorite Mesopotamian wind demon) and supermodel Stephanie Seymour plays Cynna Stone. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Hot Shots Golf Fore! (PS2)

Cross-Series (Ratchet & Clank): Ratchet and Clank are unlockable characters. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Hydlide (NES)

Music (Indiana Jones): The theme song is a rip-off of the main Indiana Jones theme, aka "The Raider's March". Status: TRUE: (Hydlide Theme Midi) proves it. Really, this is just about the most shameless and blatant rip-off of a song I've ever heard. Here is a (Midi) of the real Indiana Jones song for comparison.

HyperZone (SNES)

Console (SNES): The third boss is one-half of a Super Famicom controller. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (Star Wars): This game's package and label art is clearly a rip-off of the trench battle in Star Wars. The ship looks like an X-Wing, which is a clue that something is strange here because NO ship in the HyperZone game looks like that! Also, from what you can see of the pilot in the ship, he's wearing Luke's orange and white uniform and helmet. Finally, the ship is flying through a "trench". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Similarities too strong to be coincidence.

Ikari Warriors (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Athena): Athena is an item that grants bonus points if you can find her. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: Unverified

Illusion of Gaia (SNES)

Character Cameo: On the Diamond Coast you can find Turbo, a dog that Enix has used in a lot of their games, such as Soul Blazer and RoboTrek. (Credit: Shadow Villgust) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Soul Blazer): The first boss of Soul Blazer, "Solid Arm", is the exact same boss of the Gem's Mansion in Illusion of Gaia. The boss itself says that Will was stronger than Blazer at the end of the battle. Blazer was the name of the main character of Soul Blazer. (Credit: Bomberguy221 & Loto) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note: Some people have emailed me to say that these games are sequels, and therefore, this shouldn't count as a cameo. Indeed, I've often seen Illusion of Gaia touted as a sequel to Soul Blazer, but this is really the only plot thread that connects them, and

this happens entirely in a bonus, optional portion of the game. Therefore, I believe that Gaia is about as much a sequel to Blazer as Blazer was to ActRaiser. Therefore, please do not send me any more corrections to this entry. CASE CLOSED!

Programmers/Cross-Series: The Phoenix is the ultimate power in this game, just like many other Enix games. (See under ActRaiser 2 and Soul Blazer for more info.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Literature (Hamlet): Hamlet the pig is named after the Shakespeare character. There is even a line in the game regarding Hamlet that is a spoof of "To be or not to be". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Literature (Hamlet): Another Hamlet reference: If you look at the enemy chart that came with the game, you'll notice that the yellow skulls of Mt. Kress are called "Yorrick"! This game's writers must like Shakespeare. (Credit: ACC Kain) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Commercials/Products (Rolex): The Rolek company is probably a take on Rolex. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Coincidence?: I doubt it's coincidence, though I also suspect the Rolex company wouldn't be too happy about this "connection", considering how Rolek in the game made its fortune...

Cross-Series (Soul Blazer): The snake ball enemies from Soul Blazer make an appearance in the Sky Garden. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Immortal, The (NES)

Programmers: If you make your way through the Red Room of Worm Doom without using the sensor, you can climb down the ladder at the end and find a room with the programmers of the game in it. They'll give you a coffee pot that will automatically wipe out two bosses later in the game. (Credit: Kairobi King)

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

In the Hunt (Multiplatform)

Products (Toyota/Nissan): The billboard in level 2 has a picture of a car with the word "TOYOSAN" above it, a combination of Toyota and Nissan. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Iron Tank (NES)

Cross-Series (Ikari Warriors): The man climbing into the tank at the start of the game is Paul from Ikari Warriors. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Jade Cocoon 2 (PS2)

Character Cameo: Levant, the hero of Jade Cocoon 1, is the high priest of the temple that the game takes place in. Yamu, the tree guardian from JC1, lives in the Wind Forest and follows Professor Gil about. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2)

Programmers: Gol Acheron is most likely named after Gil Archeron, the person who the creators of the game sent the first ideas for the game to. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: (Link) proves it.

James Pond 2/Super James Pond (Multiplatform)

Movie (James Bond/Robocop): James Pond 2 (aka Super James Pond for SNES) has the obvious name referring to James Bond. Also, the theme music is strikingly similar to Robocop's theme, and the hero's name is Robocod. (Credit: Cheap Alert) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources confirm this one.

Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Goemon): The Ghost of Horo Temple from The Legend Of The Mystical Ninja shows up as a boss in this game, and her music is Mystical Ninja's boss theme. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Colonel Sanders): Kentucky Fried Chicken's Colonel Sander appears as an s enemy in the first stage, dressed as Santa Claus and throwing drumsticks. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Music (That's the Way I Like It): The first stage's song is "That's the Way I Like It" by KC and the Sunshine Band. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Various): The stage 2 music is Alexander Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances" and the boss music is Herman Necke's "Csikos Post." The stage 3 music is Johann Sebastian Bach's "Minuet in G". (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Goemon): The stage 4 music is the Ohedojyo Castle Dungeon theme from Legend of the Mystical Ninja. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Tokimeki Memorial): Stage 2 is based on the Tokimeki Memorial series, also by Konami, and it even has the school from that series. (Credit: Fenrir X, & Uchuu Senkan Moai) Status: Unverified

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (PS1/DC)

# Famous Person (Various): Almost all of the characters are named after popular singers and rock groups from the 80's: Devo/D'Bo - Group by the same name # Midler - Bette Midler # Mariah - Mariah Carey # Vanilla Ice/Iced # Dio - Ronnie James Dio # Iggy - Iggy Pop (Credit: Iqniz) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Street Fighter Alpha): Iggy (the little dog) has a move exactly like the Shun Goku Satsu/Raging Demon that Gouki/Akuma from Street Fighter uses. (Credit: Iqniz) Status: Unverified

Journey to Silius (NES)

Movie (The Terminator): This game was originally going to be released in North America as a "Terminator" game. Somehow or other, it was not, but the final boss is still a Terminator exoskeleton. Here is a scan from Nintendo Power magazine of the ill-fated Terminator version of this game, provided by Monfriez: (NP Scan). Also, some of the other bosses clearly show their Terminator "roots" as well; The helicopter was obviously supposed to be one of those flying ships and the third boss is that robotic tank the humans were fighting, all in the future world of Terminator 1. (Helicopter Screenshot) (Robot Tank Screenshot) Status: TRUE: Numerous sources have confirmed this. UPDATE: By Fredrik Norr Dax: I noticed that the main character in Journey to Silius looks different from the one in the European version of the game. You might want to put a picture of the PAL version hero, as well, to show the difference. (Picture) FO's Note: It looks as though Sunsoft made him more resemble the marines that were fighting the Terminators in the European version.

Movie (Alien): Sunsoft must have run out of things to use from the Terminator movies, because the third boss clearly looks like it was based on the giant Space Jockey from Alien. See Oddities 22 for picture comparison. (Credit Kairobi King & ErniePants) Status: TRUE: I suppose it's actually borderline debatable, but the similarity is very strong.

Console (NES): In the Gun selection screen, the design for the default gun looks an awful lot like a Zapper. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. Kagero: Deception 2 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Monster Rancher): If you get all four endings of the game saved on one file, you get to use Suezo, the yellow eyeball monster from the Monster Rancher games, as a trap. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (SNES)

Music (Joe Satriani): The end credits theme is Joe Satriani's "Speed of Light". (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. It should also be noted that "Speed of Light" was used in the Super Mario Bros. movie.

Kickle Cubicle (NES)

Cross-Series (Kid Niki: Radical Ninja): There's a code to make Kid Niki: Radical Ninja appear on the title screen. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Kid Dracula (GB)

Cross-Series (Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse): The first level's music is a really freaky version of "Beginning" (the first level music) of Castlevania 3. (Credit: Sedgewick)

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Midis for comparison: (Kid Dracula Midi) (Castlevania 3 Midi)

Music (Debussy): The second level's music is "Golliwogg's Cakewalk" by Claude Debussy. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Golliwogg's Cakewalk Midi)

Literature (A Christmas Carol): The first set of bosses are based on the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future from Charles Dickens's classic novel, "A Christmas Carol". However, in this game, they are the ghosts of Halloween instead of Christmas. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. It actually only says this in the manual, but that counts.

Cross-Series (Gargoyle's Quest): This game seems as though it was meant as a parody of not only Konami's Castlevania series, but other game series as well (particularly famous platformers), some of which aren't even made by Konami. Normally, I wouldn't think seeing one or two things in a game that look similar to something in another was anything special, but there are too many things here for this all to be coincidence. Here is everything I could find: First of all, the title screen looks like it could be a spoof of the Gargoyle's Quest's series title screens. (Screenshot) Status: Unproven: I'm not 100% sure about this one. Could just be coincidence.

Cross-Series (Castlevania): The first level is full of Castlevania references. Kid Dracula starts in a room with his coffin (Screenshot). The first part of this stage has those mashing spiked blocks that drop up and down from the ceiling, first seen in Castlevania 1 (Screenshot). The second part is a clock tower, a la, Castlevania 3 (Screenshot). The third part has those tipsy platforms from the Ghost Ship in Castlevania 3 (Screenshot). Enemies like the bats, knights, and Frankenstein monster (Screenshot) are all common Castlevania enemies. The chamber leading up to the boss is similar to the chambers leading to Dracula in most of the Castlevania games. You move from right to left and there's a crescent moon outside, only, since Kid Dracula is a "super-deformed" game, this moon has a face and it's snoring. (Screenshot) The inside of the ship also has those floors that rotate when you jump on them, first seen in Castlevania 3 (Screenshot). Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Screenshots prove it.

Movie (Friday the 13th): The boss of level 2 is a spoof of Jason Voorhees. But it could also be a nod to Splatterhouse, for one simple reason: Jason Voorhees never used a shotgun. (Screenshot) (Credit: Dire 51 & Flying Omelette)

Status: TRUE: Whether or not this boss is a spoof of Rick from Splatterhouse, they both have their "roots" in Jason.

Cross-Series (Mega Man): There is much evidence of this game being a Mega Man parody. In Level 3, the clouds with the faces on them (Screenshot) look like something out of a Mega Man game. In Level 7, the robot enemies with the drills (Screenshot) more than casually resemble Mega Man 4's Drill Man. Likewise, the boss of Level 7 is a take on the Rock Monster boss from Mega Man 1 and 3. The ending also seems like a spoof of Mega Man. In the ending sequence, Kid Dracula walks home as the credits are being shown. When he arrives home, his Grim Reaper friend runs out to meet him, and everyone freezes in place. That happens with Dr. Light and Roll in Mega Man 1 and 4. Status: Coincidence?: Usually, when one game rips off something from another game, I try not to include such things on the Cameos Database, but when it's an intentional parody, as I believe this is, then that's a slightly different situation.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros. 3/Super Ghouls n Ghosts): The first part of level 4 seems definitely inspired by the airships of Super Mario Bros. 3. They're flying wooden ships with cannons on the side that fire cannonballs diagonally. The reaper enemies in this level act a lot like the Red Arima enemies from the Ghosts n Goblins games. Even though this level was more or less inspired by SMB3, it's also somewhat reminiscent of the sinking ship level in Super Ghouls n Ghosts. (Screenshot) Status: Coincidence?: I guess I can't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that these homages were intentional, but I really do believe they are. There are just too many things here.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): Once inside the ship, there are falling barrels, a la Donkey Kong. (Screenshot) Status: Coincidence?: Too bad there's no big gorilla dropping them.

Cross-Series (Goemon): When you beat the fake Garamoth boss, it drops a HUGE coin. There is an Ebisumaru face on the coin! Ebisumaru is from Goemon/Mystical Ninja, of course. (This is my personal favorite cameo in the game.) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

TV Shows (Batman): The pre-level cinema scene shows Kid Dracula at a computer monitor that has a bat on top of it. Might be a spoof of Batman's infamous Bat Computer.

Status: Unproven: I'm not 100% sure it's an actual pun, but it's still worth noting.

Cross-Series (Life Force): The first part of level 6 has those infamous flares from Life Force's prominence stage (level 3). Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Gradius): The second part of level 6 has the rock-spewing volcanoes from the Gradius games. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Gradius): I think the boss of this stage (as well as the smaller stage enemies it's based on) may also be from a Gradius game, but I'm not sure. I've seen something similar to it in Gradius Galaxies. It looks like a fiery dog or lion, if that helps. (Screenshot) Status: Unverified

Movie (Alien): The aliens from the final part look like H.R. Giger's Alien (Screenshot). These aliens might also be a possible homage to Contra, which uses a lot of Giger-inspired aliens for enemies. Garamoth, himself, has an elongated Alien head (Screenshot). Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it.

Cross-Series (Gradius 3): The floors and ceilings that close in on you may also be a Gradius reference. They're very similar to the ones in the mechanical base level of Gradius 3. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Bela Lugosi): The manual calls the umbrella powerup, "Umbrella Lugosi", named after the famous actor who played the role of "Dracula" in the original movie. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Phyllis Diller): The manual calls the drill enemies of the final stage, "Phyllis Driller", named after the singer Phyllis Diller. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Kid Icarus (NES)

Cross-Series (Metroid): The Komayto enemies look like Metroids. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it, and the manual specifically implies that it's true.

Mythology (Greek/Roman): The name "Icarus", of course, comes from the myth about a boy who made wings out of feathers and wax and flew too close to the sun. "Medusa" was one of the three gorgon sisters whose looks could turn a man to stone. The boss "Pandora" is named after the woman in "Pandora's Box", who opened the box and unleashed all the evils upon mankind. The first boss is a two-headed dog that guards the Underworld Fortress, sort of like the Cerberus that guarded the entrance to Hades. The Syren is named after the sirens that would sing and lure sailors to their doom. The Uranos and Pluton enemies are named after Roman gods, Uranus and Pluto. Finally, Zeus is the main "god" of Greek myth. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Mick Jagger): Here's one that's been sitting right under my nose for so very long, and I only just recently spotted it. This enemy (picture) is a giant pair of lips named "Mick". Gee, couldn't possibly be named after Mick Jagger, now could it? Status: Coincidence?: Someone at Nintendo has a strange sense of humor.

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (GB)

Cross-Series (Metroid): The Metroid-like Komaytos are also in this game, but they look slightly different. I wonder if the change was made to coincide with the mutated Metroids of Metroid 2: Return of Samus, released around the same time as this game. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Killer Instinct (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): Eyedol's ending is a direct spoof of Blanka's ending in Street Fighter 2. ("Are you my long-lost son Billy?", etc.) (Credit: Kairobi King)

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Saber Wulf): Sabrewulf is from an old Commodore 64 game called Saber Wulf that was made by Ultimate. It involved a hunter trying to catch a big blue wolf. (Ultimate later became Rare.) Incidentally, this game was recently updated and released for the Game Boy Advance. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): Sometimes, Konami Man will fly by as a power-up. When you pick up the hidden Konami flag symbol, he appears, and if you pick him up, he gives full health. (Credit: Arnold & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: (OPCFG) confirms it.

King of Fighters 95 (Multiplatform)

Literature (The BFG): Iori has a move called "Maiden Masher" which is a reference to one of the giants in the book entitled "The BFG". (Credit: Lord DR) Status: Unverified

King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human (PC)

Literature (Goldilocks and the Three Bears): In King's Quest 3, you can find the three bears from "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (GBA)

Cross-Series (The Legend of Zelda): Sword power gives Kirby Link's hat and the Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda series. (Credit: Mark Kelly)

Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Ice Climber): Freeze power gives Kirby Popo's blue parka from Ice Climber. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Kirby's Adventure (NES)

Specific Reference: The final level of Kirby's Adventure before the last boss is directly based on Kirby's Dream Land for Game Boy. The level is entirely black and white, the four areas are based on the Game Boy game's four levels, and the music is exactly the same as the Kirby's Dream Land Level 1 theme. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: In level 1-2, there is a way to find a secret block formation that reads "HAL", the company that made the game. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Kirby's Avalanche (SNES)

Cross-Series (The Adventures of Lolo): Lolo and Lala from the Adventures of Lolo series are one of the opponents in the one-player mode. (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Puyo Puyo): This game is the Super NES version of a Famicom game called "Puyo Puyo". Therefore, the "bean"-like creatures you make disappear are from Puyo Puyo. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Kirby's Dream Land (GB)

Cross-Series (The Adventures of Lolo): Lolo and Lala from the Adventures of Lolo series are the bosses of Level 2. They even push blocks to attack you. Note that the Kirby series of games calls them Lololo and Lalala. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES)

Cross-Series (Metroid): In one level, Samus Aran is waiting at the end. If you find and destroy some Metroids in the level, she'll remove her helmet and give you the secret star for that stage. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Metroid Screenshot) (Samus Screenshot)

Cross-Series (R.O.B.): In Sand Canyon Level 6, collect the pieces to R.O.B. the Robot and professor Hector will assemble him at the end. R.O.B. was an NES peripheral, and Hector was the character in both R.O.B. games, Gyromite and Stack Up. (Credit: Mark Kelly & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (HyperZone): The final area is called the "Hyper Zone", which is a reference to HAL's early SNES shooter game, HyperZone. This game also has levels named "Ripple Field" and "Grass Land", which were also level names in HyperZone. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Yuu Yuu Ki): In Grassland Level 4, find Goku and return him to Chamu at the end of the level. They are from Yuu Yuu Ki (Famicom Disk System adventure game). (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Shin Oni Ga Shima): In Sand Canyon Level 4, find Donbe and bring him to Hikari at the end of the level. They are from Shin Oni Ga Shima (Famicom Disk System adventure game remade on the Super Famicom). (Credit Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Kirby Super Star (SNES)

Cross-Series (Various): During the treasure hunt game, you can find several treasures from different games, such as Mr. Saturn from EarthBound, the Triforce from the Zelda series, Captain Falcon's helmet from F-Zero, a Koopa shell, Donkey Kong's Barrel, the Screw Attack from the Metroid games, the Bucket from the Super Famicom game Mario & Wario, a tire from Super Mario Kart, the Pegasus Wing from Kid Icarus, and Marth's Falchion sword and Mithril Armor from the original Fire Emblem. (Credit: Bomberguy221, Yashiro Nanakase, Mark Kelly, & bleusilence) Status: TRUE: Pictures prove it.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): When fighting King Dedede, there are some Super Mario Bros. characters in the audience, including Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Birdo. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros./Metroid): When Kirby becomes Stone Kirby, he sometimes becomes a Golden Mario Statue. Sometimes, he even becomes a statue of Samus. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: Verified by Fenrir X. (Samus Statue Sprite)

Cross-Series (The Adventures of Lolo): In the Spring Breeze game, you have to fight against Lolo and Lala from the Adventures of Lolo series, also by HAL. Since Spring Breeze is based on the original Kirby's Dream Land game for Game Boy, this makes sense, as Lolo and Lala, as Lololo and Lalala, were the bosses of Level 2 in that game. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (The Legend of Zelda): When you get the Sword weapon, Kirby's green hat is a reference to Link. His sword even looks like the Master Sword. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Movie/Mythology (Various): More treasure hunt items include Indiana Jones's whip, Cinderella's glass slipper, Bruce Lee's nunchaku, King Tutankhaman's mask, and the Tanuki. And this one, called Bamboo Cutter's Daughter, is based on a Japanese legend. (Credit: Fenrir X)

Status: TRUE: Pictures prove it.

Specific Reference: The Spring Breeze game is a shortened version of the Game Boy Kirby's Dream Land, minus the second level and the third boss. Even the ending is the same. (Credit: bleusilence & Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music: The main theme to the Great Cave Offensive is a slowed down version of "Green Greens" from Kirby's Dream Land. And the save music (in all of the games) is a slowed down version of "Float Islands". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Note: All images in this section provided by Fenrir X.

Klonoa: The Door to Phantomile (PS1)

Cross-Series (Pac-Man): Klonoa's hat has a Pac-Man symbol on it. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Knuckles Chaotix (Sega 32X)

Character Cameo: Sonic and Tails appear in the ending when you get all six Chaos Rings. Tails is directly below Sonic, riding an airplane, a la Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: TRUE: (www.vgmuseum.com) confirms it.

Cross-Series (NiGHTS): The building in the background of the title screen is the same building from NiGHTS into Dreams. You can even see Nights flying around in the opening sequence. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Koudelka (PS1)

Movie (The Exorcist): This game contains a scene that clearly rips off The Exorcist. It involves a demon possessing and talking through Koudelka. Also, Elaine does the spider-walk thing from that deleted scene. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Titanic): Another scene in this game is based on the tragedy of the Titanic. The crazy captain who lives around the monastery was responsible for the sinking of a famous ocean liner. An FMV sequence shows what happened. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Jack the Ripper): It's quite thoroughly implied that Patrick, the main "villain", was Jack the Ripper. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Real Place (Tower of London): The monastery itself is based on the infamous Tower of London. There are many "ghost stories" surrounding the Tower of London, and some of the bosses in this game are based on them. One in particular is a pair of twin boys who are dressed in night gowns and always holding hands. Supposedly, this is one of the many "ghosts" people claimed to have seen in the Tower. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Kung Fu (NES)

Movie (Spartan X): The Japanese name of this game is Spartan X, and is based on a Jackie Chan film (Wheels on Meals in the U.S.) Thomas and Sylvia are characters in the film as they are in the game. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database.

Kunio Tachi no Banka (SFC)

Cross-Series (The Combatribes): There is an advertisement for the Combatribes in the background of one of the stages. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Legend of Legaia (PS1)

Cross-Series (Alundra): One of the songs from Alundra also appears in Legend of Legaia. The sad theme for both games. (Credit: Oddeye) Status: TRUE: The song being referred to here is called "Cara's Theme" on the PSF soundtrack of Legaia, and it's identical to the one called "Requiem" on Alundra's PSF (called "Dust to Dust" in Alundra's in-game Sound Test). Here's a (PSF File) for proof, but I'm only putting up one because the PSF's for both games are identical.

Cross-Series (Alundra): There's another song that appears in both of Legaia's and Alundra's PSF soundtracks! It's called "Excitement 2" on Alundra's and "Unknown" on Legaia's. Here's a (PSF File) of it, but I don't know what it's used for in either game. I only finished Alundra once, and I don't remember this piece, though when I heard it on the Legaia soundtrack, I immediately recognized it as one I'd heard in Alundra's soundtrack. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Legend of Mana (PS1)

Cross-Series (Various): If certain requirements are met, you can have a Chocobo (from the Final Fantasy games) as a pet monster, as well as a sword from SaGa Frontier 2. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Legend of the Mystical Ninja, The (SNES)

Cross-Series (Kid Dracula): There's a Kid Dracula head item hidden on the side of the HoroHoro Temple in the first town. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Gradius): The arcade house has the first level of Gradius. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): The purple-haired, long-eared (or are those horns?) girl that appears on the televisions in the arcades to ask you what game you want to play is none other than Konami Girl, costar of the Famicom game Wai Wai World. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: The OPCFG.

Legend of Zelda, The (NES)

Cross-Series (Clu Clu Land): The rupee was a graphic originally used in Clu Clu Land. (Credit: Shadow Villgust) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Clu Clu Land Rupee) (Legend of Zelda Rupee)

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The (SNES)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Mario's head appears in paintings on walls. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros. 3): There are Chain Chomps from Super Mario Bros. 3 in Turtle Rock Dungeon. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. On side note, doesn't it seem like Turtle Rock is somehow connected to the Mario Universe? First of all, it's shaped like a turtle (Koopa), it has the Chain Chomps, and you go through pipes while inside of it (there is no place else in the game where you do this). Also, the enemies that surround its Light World counterpart look similar to ParaGoombas.

Movie (The Wizard of Oz): Possible Wizard of Oz reference: The sign that's next to the sleeping man in the desert says, "Pay no attention to the man sleeping by this sign", which is a lot like the line near the end of The Wizard of Oz where the Wizard says, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" (Screenshot)

Status: Coincidence?: That line is so famous, I'd be really surprised if this wasn't intentional.

Miscellaneous: There is a very well-hidden secret room with the name "Chris Houlihan" written on a wall tile. He is the winner of a Nintendo Power contest to have his name featured in a game. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The (GB)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Goombas and Pirahna Plants from the Super Mario Bros. games appear in the underground tunnels that connect areas of the dungeons. Interestingly enough, while the Goombas can be killed by the sword or other methods, only stomping them, a la Mario, will give you a heart. (Credit: Flying Omelette & Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (SimCity): Mr. Write is Dr. Wright from the SNES version of SimCity. The music heard in both Mr. Write's and the Goat Lady's houses is Dr. Wright's theme from SimCity. (Credit: Flying Omelette & Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Tarin looks like Mario, he hunts for mushrooms in the woods, and turns into a Raccoon after eating a "strange leaf". The man in the henhouse looks like Luigi. The picture that the Goat Lady sends to Mr. Write is a picture of Princess Toadstool (Peach). Bowwow, the dog in Mabe Village, is a Chain Chomp from Super Mario Bros. 3. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Kirby): There's an enemy called Anti-Kirby in one of the palaces that looks like Kirby, and it even tries to inhale you. (Credit: Flying Omelette & Timothy Barta) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros. 2): The Frog King that teaches you the "Frog Song of Soul" is Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2/Doki Doki Panic.

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Console (N64): If you throw magic powder on one of those enemies that looks like a dancing pickle, it changes form, and if you talk to it, it says something like, "It can display thousands of polygons", which might either be a reference to the Super FX Chip or the N64, if the N64 was in development at the time Link's Awakening was made. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario World): In the crane game, you can get a Yoshi Doll as a prize. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Kaeru no Tame ni Kane ha Naru): Richard is from a Japanese Game Boy game called "Kaeru no Tame ni Kane ha Naru". Kaeru is Japanese for "Frog", which explains the frogs in his house. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Other Mario enemies that appear in the game include Boo Buddy, Blooper, Pokey, Piranha Plant, Cheep Cheep, Goomba, Shy Guy. All have their Mario names except Shy Guy who is called "Mask Mimic". The Japanese version does use his Mario name, though. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Mario Paint): In the Japanese version, enter your name as TOTAKEKE (in Japanese Katakana). The background music will change to the strange tune from Mario Paint, Kazumi Totaka's signature tune. In Richard's house let the music loop a few times and it changes to a different version of Kazumi Totaka's signature tune. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Database.

Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The (N64)

Music: You play the song "The Ballad of the Wind Fish" in the milk bar. The song title comes from Link's Awakening. (Credit: Bomberguy221)

Status: TRUE: Verified by www.vgmusic.com.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): One of the masks that the mask salesman has on his backpack looks like Mario. (Credit: Isaac) Status: Unverified

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The (N64)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Talon and Ingo look like Mario and Luigi. Malon might possibly be based on Princess Toadstool (Peach), and she is wearing a Bowser-head brooch. There are also pictures of Mario and other characters from the Mario games behind a window in Hyrule Castle Courtyard. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Character Cameos: Malon and Talon of 64 and the GBC Zelda games are clearly based on Marin and Tarin of Link's Awakening. I'm not even sure why they bothered to renamed them, as the characters are so alike in every way: Malon, young girl, crush on Link, sings; Talon, her lazy father, sleeps all the time. (Credit: Aaron Campbell) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Perhaps Nintendo renamed them as a way of explaining how these characters, who existed only in a dream, ended up being in the real Hylian world after all.

Cross-Series (Super Mario 64): A sign on the second floor of the Dodongo's cavern is printed on a stone tablet rather than a usual sign. The bizarre texture used on the tablet is the same texture used on the fountain in the castle garden in Super Mario 64. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note that this is the same texture tile that caused that whole "Luigi is in Super Mario 64" rumor years ago.

Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The (GBC)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): The Cheep-Cheeps from Super Mario Bros. are in Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. (Credit: JG Shady) Status: Unverified

Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The (GCN)

Cross-Series (Luigi's Mansion): The pirate Mako appears to have been based on Professor E. Gadd from Luigi's Mansion. (Credit: BGBW & Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: (Picture) proves it.

Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards (PC)

Real Place (Las Vegas): The entire game takes place in a city called "Lost Wages", which is an obvious parody of the real-life city, Las Vegas. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Mythology (Biblical): In order to get Eve to talk to you, you have to give her an apple, an obvious reference to the biblical legend of Adam & Eve. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: After you beat the game, Sierra founder Ken Williams will come out to congratulate you, and in the VGA versions, he'll make advertisements for Leisure Suit Larry games 2, 3, & 5. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Leisure Suit Larry 2: Goes Looking For Love in Several Wrong Places (PC)

Specific Reference: At the beginning of the game, Eve sics a dog on you that urinates on Larry, much like the dog in the first game. The game even says the dog looks familiar. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Products (Big Gulp): The Quikie Mart convenience store sells you a drink called a "Grotesque Gulp", a parody of the Big Gulps sold at the real-life 7-11 convenience stores. (Credit: SlyDante)

Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Police Quest): If you take a peek through the hole in the fence behind Quikie Mart, you'll be told that you see a bunch of people playing Police Quest, another Sierra adventure game. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: Two of the people who eat at the restaurant in the jungle are Sierra founders Ken and Roberta Williams. Chief Keneewauwau, the chief of the tribe on Nontoonyt Island looks an awful lot like Sierra founder Ken Williams. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous: At the airport, Larry encounters some cult members called the Hairy Krishnas, who are parodies of the Hare Krishna religious group. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Leisure Suit Larry 3: Passionate Patti in Pursuit of the Pulsating Pectorals (PC)

Specific Reference: Look at the statue at the beginning of the game: It's dedicated to Larry for saving Nontoonyt Island, as in Leisure Suit Larry 2. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: Chief Keneewauwau shows up again, and he still looks like Ken Williams. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Real Place (Chippendales): The male strip club Patti encounters in the game is called Chip N' Dale's, a parody of real-life male strip club Chippendale's. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Looney Tunes): If Patti dies at the hands of a feral pig, the little "Game Over"-style screen has an animation of a feral pig bursting out of a Looney Tunes-style logo, just like cartoon character Porky Pig when he announces, "That's all, folks!" (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Leisure Suit Larry 5: Passionate Patti Does a Little Undercover Work (PC)

Real Place (Hard Rock Cafe): The Hard Disk Cafe is a spin-off of the Hard Rock Cafe. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Various): Throughout the course of the game, Patti has erotic dreams about three rich celebrities: Donald Trump, Bill Gates, and (I'm honestly not kidding here) Uncle Scrooge. Also, the casino in Atlantic City is called "Tramp Casino", an obvious reference to Donald Trump. The store in Atlantic City where you get your roller skates is called "Ivana Skates", and the clerk in the store bears a strong resemblence to Ivana Trump. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Various): The basement in Baltimore's K-RAP studios contains statues of singers Barry Manilow and Connie Stevens, jokingly referred to as the king and queen of rock. The rappers found in K-RAP studios are called Contested Development and P.C. Hammer, obvious parodies of real-life rappers Arrested Development and M.C. Hammer. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (George Bush/Dan Quayle): After you successfully land the plane, President George Bush makes a phone call to congratulate you (he was the current president at the time of the game's release), and he invites you to a banquet featuring Vice-President Dan Quayle. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The entire plot of the game is an in-joke to the Leisure Suit Larry series. See, there was NO Leisure Suit Larry 4, and in this game, Larry suddenly has amnesia, and the

game's villain, Mr. Big, has supposedly stolen "the missing floppies" for Leisure Suit Larry 4! (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out! (PC)

# Products (Various): Most of the women you have to, um, "conquer" in this game are named after fine wines: Cavaricchi Vuarnet: Cavernet # Charlotte Donay: Chardonnay # Gammie Boysulay: Gamay AND Beaujolais # Merrily Lowe: Merlot # Shamara Payne: Champagne (Credit: SlyDante & Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Studs): Larry wins his resort tickets on a game show called "Stallions", which is a parody of the dating game show "Studs", right down to the format they use. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: The tram operator is Art Serobian, who was LSL creator Al Lowe's computer mentor. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: When you dig through the trash can in the kitchen, the game says "Good idea! Digging through the trash is always an excellent idea in an Al Lowe game!" (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail! (PC)

Famous Person (Various): The names of the women Larry can woo in this game are all sexuallycharged puns on actresses: Drew Barringmore (Drew Barrymore), Victorian Principles (Victoria

Principal), Annette Boning (Annette Bening), and Jamie Lee Coitus (Jamie Lee Curtis), and Dewmi Moore (Demi Moore). The exceptions are Wydoncha and Nailmi Jugg, who are supposed to caricature the Judds (Wynonna and Naomi) of country music fame, and of course Captain Thygh herself, Larry's ultimate goal. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl & SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: After you, um, "convert" Victorian Principles into "Vicky", you'll notice she's now playing Leisure Suit Larry 6 on her computer. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Calvin Klein): Jamie Lee Coitus says that her fashion designs were stolen by rival designer Calvin Klone, a parody of real-life fashion designer Calvin Klein. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: When you try to rummage through one of the trash cans in the game, the narrator says there's nothing in it. Larry replies by saying, "But Al Lowe always hides something in the trash can!" The narrator then says he didn't do it this time because there wasn't enough memory. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Programmers: When you talk to Peggy, choose the "Other" option and type in "Look at Peggy's chest" (or anything along those lines). You'll hear some dialogue that sounds like a behind-thescenes blooper of sorts. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Art (Michelangelo): At the entrance to the casino, there's a version of Michelangelo's David statue made out of playing cards, and a sculptor is working on a Venus De Milo statue made out of dice. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Le Mans 24 (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): Sonic is a playable character. (Credit: Michael Morrissette) Status: Unverified

Lemmings (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Various): SNES version only: In the two-player level entitled "Graffiti", the names of several Sunsoft games, including Blaster Master, Ufouria, Freedom Force, and Super Spy Hunter, are written all over the level. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2)

Cross-Series (Various): Older Computer, SNES, Genesis: Four levels borrow their music and graphics from earlier Psygnosis games. The levels are "A Beast of a Level" (Shadow of the Beast), "MENACING!!!" (Menace), "What an AWESOME Level" (Awesome), and "A Beast II of a Level" (Shadow of the Beast II). These levels, for whatever reason, were removed from the later versions such as the Game Boy Color and the Lemmings that comes with Lemmings Paintball. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by the Lemmings code book, "Lemmings: The Official Companion". Here are some screenshots of the levels, provided by Codie Martin (Be warned that the "Menace" screenshot is a bit gruesome). (Shadow of the Beast) (Menace) (Awesome) (Shadow of the Beast 2)

Music (Various): Many of the songs are "borrowed". There's "Can-Can", "London Bridge is Falling Down", "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain When She Comes", and Mozart's "Rondo alla Turca". (Credit: Codie Martin & Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Literature (Sherlock Holmes): There's a stage called "It's Lemmingentry Watson" which is a spoof on Sherlock Holmes's line, "It's Elementary, Watson!". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. (FO's Note: Believe it or not, Sherlock Holmes never actually said, "It's elementary, my dear Watson!", or anything close to that line in any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's official works. It's a widespread urban myth of unknown origins, but this entry still counts as a Sherlock Holmes & Watson reference, regardless.)

Art (M.C. Escher): There's a stage called "Tribute to M.C. Escher", after the artist who made those paintings with the lizards and staircases. The stage's official comment in the Lemmings guide book says, "The tribute to M.C. Escher mentioned on this level goes no farther than the name; the graphics on this level itself have nothing to do with Mr. Escher's bizarre artwork". It may have been named this because it requires lots of building (and thus, staircases are going to be all over the place). Or maybe the programmers were just being silly. (Credit: Codie Martin ) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (A Nightmare on Elm Street): There's a stage called "Nightmare on Lem Street" which is a spoof of "Nightmare on Elm Street". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (Mary Poppins): There's a stage called "Mary Poppins' Land", after that crazy movie about the woman from the sky. This is only on the PC version and in the hint book. The SNES version calls it "Umbrella Land". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Miscellaneous: The concept of the game is based on the myth of the real-life lemmings - small creatures with suicidal tendencies who mindlessly march en masse to their deaths off cliffs and into lakes. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Lemmings 2: The Tribes (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Tetris): In the Classic tribe, the level "Lemtris" is made up of several Tetris blocks. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Music (Various): The background music to the Circus tribe is a combination of music you'd hear during circus acts. "Lock Lomond", the Scottish anthem, is the background music to the Highland tribe. The background music to the Polar tribe is a combination of "Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman". (Credit: Codie Martin)

Status: TRUE: Verified by www.vgmusic.com.

Lemmings 3D (PC)

Products (Jelly Belly): Psygnosis seems to have made a deal with Jelly Belly, because some of the levels are made out of Jelly Bellies and have the Jelly Belly logo somewhere on them. Also, the Jelly Belly logo appears during the game's startup. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Lemmings Revolution (PC)

Miscellaneous: There's a stage called "The Iron Curtain", after the invisible line that separated the communist countries from the capitalist countries during the cold war. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Looney Tunes): There's a stage called "Speedy Gonzales", named after the speedy mouse of Looney Tunes. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (The Lone Ranger): There's a stage called "The Lone Ranger", named after the horseman from the old TV show. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Mission: Impossible): There's a stage called "Mission Impossible", named after the TV show. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Life Force (Multiplatform)

Celebrity: The 2-player ship, Lord British, may have been named after the creator of the Ultima series. (Credit: Deathspork & Dire 51) Status: Bizarre Coincidence?: I personally don't buy this one, but Crawl is convinced it's an actual reference.

Cross-Series (Gradius): Life Force is a spin-off of Gradius, but this seems like a very particular cameo. In Level 5, at about the midpoint right before it changes from being a cave to a pyramid, the music changes to the Gradius boss theme and you fight three miniature Xaerous Core Fighters. Also remember that the enemy of Life Force (Zelos) is completely different from the enemy of Gradius (Bacterion), so the only plausible explanation for the appearance of these Core Fighters is that Zelos must've swallowed part of the Bacterion Empire along with all the other planets and galaxies he consumed. (Credit: Junus Crowe & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Gradius): Life Force also has the Gradius Moai heads in the final level. (Credit: Setzer the Great) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Little Ninja Brothers (NES)

Cross-Series (Flying Warriors): Rick and his master Gengai, from Flying Warriors, are in one of the towns. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Gengai Screenshot) I wasn't able to get Rick because he doesn't reappear after you beat him, but he is in there.

Cross-Series/Music (The Magic of Scheherazade): After beating the Water Lily Palace, music from Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" plays in the background, which can also be seen as a reference to Culture Brain's other NES RPG, The Magic of Scheherazade. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Can-Can): The training music theme is the "Can-Can". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Real Place (McDonald's): The hamburger shops are called "McRonald's", an obvious reference to McDonald's. The waitress even has the yellow McDonald's "M" on her hat! Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Character Cameo: Dragon Shogun, the final boss of the Game Boy game Ninja Boy, appears as a random enemy in this game's final area. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Lode Runner (NES)

Cross-Series (Bomberman): The enemies are Bombermen. (Credit: Hobbes) Status: Unverified

Lost Vikings, The (Multiplatform)

Movie (Aliens): After the first Egyptian level, the dialogue between the three vikings goes: Erik: Boy these monsters are getting tough. Baleog: Don't worry guys, I'll protect you. Erik: We're doomed... Olaf: Game over, man! "I'll protect you!" and "Game over, man!" are Hudson lines from Aliens. "We're doomed" is probably a censored version of Hudson's "We're f*****"! (Credit: Codie Martin & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) animation proves it.

Real Place (Cairo, Egypt): The password for the third Egyptian stage is "C1R0", which translates to "Cairo", a city in Egypt. Almost all the passwords in Lost Vikings are like this, so it's not coincidence. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Movie (The Wizard of Oz): At the start of the first Candyland stage, Erik says, "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Toto", which is that famous line Dorothy says from The Wizard of Oz. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Low G Man (NES)

Cross-Series (G.I. Joe): If you beat this game on the hardest setting (B-levels), you will see the ending sequence. It ends with the sentence, "If you think you're good, just wait for G.I. Joe!!" (Credit: Ruudos) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2)

Luigi's Mansion (GCN)

Art (Van Gogh): The ghost named "Vincent Van Gore" is a spoof of the famous artist, "Vincent Van Gogh". (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Literature (Frankenstein/Dracula): In the bathroom where you have to get five Boos to enter, there's a poster of Frankenstein and Dracula on the side of the room. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Music: In the music room you are asked to identify a piece of music. The music is from the original Super Mario Bros. game. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Console (Game Boy): One of the Boos is named "Game Boo", after the Game Boy. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS1)

Products (Tootsie Pop/M&M's): There is an NPC near the entrance to Vane that asks you how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, and also asks how they get the M's on the M&M's. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (PS1)

Specific Reference: In Bromide X, you can see Borgan holding the Dark Schitmear. This weapon was an extremely powerful sword that you could only get in the Sega Saturn version through a Gameshark. (Credit: Ironwolf) Status: Unverified

Magic Sword (SNES)

Real Place (Easter Island): The ancient Moai heads of Easter Island make an appearance on the 2nd floor of the tower. (Credit: Sam Strickler) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) provided by Sam Strickler proves it.

Magic: The Gathering (PC)

Programmers/Cross-Series (Various): This is for the very ancient (circa 1995, out of print since 1998) card game which is, despite the bugs and glitches within, the best Magic: The Gathering simulator at the time. Card data is contained within a file called "Master.csv", which MS Excel can open and read. And you should, because there's some interesting (and REALLY funny) stuff in there. NOTE: When closing Excel, DO NOT SAVE THE FILE! It could corrupt the game. (Screenshot) # Notes: MPS Labs is the programming arm of Microprose. # Across the Rhine is a military strategy game, also by Microprose. # Civnet is the network version of the venerable Civilization, also by Microprose. # Terror From the Deep (26/26 creature!) is the 2nd X-Com game, also by Microprose. Despite what the card description says, installing X-Com 2 does absolutely nothing.

There's actually more funny stuff down on record numbers 998 to (End of File), which contains card legacy effects, but those are just programmer quotes and Magic lingo which has very little to do with the cameos section. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: Screenshot proves it.

Magi Nation (GBC)

Programmers: The place where Tony Jones comes from is called "Tavel Gorge", which is a reference to Phillip Tavel, one of the people who created Magi Nation. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Michael Jackson): Tony does a Michael Jackson impression at the party in Cald. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Randy Savage/Ric Flair): The character Yaki is a reference to professional wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage because of the way he talks. He's also a reference to Ric Flair, since he keeps saying "WOOO!" more than enough times. (Credit: Crawl and 1000, Tweeter911 & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Maniac Mansion (NES/PC)

Cross-Series (Zak McKracken): In the PC version only, there is a poster referencing Zak McKracken, an earlier PC game also made by Lucasarts. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Star Wars): There is an X-Wing model in Ed's room. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. (The Arrow is conveniently pointing at it.)

Movie (Indiana Jones): If you use the old radio in the living room, you can hear a small piece of the Indiana Jones theme. This also happens if you have Bernard call the Meteor Police. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Thin Lizzy): Dave's theme music is titled "The Boys Are Still Back" (this can be seen if you read his cassette player or in the end credits after finishing the game.) This is an obvious take on Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back". Dave's theme music even has a similar style to that song. Here is a (Midi) and a (Screenshot). Also notice the name of the artist is "Fat Patty". Thin Lizzy, Fat Patty. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. If that isn't enough evidence for you, then I don't know what is.

Famous Person (Eddie Van Halen): The Green Tentacle's song is called "Eddie Van Tentacle", which is obviously a Van Halen reference. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): When you play the Meteor Mess arcade game, at first you hear sound effects and "music" obviously taken from the old arcade Asteroids game. Then it plays the first five notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme. (Credit: ErniePants) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Jay Leno): The talk show host in the end is clearly based on Jay Leno. They both have a big chin and black hair. Even though the game was made before Jay Leno hosted the Tonight Show, he used to guest host for Johnny Carson a lot. (Credit: ErniePants) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note: I agree that Wink Smiley is based on Jay Leno. Also consider the fact that his theme music is called, "HEEEEEEERE'S Talk Show Host!" in the end credits, a reference to the "HEEEEEEEEERE'S Johnny!" line from the Tonight Show. (Though I don't know why Lucasarts didn't just use Carson's likeness instead of Leno's.)

Products (Pepsi): You can get a can of Pepsi in the refrigerator, and Dr. Fred has an entire Pepsi Machine in the basement. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Pepsi Can Screenshot)

Products (Edsel): The car in the garage is an Edsel. If you examine it, the description says "Weird Edsel". (Credit: Morgannon) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Zak McKracken): Both Maniac Mansion and Zak McKracken were made by LucasArts around the same time, and when you find the chainsaw in MM, your character notes that there's no chainsaw fuel for it, and there's none you can get in the game. In Zak, you find chainsaw fuel...but it's noted there's no chainsaw you can get in the game! Freaky, huh? (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle (PC)

Specific Reference: You can play the original Maniac Mansion game as a hidden bonus. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)

Cross-Series: The Psyko Kamek, in Little Fungitown, is obviously wearing a robe stolen from a White Mage from the Final Fantasy series. (Credit: Thibaut Salembier) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

A screenshot was produced that proved, in my mind, that this entry was true. However, it's been voted down on the forums. I really don't know what to make of this. The Magikoopa is wearing a white robe with a red triangular pattern on the bottom and a pointy hood. Seems VERY suspicious to me that a nearly-identical robe to that of a popular character class in a mega-popular game series would be slapped on a magic-wielding character by pure accidental coincidence, but people are convinced there is no way possible Nintendo would rip off another game company's design.

By this logic, I can create a character for Image Arcane who wears blue overalls, a red cap and shirt, and brown worker's shoes, but you know, give him slightly different buttons and claim

that it's just coincidence that his clothes look like Mario's, because there's no way I'd ever make a reference like that. Sure, people. I may be dumb, but I'm not THAT dumb. And besides, I put this through the Ultimate Litmus Test: Crawl and 1000 compared the images and said they did look enough alike to be a reference. What Crawl says goes. CASE CLOSED!!

Character Cameo: Geno from Super Mario RPG makes an appearance in the game arcade. (Credit: Thibaut Salembier) Status: Unverified

Programmers: When the Sledgehammer Bros. build you the first hammer you get in the game, they say, "Now you're playin' with power!", a reference to the NES slogan "Now you're playing with power!" (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Kirby): In the Yoshi Theater, there is a poster that has Kirby on it riding the warpstar. (Credit: Marti Gaskill) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) provided by Codie Martin proves it.

Cross-Series (Legend of Stafy/Wario): In the Yoshi Theater, there's a Stafy poster, which is a reference to the Japanese GBA video game, The Legend of Stafy. There's also a Wario poster. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) provided by Codie Martin proves it. FO's Note: I have no idea why several site readers have written in to inform me that there is no such game as "The Legend of Stafy". I've done some research on it, and unless there are a ton of hoax websites out there (including one of Nintendo's own), this series does in fact, exist. Stop trying to refute this entry! CASE CLOSED!

Specific Reference: While not completely out-of-place, as they're from the same continuity, it is sort of a cameo of a long abandoned power-up. There are goombas called tanoombas (tanooki goomba) that wear a leaf on their heads, and are powered-up just like Mario in Super Mario Bros. 3. They sport raccoon ears and tails, and attack with the tail spin. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) provided by Codie Martin proves it.

Character Cameo: Fighter Flys from Mario Bros. and the viruses from Dr. Mario make guest appearances as enemies. I would consider these cameos, as they don't normally appe in the ar "standard" Mario world. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) provided by Codie Martin proves it.

Real Place (Starbucks): The Starbeans Cafe is a parody of the Starbucks coffee shop chain. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): In the Woohoo Hooniversity level, there's a room that's designed like a Donkey Kong level. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Mario is referred to as "Jumpman" by a Beanbean guard. This was his old name in the Donkey Kong game (his first game). (Credit: Thomas Ellinson) Status: Unverified

Console (SNES): In the Bowser's Castle dungeon, there's an enemy that wields a Super Scope. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Specific Reference: In the Hooniversity, there's a room with blocks from Super Mario Bros, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, and Paper Mario. Hitting them tells you the game they're from. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GCN)

Real Place (Mt. Rushmore): One of the places at Peach's Castle Grounds course is a spoof of Mount Rushmore. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Legend of Zelda): In Coin Mode, the last number of coins in Hole 17 make the shape of the Triforce from the Legend of Zelda series. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Character Cameos: Sometimes in the rankings of tournament mode, you'll see the name "Hammer Bros.", which is a reference to the Hammer Bros. from the Mario games. In the Lakitu Valley Tourney, Goombario from Paper Mario is in the leaderboards along with Tubba Blubba, Mr. Resetti from Animal Crossing, E. Gadd from Luigi's Mansion, Piantasimmo from Super Mario Sunshine, and lots more. Also, Petey Piranha, Shadow Mario, and Bowser Jr. (from Super Mario Sunshine) are unlockable characters. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Legend of Zelda): One of the tournaments you can unlock in the passwords tournament is the Camp Hyrule tournament. This is a reference to the Zelda series though it just takes place in Peach's Castle Grounds. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Music: At the character select screen, highlight Peach and you will hear her humming the first notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme over and over. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Mario Paint (SNES)

Console (Gameboy): One of the clipart stamps is a Gameboy. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Mario Party 3 (N64)

Music: When you use the Cellular Shopper or Bowser Phone, it plays the first bit from the original Mario Bros. theme. (Credit: MrnMllbnk)

Status: Unverified

Mario Party 4 (GCN)

Character Cameo: One of the items is called the "Gaddlight", which is named after Professor E. Gadd from Luigi's Mansion. It mentions E. Gadd in its description. (Credit: Deven711 & VGMaster96) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link): The Piano Mini-Mini-Game music in Boo's Haunted Bash sounds like the music from Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: The penguins in the mini-game "Photo Finish" are the ones from "Super Mario 64". (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Mario Party 5 (GCN)

Movie (Mary Poppins): The mini-game "Merry Poppings" is named after "Mary Poppins". (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: The roller from the Mario Party 2 mini-game "Shock, Drop, and Roll" appears on the Rainbow Dream board. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Mario's Picross (GB)

Character Cameos: Several "cameo" puzzles appear in this game: Boo Diddly, Mario, Gameboy, Star, Bullet Bill, Grand Goombas, Mini Yoshi, Spiny, Mushroom, Koopa Troopas. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Mario Tennis (N64)

Music: Unlock Wario's court. The music is from Wario Land 2 (GB). (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Music: Unlock D.K.'s court. The music is remixed from the original Donkey Kong arcade. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Marvel vs. Capcom (Multiplatform)

Character Cameo: In Wily's stage, there is a cone that looks like Gutsman from Megaman Battle and Chase. (Credit: Michael Morrissette) Status: Unverified

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Multiplatform)

Character Cameo: Morrigan's little sister Lilith appears with her as the fight is about to start. (Credit: Pokejedservo) Status: Unverified

Matrimelee (PC)

Cross-Series (Rage of the Dragons): The 4 secret characters in the game (Lynn, Jimmy, Elias and Jones) are from Rage of the Dragons, another Noise Factory fighting game based loosely on

Double Dragon, and also produced under license from Atlus. The secret combination to select secret characters in this game is exactly the same as the Rage of the Dragons code to play as Abobo. Abobo also makes a guest appearance as one of the things Sissy can manifest from that jewel box of hers. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot 1) and (Screenshot 2) prove it.

Cross-Series (Pro Wrestling): The large viewscreen in Princess Sissy's stage sometimes displays "A Winner is Whom", similar to the message displayed in the NES game Nintendo Pro Wrestling, "A Winner is You". It's most definitely a cameo, as it isn't consistent with the (rather tolerable) English used in the rest of the game. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Rage of the Dragons): Kang makes an appearance in Jone's lvl2 super. Kang was the partner of Jones in Rage of the Dragons. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Rage of the Dragons): In White Buffalo's stage, the large viewscreen in the arena is running a Rage of the Dragons demo. It's blurry, but the "dial-a-combo" system demonstrated is a dead giveaway. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Console (MSX): Also in White Buffalo's stage, notice that the singers are wearing MSX t-shirts. MSX is an old gaming console, popular at one time in Asia. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: The Noise Factory logo can be seen in the floors of certain arenas. The one shown in the previous screenshot is an example. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Max Payne (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Zero Wing): In the training level, there is a sign that says "Tar Cafe". Underneath it says, "615 All your base...", a reference to the now-infamous line from Zero Wing. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Humphrey Bogart): Max Payne is based on Sam Spade, a character played by Humphrey Bogart. Max even makes a mention to playing it Bogart. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Programmers: The way Max Payne looks is based on Sam Lake, the man who wrote the script for Max Payne. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Movie (Reservoir Dogs): One of the conversations you can hear the guards say is very close to the story that Mr. Orange tells in Reservoir Dogs. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Mythology (Norse): Valkyr, Ragna Rock, Aesir, and Yggdrasil are all from Norse Mythology. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Commander Keen): In one of the levels, you can find a sign that says "Dopefish lives". This can also be seen in Duke Nukem 3D and is a reference to Commander Keen. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

MDK (PS1)

Cross-Series (Earthworm Jim): In World 3 there's a hidden bonus area in which you must collect icons shaped like Earthworm Jim's head to make cows fall on your enemies. (Credit: Ace Whatever)

Status: Unverified

MDK2 (Multiplatform)

TV Shows (Pee-Wee's Playhouse): The final boss is named Zizzy Baluba, which is a Pee-Wee's Playhouse reference. (Credit: Facilitypro) Status: TRUE: Verified by Crawl and 1000.

Music (867-5309 (Jenny)): In the beginning, the computer tells of an enemy minecrawler in sector 8675309. This, of course, is Tommy Tutone's one hit (867-5309 [Jenny]). (Credit: Facilitypro) Status: TRUE: Verified by Crawl and 1000.

Programmers/TV Shows (South Park): In Stage 7-E, there is a hidden castle WAY up in the air. When you get to it, you can go around the back and see the South Park version of Satan with one of the designer's heads pasted on. (Credit: Facilitypro) Status: Unverified

Medal of Honor (PS1)

Famous Person (Winston Churchill): Winston Churchill is a secret playable character in the multiplayer mode. (Credit: Ragnorak-X) Status: Unverified

MediEvil 2 (PS1)

Movie (Time After Time): There's a boss who is clearly based on Jack the Ripper. Also, the area of the story involving him is most likely inspired by the movie Time After Time. You need a time machine to get to him. And just like in that movie, there's also a young woman involved (Amy in the movie, Kiya in the game). (Credit: Ragnorak-X) Status: Unverified

Mega Man (NES)

Cross-Series (Various): The Yashichi is an item that's appeared in many Capcom games, including Gun.Smoke, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Strider 2, and UN Squadron. (Credit: Dire 51, Codie Martin, & Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Mega Man 3 (NES)

Products (IBM): Dr. Light's supercomputer is a spoof of an IBM mainframe. It's called "IBN". (Credit: Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Mega Man 5 (GB)

Real Place (Planets): All the Robot Masters in the Game Boy version of Mega Man 5 are named after planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. (Credit: MJB817) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power magazine.

Mega Man 7 (SNES)

Cross-Series (Super Ghouls n Ghosts): There's a code to change the music of Shade Man's stage to the first level music of Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Console (Gameboy): Rush will sometimes dig up a Gameboy when you use the "Rush Search". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Mega Man and Bass (GBA)

Character Cameo: In the introductory level (Robot Museum), in the background near the end of the stage, you can see small statues of the Fire-Breathing dog enemies from Mega Man 2 lining the walls. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Music/Movie (Various): Several of the quotes in the Character CD are cameos. Flash Man's quote is "Stop in the name of love!", which is the name of a song by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Top Man's Quote is "You spin me right round, baby!" This is another song lyric. Pharaoh Man's quote is "I'm king of the world!", a reference to the movie Titanic. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Mega Man Battle Network (GBA)

Cross-Series (Zero Wing): In the power plant, one of the defective programs says "All your base are belong to us!!" from Zero Wing. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Console (Gamecube): There's a Gamecube in Dex's house. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Character Cameo: There's a poster of Vile from Mega Man X and X3 (but it's his X version) in Higsby's Chip Shop. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Character Cameo: There's a Servbot doll from Mega Man Legends in Mayl's room. (Crdit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Character Cameo: At the beginning of the power plant scenario, Mega Man says something like "The Bonne Bunch is coming on", in reference to the bad guys of Mega Man Legends. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Dex has a floormat and poster featuring the Servbots from the Mega Man Legends series. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Movie (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes): There's also the movie "Attack of the Killer PETs," which is a cliche by now, but I believe it originates with "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes." (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Yai has a Mega Man Legends series Roll doll. The game says it comes from the "Caskett Kids". In MML, Roll isn't an android, and is only related to Megaman by adoption, and her surname is Caskett. It's somewhere in her house upstairs, beside her computer. The Servbot toy will migrate there eventually in later games. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Movie (Mission: Impossible): You can see a poster for Rom Cruze in Upgrade Impossible. This is obviously a reference to Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Pokemon/Mega Man Legends): Yai's house features a Pikachu -skin rug on the floor. It's yellow and brown, with the stripes and tail. Yai also has a Data doll on the couch. Data being the monkey from the Mega Man Legends series. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Mega Man Battle Network 2 (GBA)

Console (GBA): The Gamecube seems to be gone, but Dex now has two Game Boy Advances. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Lan has a poster of Duo from Mega Man 8 in his room. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Mayl still has that Servebot doll. It's from the TV show, "Go Bonne, Go!" (Credit: Codie Martin & Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Character Cameo: Mr. Match (from the first Battle Network) makes a cameo appearence in the airport as a netbattler. His netnavi has not only changed, but the navi is based on one of Wily's robot's in the Gameboy "Megaman". (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Console (Gamecube): In the area of the mother computer where you fight Shadow Man, a Gamecube logo can be found in the upper-right corner of the screen. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Pokemon/Mega Man Legends): Yai's house features a Pikachu -skin rug on the floor. It's yellow and brown, with the stripes and tail. Yai also has a Data doll on the couch. Data being the monkey from the Mega Man Legends series. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Mega Man Battle Network 3 (GBA)

Character Cameo: To go with that toy servbot, Mayl now has a toy Tron Bonne standing next to it. This time, Mayl's Tron Bonne and Servebot figures are from the "Family Boone" [sic] TV show, again referencing the Bonne family from the Mega Man Legends series. (Credit: Andrew Rae & Fenrir X)

Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Pokemon/Mega Man Legends): Yai's house features a Pikachu-skin rug on the floor. It's yellow and brown, with the stripes and tail. Yai also has a Data doll on the couch. Data being the monkey from the Mega Man Legends series. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: In Higsby's shop, there is a poster of Zero, from the Mega Man X series. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Unknown Reference: In the guest room at the Ura Inn, there is an anime calendar featuring Lan, MegaMan.exe, Chaud, and ProtoMan.exe. It makes no sense for thesecharacters to have merchandise of themselves, and Lan doesn't recognize it, so it has to be a cameo. This is pure conjecture, but I suspect it may be a real-life calendar released by Capcom? (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Console (Unknown): In Dex's room, there is a game system, but I'm not sure what it is. It might be the Super Famicom. It might also be the Famicom version 2, but the shape is off. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous: Lan has figures of MegaMan.exe in his bedroom, like the ones that were released in Japan, but they're only cameos assuming Lan didn't make them himself. They can't be store-bought, as it doesn't make any sense. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Mega Man Legends (PS1/PC)

Specific Reference: There's a box in the toy store that has the new game called "Megaman Legends", but seemingly, the box says "Dash", a reference to the Japanese name of this game, Rockman Dash. (Credit: Michael Morissette)

Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: There is a Wily look-alike in the Uptown region, but he's not evil. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: One of the houses on the outskirts of the island has a poster of Zero in it. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Mega Man Legends 2 (PS1)

Character Cameo: When you enter the bar in the first town, the TV will be showing a short clip of Mega Man and Proto Man. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Mega Man Network Transmission (GCN)

Specific Reference: The "Zero Virus" everyone's talking about is likely a reference to the Zero Virus in Mega Man X5. It even behaves in a similar way. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Mega Man: The Wily Wars (Megadrive)

Literature (Journey to the West): In the Wily Tower game, the bosses Buster Rod G, Mega Water S, and Hyper Storm H are all based on characters from the classic fable Journey to the West. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Mega Man X (SNES)

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): You can get Ken and Ryu's "Hadouken" fireball move, from the Street Fighter games, in the Armored Armadillo stage. When Dr. Light appears to give it to you, he's wearing Ryu's outfit. Status: TRUE: Verified in Nintendo Power.

Movie (Predator): The Sting Chameleon boss is based on the Predator from the Arnold Schwarzenegger film. They both have a cloaking ability that makes them transparent against their surroundings, they both make a "rattling" noise, and they both attack in the jungle. Status: TRUE: Too many similarities to be coincidence. The cloaking abilities are identical.

Mega Man X2 (SNES)

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): Ken's (SF II) flaming Dragon Punch becomes available to X after gathering the necessary items. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Mega Man X3 (SNES)

Music (My Michelle): The music in Neon Tiger's level is extremely similar to the Guns 'n Roses song "My Michelle". (Credit: MJB817) Status: Requires Verification: I do not like to include songs in the Cameos Database that have a vague similarity to another song, unless there is substantial reason to believe the song is an intentional parody. I'm more willing to believe this one than some others because somebody at Capcom obviously likes Guns n Roses, as evidenced by the American names of the Mavericks in Mega Man X5. I've listened to a (Midi) of the Neon Tiger theme, and about 30 seconds of "My Michelle" at BestBuy.com. They DO sound similar, but it's difficult to make a call based on only 30 seconds of the song.

Mega Man X4 (PS1)

Character Cameo: Chill Penguin from X1 and Blizzard Buffalo from X3 can be seen frozen in ice in Frost Walrus' stage. (Credit: Codie Martin)

Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Blizzard Buffalo) (Chill Penguin)

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): Magma Dragoon has the same techniques as Ryu's fireball, dragon punch, and the uppercut. Their voices also sound similar. (Credit: Daniel) Status: Unverified

Mega Man X5 (PS1)

Character Cameo: You fight Magma Dragoon from X4 at the end of Training Mode. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Guns n Roses): The mavericks were named after members of the band "Guns 'n Roses". The names are: Grizzly Slash (Slash), Squid Adler (Steven Adler), Izzy Glow (Izzy Stradlin), Duff McWhalen (Duff McKagan), Axle the Red (Axel Rose), Dark Dizzy (Dizzy Reed), and Mattrex (Matt Sorum). (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources have confirmed this.

Specific Reference: The first Sigma Stage seems to have its gist borrowed from Quick Man's stage in Mega Man 2. There's an area of the stage where these instant death beams shoot out at you from the side in patterns, and you have to dodge them by falling off the platforms before they hit you, just like in Quick Man's stage. You even have this one Time Freezing ability that you can use to freeze the beams. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo/Music: The boss of the first Sigma Stage is a black Rock Monster from Mega Man 1 and 3. The music when fighting it is a remake of the Wily stage boss music in Mega Man. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo/Music: The boss of the second Sigma Stage is a remake of Rangda Bangda from Mega Man X. The music when fighting it is a remake of the Sigma stage boss music in Mega Man X. (Credit: Codie Martin)

Status: Unverified

Music: The music in Tidal Whale's stage is remixed from Bubble Crab in Mega Man X2. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Music: The opening movie's music is a remix of Zero's theme in Mega Man X and the "Got Weapon" music in Mega Man 3. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: When you fight Zero near the end of the game, in the fourth Sigma stage, Dr. Wily's emblem (the crooked "W" with a circle around it) appears in the background. (Credit: Timothy Courchene) Status: Unverified

Mega Man X6 (PS1)

Character Cameo: Metal Shark Player, if given the chance, will make old mavericks appear when you're fighting him. So far, I've seen him make Sting Chameleon from X1 and Magna Centipede from X2 appear. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Music: The first two Gate stages' music are remixes of the third X-Hunter level (where you fight Agile) in Mega Man X2. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Music: The second Sigma fight is a remix of the music of both Sigma fights from Mega Man X2. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: If you enter one of the secret doors of any of the stages after rescuing Zero and defeating High Max, or getting to the Gate stages, you fight Dynamo from Mega Man X5. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Music: The theme heard during the battle with Nightmare Zero is that of the Virus stage 3 boss from Mega Man X5, where you fought the character you weren't using, ie, use X, fight Zero. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): Some of the wolf reploids you save in the ice stage have names of other Capcom characters, such as Ryu, Chun Li, and Ken of Street Fighter, Cody and Guy of Final Fight, Nina of Breath of Fire, Dante of Devil May Cry, Morrigan (Moringa) of DarkStalkers, Leon of Resident Evil, Arthur of Ghouls n Ghosts, and Data from Mega Man Legends. (Credit: Codie Martin & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Mega Man Xtreme 2 (GBC)

Specific Reference: In the ending, the characters mention one "Colonel" and the "Repliforce". These are references, thus making this game a prequel, to Mega Man X4. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (www.vgmuseum.com) proves it.

Menacer 6-in-1 (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Toejam & Earl): The Sega Genesis Menacer 6-in-1 cart has a game called "Ready, Aim, Tomatoes!" which stars Toejam & Earl. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: TRUE: Verified by www.tjande.com.

Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

Cross-Series (Various): When Psycho Mantis tries to read your mind, if you have a saved file on your memory card for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, he will say something like, "I see you like Castlevania!" This also works for Suikoden and Silent Hill. (Credit: James FP) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources have verified this.

Programmers: If you take pictures of certain areas of the game with the camera, a "ghost" will show up on the photograph. These ghosts are actually based on the different programmers of the game. (Credit: James FP) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Gradius): There's an Easter Island head (from Gradius) in the floor of the nuclear weapon storage with the poison gas. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty/Substance (PS2/XBOX)

Cross-Series (Zone of the Enders): You can find cardboard boxes of Zone of the Enders in a couple of rooms in the tanker. (Credit: Camilo E. Villamizar B.) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: There's a joke that involves a Vulcan Raven action figure early in the mission. It is placed in such a way that its shadow appears man-sized. (Credit: Camilo E. Villamizar B. & bleusilence) Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous: The terrorist group in the game is called Dead Cell. This is a reference to the Navy SEAL team Red Cell, headed by Captain Richard Marcinko. Red Cell was a top secret Navy unit formed by Marcinko in the late 1980's. Its members were hand-picked by him for their ability to think unconventionally and act aggressively. Red Cell's purpose was two-fold. The first was to become terrorists themselves -- to test the defenses of the Navy's most secure facilities and installations. The result: Red Cell was able to infiltrate supposedly impenetrable, highly secured bases, nuclear submarines, ships and other purported "secure areas," seemingly at will. The unit's function as a security evaluation team allowed it to travel all over the world and was in effect, a "cover" for its second, highly-classified, mission: to eliminate

terrorists before they could strike. Details of the unit's activities in this area remain classified. However, Red Cell's success at defeating the Navy's own security forces embarrassed many base commanders and earned the unit a number of enemies within the Navy. The unit fell on hard times after Marcinko was convicted of misallocation of funds and was subsequently disbanded in 1995. Marcinko had written a number of fictional novels after his New York Times bestseller biography, and in most of his novels such as Red Cell and SEAL Force Alpha he will write about the people he served with in Red Cell, such as Steve Hartman (Stevie Wonder), Albert Trembly (Doc Trembly) and Dan Capel (Nicky Grundle). (Credit: Adam Kasugano) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: When the colonel is going all nutso, he makes references to Metal Gear, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel, and also I think Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel (GBC)

Specific Reference: After completing all of the special missions in Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel (GBC), you will get a conversation from Number 4 that hints that this was a training mission for Jack AKA Raiden from MGS2. Also one of those special missions has you dodging barrels like in Donkey Kong. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)

Cross-Series (Various): If you have an Eternal Darkness file on your memory card, Psycho Mantis says something like "You like adventure games don't you? Do you like SILICON KNIGHTS games? Did you enjoy ETERNAL DARKNESS?" He also says something about Zelda if you have a Wind Waker file on the memory card as well. This will also work for Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Mario Sunshine. (Credit: Codie Martin & KingTT) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources confirm it.

Cross-Series (Eternal Darkness): There is an Eternal Darkness poster in one of the lockers. (Credit: Auron & KingTT)

Status: Unverified

Programmers: Behind Psycho Mantis are pictures of, from left to right, MGS:TTS cutscene director Ryuhei Kitomura, MGS creator Hideo Kojima, and President of Silicon Knights Denis Dyack. (Credit: KingTT) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Zone of the Enders): During the Ninja fight in the computer room, you can see a poster on the back wall advertising Zone of Enders 2: The Second Runner. (Credit: KingTT) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): On the right side of the computer room, on top of a computer, there are little statuettes of Mario and Yoshi! Shooting Mario replenishes your health, and you can hear Yoshi make his trademark noise if you shoot him. (Credit: KingTT) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Console (Gamecube): In the computer room there is a picture of a Gamecube and a WaveBird controller on one of the computer screens. (Credit: KingTT) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Eternal Darkness): If you lay a book on the ground and look at it in first person mode, you will see Alex Roives from Eternal Darkness. (Credit: KingTT) Status: Unverified

Programmers: If you take pictures of certain areas of the game with the camera, a "ghost" will show up on the photograph. These ghosts are actually based on the different programmers of the game. (Credit: James FP) Status: Unverified

Programmers: When facing Psycho Mantis, he will say, "Black out," and your screen will go black with the word "Hideo", and then return to normal. This is a reference to MGS director Hideo Kojima. (Credit: fput1)

Status: Unverified

Metal Slug X (Arcade/PS1)

Famous Person/Movie (Saddam Hussein/Independence Day): The main villain of the game, General Morden, is based on Saddam Hussein and the ending is a spoof of the movie "Independence Day". (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Metal Storm (NES)

Cross-Series (R-Type): There are R-Type Warships in the background of Stage 6. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Metal Walker (GBC)

Cross-Series (Pokemon): The enemy called B. Minion appears to have a pokeball for a head and very Pikachu-like ears. (Credit: MJB817) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Metroid (NES)

Movie (Alien): Much of the idea of Metroid seems inspired by "Alien", from the female hero to the parasitic alien life form that wiped out an entire planet's civilization. Ridley (screenshot) has the elongated head of the Aliens in the Alien movies, and he was probably named after director Ridley Scott. Finally, Samus Aran looks a bit like Sigourney Weaver in the endings where she removes her helmet. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Too many similarities to be coincidence. Screenshot from (Metroid Database).

Metroid 2: Return of Samus (GB)

Movie (Aliens): Just like Metroid 1, much of the idea seems inspired by Alien. Especially how Samus Aran is returning to the Metroid's homeworld in this sequel, much like how Ripley returned to the planet where the Alien was first discovered in "Aliens". Also, Samus fights the Queen Metroid (screenshot) in the end, reminiscent of how Ripley fought the Alien Queen in the end of "Aliens". Finally, the egg the baby Metroid hatches out of it looks like an Alien egg. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Too many similarities to be coincidence. (Metroid Database)

Metroid Fusion (GBA)

Music: When you fight Ridley and when you're escaping the station at the end, the music that plays is the boss/escape tune from Super Metroid. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by www.vgmusic.com.

Metroid Prime (GCN)

Music: The music to the caverns is a remix of the music to Lower Norfair in Super Metroid. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by www.vgmusic.com.

Movie (Aliens): The dead giant parasite you find near the beginning of Metroid Prime is probably based on the Alien Queen from Aliens. It even mentions that the orifice on the rear end might be used for birthing offspring. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Might and Magic (NES/PC)

Literature (Lord of the Rings): Might and Magic has a definite Lord of the Rings reference. When you find Okrim's maze, you'll eventually find a message saying something about how his eye watches over all (I don't remember the exact quote, but it's something very much like

that.) This is a reference to Sauron of The Lord of the Rings. If that's not enough evidence for you, when you beat Okrim, you win his Ring as an item. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Too many similarities to be coincidence.

Mythology (Greek): Might and Magic also has a Maze of the Minotaur with a minotaur boss, just like in the myths. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Pachelbel): The title theme music on the NES version is Pachelbel's Canon. (Midi) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Might and Magic: Gates to Another World (Genesis)

TV Shows (Hong Kong Phooey/Sherman & Peabody): I remember there being a hireling named "HK Phooey". There's also a quest involving Lord Peabody, a Wayback Machine and, I think, a relative of his named Sherman, but I've forgotten the specifics. (Credit: Will B) Status: Unverified: FO's Note: That's one of the weirdest cameos I've heard of so far...

Mighty Final Fight (NES)

Cross-Series (Mega Man): In the ending, there's a billboard with Mega Man's face on it. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Misadventures of Tron Bonne, The (PS1)

Character Cameo: When you send your servbots into a house for the first time, one of them will turn on the TV showing a walking Mega Man. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Missile Command (Atari 2600)

Programmers: You can turn one of the destroyed cities into the initials "RF" for Rob Fulop, the programmer of the game. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Missile Command (GB)

Programmers: The San Jose stage features the Accolade buildings. Perhaps because Accolade was stationed in San Jose? (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

MLB Slugfest Loaded (PS2/Xbox)

Cross-Series (Mortal Kombat): The 2 hidden teams, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, are named after Scorpion and Sub-Zero from the Mortal Kombat series. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners.com) confirms it.

Movie (The Time Machine): In one of the conservations between the commentators, they talk about the movie "The Time Machine". (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Monster Rancer (PS1)

Cross-Series (Deception): You can get a secret monster who is a character from Tecmo's Deception if you meet certain requirements. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Monty on the Run (C64)

Music (Dick Barton Gallop): The theme tune is based on the Dick Barton Gallop. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: Here is a (Dick Barton Gallop Wav) and a (Monty on the Run midi) for comparison. You have to wait about 40 seconds into the midi for the similarity to begin.

Mortal Kombat 2 (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Pong): Pong is hidden in the game. 250 matches must be played by 2 players to access Pong. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

Programmers: Noob Saibot is a reference to the game's programmers, Ed Boon and John Tobias. His name is their last names spelled backwards. MK2 is the first game he appeared in as a hidden character. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Mortal Kombat 3 (Multiplatform)

Character Cameo: Nightwolf has a friendship where he transforms into Raiden, the thunder god from the series. In the first 2 editions of MK3, Raiden was not playable, only in MK Trilogy did he finally become a playable character again. Also, what is the meaning behind Raiden saying, "I have never seen a Kano transformation" when Nightwolf performs that friendship? Well, in the bookkeeping of the arcade game of MK2, there is a line that says Kano Transformation. What does this mean? The world may never know. Also, a Mortal Kombat 2 arcade machine falls behind him during his Friendship. And sometimes Nightwolf will say "No, but I have seen a Raiden transformation!" (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Joust): Also note Shang Tsung's friendship move is that he turns into a Joust character. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Galaxian): Mortal Kombat 3 has a Galaxian clone hidden in it. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Predator): Sektor and Cyrax were obviously modeled after the Predator. (Credit: Nixxy Blayde) Status: TRUE: Similarities too strong to be coincidence. See (Oddities 28) for picture comparison.

Mortal Kombat Trilogy (N64)

Cross-Series (Space Invaders): One of the bonus games is Space Invaders, which can be found after beating the tallest tower, and it's one space to the left of the "Supreme Demonstration", if I remember correctly. (Credit: Rick L) Status: Unverified

Motoko Chan no Wonder Kitchen (SFC)

Cross-Series (Dr. Mario): The virus characters from Dr. Mario make a cameo in this rather peculiar game. (Credit: Per Arne Sandvik) Status: TRUE: Screenshot at (Encyclopedia-Obscura) proves it.

Mystaria: The Realms of Lore/Blazing Heroes/Riglord Saga (Saturn)

Literature (Lord of the Rings): The characters Aragon and Saura were most likely named after Aragorn and Sauron from The Lord of the Rings. Even the Japanese title of the game, "Riglord Saga", sounds like it was taken from "Lord of the Rings". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (NES)

Music (Brahms/Faure): Two of the songs in this game are real music: one song borrows from "Hungarian Dance No. 5" by Johannes Brahms, and another borrows from "Sicilienne (from Pelleas et Melisande)" by Gabriel Faure. (Credit: Terry Trojan) Status: Unverified

Namco Museum Vol. 1 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Ridge Racer): The "Namco Wall" in the Pole Position room is from Ridge Racer. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Ms. Pac Man is in the opening movie. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified: FO's Note: This one I'll count since Pac-Man is included on this compilation, but not Ms. Pac-Man, and she's not in the original Pac-Man. But be careful on character cameo submissions with compilation games.

NBA Jam (Multiplatform)

Famous Person (Bill Clinton/Al Gore): There's a code to play as President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person/Cross-Series (Various): NBA Jam contains Raiden and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, and TONS of rap/funk stars such as George Clinton, the Beastie Boys, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, etc., as hidden playable characters. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: TRUE: (GameWinners) confirms it.

NES Open Tournament Golf (NES)

Character Cameo: Essentially a Mario game anyway, but worth noting that Donkey Kong takes care of the prize money in the Club House. (Credit: Mark Kelly)

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Neverhood, The (PC)

Music (Revolution #9): There's a track in the OST called "Resolution Number 8" which is a reference to the Beatles song "Revolution #9". In fact, the whole song (if you can call it that) is a parody of the Beatles track. It's a series of non-sequential sounds and instrument loops layered over a man repeating "Number 8 Number 8 Number 8 Number 8" over and over again. The Beatles track was pretty much the same only the man repeated "Number 9", not "Number 8". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Nightshade (NES)

Famous Person (Bruce Lee): The Ninja Mistress mentions Bruce Lee in her battle introduction. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (Don Giovanni): If you examine that statue between the two Anubis Statues in the Gallery, Nightshade says it looks like a prop from Don Giovanni. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (Goldfinger): The regular gentlemen enemies throw their hats like Odd Job from the James Bond movie, Goldfinger. (Credit: Codie Martin & Will B) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (David and Goliath): The name of the Bouncer Boss is Goliath. Of course, this is a reference to the giant from the Bible. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

TV Shows (Get Smart): When you use the phone booth and your popularity's in the blue zone, an elevator in the booth lowers Nightshade into Vortex's hideout, probably a Get Smart reference. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Nights into Dreams (Saturn)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): The default names in the high score table are Sonic, Knuckles, Miles, Amy, and Eggman, a reference to the Sonic series. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Ninja Gaiden (NES/SNES)

Programmers: If you look very carefully at the wall in Bomberhead's room, you can see the word "TECMO", the developers of the game, written across the top and bottom of it. They didn't do such a good job on the "M", but the "T", "E", "C", and "O" are very clear. This is easiest to see on the SNES version that's included with Ninja Gaiden Trilogy, and I have a screenshot of this with one of the "TECMO"'s circled in red: (Screenshot) Status: TRUE: Screenshot proves it.

Movie (Alien): You may have seen this on the "Switched at Birth: Aliens" article, but the demon statues look very much like H.R. Giger's Alien. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Ninja Gaiden 2: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES/SNES)

Character Cameos: The bosses of the original Ninja Gaiden, the Malice Four, all make cameos as regular enemies in Ninja Gaiden 2. Barbarian, the first boss who is a hunchbacked ninja carrying a large sword, is first seen in Level 1 pacing back and forth on various platforms. The other three all make their first appearances in Level 3, the inside of the Tower of Lahja. Bomberhead is the guy who stands on top of pillars and hurls a whirling blade at you. Basaquer is the one that runs onto the screen from the right, then leaps over you and rains down a bunch of daggers. Bloody Malth is the horned guy that shoots a fireball at you that, if you jump

over it, returns to him like a boomerang. In fact, the only boss of Ninja Gaiden who does not appear in this game in some form at all is the Masked Devil. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Aliens): I mentioned this in the Switched at Birth: Aliens article, but the scene where Ryu meets Jaquio looks a lot like the scene in Aliens where Ripley meets the Alien Queen. With the way Jaquio's head is looking down and those spiderleg-like adornments on his robe stick out to the sides, he even resembles the Alien Queen. This could be coincidence, but consider the Alien-like Statues in Ninja Gaiden and the Chestburster in Ninja Gaiden 3, and the connection seems all the more likely. Status: Bizarre Coincidence?: But for comparison, here is a (Screenshot) from Ninja Gaiden 2 and a (Screen Capture) of the scene from Aliens in question.

Movie (The Terminator): Robert is so obviously modeled after Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator. Status: TRUE: Unlike the above scenario, I don't even think this one's debatable. They're wearing the same exact clothes! See Oddities 29 for picture comparison.

Art (The Scream): The image in the background of the Jaquio fight is based on Edvard Munch's "The Scream". Status: TRUE: Pictures prove it: (Ninja Gaiden 2 Screenshot) (The Scream)

Ninja Gaiden 3: The Ancient Ship of Doom (NES/SNES)

Movie (Alien): When you beat Clancy's first form, a creature that looks exactly like an Alien Chestburster pops out of the wall. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. Note: This looks even more like a Chestburster on the SNES Trilogy version, due to the added color, but I don't have a screenshot of that one.

Ninja Warriors, The (SNES)

Movie (The Terminator): The cyborg skeletons of the Ninja Warriors were obviously modeled after the Terminator.

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. Too similar to be coincidence.

Norse by Norsewest: The Return of the Lost Vikings/The Lost Vikings 2 (Multiplatform)

Movie (North by Northwest): The title of the Playstation version of the game is a reference to the Alfred Hitchcock movie, North by Northwest. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Star Wars): At the end of the second stage, one of the vikings asks the witch, "Do we have to do this every time?" The witch replies, "Teleporting people isn't like dusting crops, boy", which is a take on Han Solo's "Space flight isn't like dusting crops, boy." (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Movie (Back to the Future): When you find the time machine, it says one of the required pieces is the "Flush Capacitor", which is a take on the "Flux Capacitor" from Back to the Future. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Movie (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back): The line "We don't need their scum" is from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in the scene where one of Darth Vader's men comments on the Bounty Hunters he's hired to find Luke and his friends. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (N64)

Cross-Series (Kartia/Rhapsody): Some of the randomly-generated character names are references to characters in other games published by Atlus. One is "Lacryma" from Kartia, and another is "Crowdia" from Rhapsody. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): I've also seen the names "Mario" and "Kong" appear, which are probably references to the Nintendo characters. (Nintendo published the game in America.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Omikron: The Nomad Soul (DC)

Famous Person (David Bowie/Iman): David Bowie stars as two main characters in this game, the lead singer of the Dreamers and Boz, and his wife, Iman, makes a cameo as a playable character. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. I should also note that one of David Bowie's songs in this game, "Something in the Air", was used for the end credits of the movie, Memento.

Outrun (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Various): Sega jumped on the billboard bandwagon by placing billboards promoting their other arcade games throughout the game. Example: Hang On. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Out Zone (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Zero Wing): The first level has Toaplan's grape-looking mascot from Zero Wing hidden in a rock. (Credit: rockmanzallz) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Sky Shark): The second level has Sky Shark's WWII biplanes that come and help you when you shoot the bushes in a certain order. (Credit: rockmanzallz) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Truxton): On level four, the Truxton ship will come and help you when you destroy the first barrier. I don't know the conditions needed to do so, I accidentally did it one day. (Credit: rockmanzallz) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Zero Wing): And if you keep your character alive long enough, the Zero Wing ship (Zig-01) flies across the screen, and leaves a trail of 5000 point markers behind when you shoot it. (Credit: rockmanzallz) Status: Unverified

Pac-Man (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Galaxian): One of the bonus items is a Galaxian. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (SNES)

Specific Reference: You can play the arcade versions of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man in this game. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Pac-Man World (PS1)

Cross-Series (Galaxian/Dig Dug): The Galaxian bonus item is also included in this game, and so is the "Pooka" character from Dig Dug. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Paladin's Quest (SNES)

Music (Carmina Burana): The background music that's used for the temples and the crystal labyrinth is quite similar to the third movement of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, "Veris leta facies". I'm not sure if the similarity was intentional, because the songs aren't exactly the same, but the similarity is so remarkable, I thought it was worth mentioning. Status: Bizarre Coincidence?: See (Oddities 27) for comparison.

Panzer Dragoon Saga (Saturn)

Specific Reference: If you find the final secret form of the dragon, (which shouldn't be too hard, considering where you can go and what you can do is very limited in this game) it's exactly that of the dragon from the first Panzer Dragoon game. Same colors, patterns, and markings. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (2001: A Space Odyssey): When the FMV scene shows the close-up of the tower, it's VERY reminiscent of the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey, right down to the similar shape and color, and the sun shining behind it. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Aliens): This game also contains a scene of characters running down a hallway, being chased by a monster that's bouncing off the walls. At the end of the hallway is an elevator they run into, then close the door shut on the monster at the last possible moment. This seems like a rip-off of a similar scene in Aliens, which has gotten parodied in a lot of other things, too. Azel's hairdo kind of looks like an Alien head, too. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: There are quite a few items in this game that are named after people who worked on it. There are far too many for me to list right now, but the one most people would be familiar with is Stolarium, which is named after ex-Sega of America President, Bernie Stolar. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Paper Mario (N64)

Specific Reference (Yoshi's Cookie): The "Big Cookie" that can be made by Tayce T. has a picture of two cookies from the puzzle game Yoshi's Cookie. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference (Luigi's Mansion): There's a Luigi's Mansion (Gamecube) reference in Paper Mario in Luigi's Journal. This was before Luigi's Mansion came out. (Credit: JG Shady) Status: Unverified: Luigi's Mansion was probably in the planning stages at the time.

TV Shows (TMNT): The Koopa Brothers look like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: Too many similarities to be coincidence. See (Oddities 28) for picture comparison.

Character Cameo: Once again, 8-bit Mario makes a small cameo. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: Unverified

Parasite Eve (PS1)

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy): From the helicopter viewpoint when selecting what area to go to, there is a banner of a Chocobo (also named) hanging over the museum's front door. Oddly enough, when you go to the close up screen to enter the building, that gigantic banner is nowhere to be seen. (Credit: jup) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy): In the museum on day 5, you can find a Chocobo statue hidden in one of the displays. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Parasite Eve 2 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy): There is a reference to Cactuars before you go to Dryfield, and you can acquire the Gunblade from FF8. There is also a computing magazine called Aeris, and a Cloud anti-virus.(Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Einhander): When you're in a small town somewhere in the Mojave Desert on the first disc, go into one of the stores and you'll find a pinball machine with an Einhander theme. You won't be able to play it, though. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Products (Coca-Cola): You can find Coca-Cola ads and cans all over the place. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Mendel): Mendel was the name of the guy who discovered the princibles behind genetic inheritance. Except for the part about Neo-Mitochondria, all the stuff about mitochondria and vector virii is true, even the stuff about mitochondria possibly being a parasite, and 2% of our DNA contributed by retro virii. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Parodius Da! (FC/SFC)

Music (Various): This soundtrack contains Ushavtem Mayim, Farandole, and part of the Nutcracker Suite, among other songs. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Perfect Dark (N64)

Cross-Series (Goldeneye 007): The Carrington Institute has a display case with weapons from Goldeneye 007 in it. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): DK Mode makes an appearance, causing you and your enemies to have enlarged heads and arms like Donkey Kong. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: Verified by Crawl and 1000.

Phantasy Star 4 (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Fantasy Zone): The main theme music from Fantasy Zone plays in one of the towns, and is called Pao-Pao in the sound test, which is just a rearranged spelling of Opa-Opa, Fantasy Zone's hero. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): There are books on the bookshelf in Saya's house that reference Sonic the Hedgehog, Ecco the Dolphin, and Golden Axe. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Sonic Screenshot) (Ecco Screenshot) (Golden Axe Screenshot)

Character Cameo: Either Sega wanted to give Wren another chance and try to get it right this time, or he was everyone's favorite character, because Wren is from Phantasy Star III. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The second part of the Air Castle is set up like it was in the original Phantasy Star, only flipped upsidedown. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: In the lower areas of The Edge, there's a fairly uncommon enemy called "Prophallous" that looks almost exactly like Darkfalz in Phantasy Star. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: There's a mechanical humanoid enemy in Kuran called "Siren 386" (othe r versions may be elsewhere). Siren was an evil version of Wren in Phantasy Star III. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: In Myst Vale, there's a musk cat that says "I can get the top off this bottle, meow." In Phantasy Star, Myau had a dilemma where he couldn't get the top off the bottle of Odin's medicine. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (PS4 Screenshot) (PS1 Screenshot)

Character Cameo: Myau from Phantasy Star is the giant musk cat that gives you the Silver Tusk. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Phantasy Star On-Line (Multiplatform)

Music: The background music to the VR Spaceship has pieces of older Phantasy Star tunes remixed into it. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: There are weapons called the "Nei Claw" and "Rika Claw" after the Newmans from Phantasy Stars II and IV. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): Sonic, Tails and Knuckles will show up on Sonic's Birthday, March 5th, I believe. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Picross NP (SFC)

# Cross-Series (Various): There were 8 games in this Japan-only series of puzzlers. All 8 had the same Mario demo puzzle at the beginning. They also all had a character mode with 12 puzzles based on a Nintendo series. They were as follows: Vol. 1: Pokmon

# Vol. 2: Yoshi's Story # Vol. 3: Kirby # Vol. 4: StarFox 64 # Vol. 5: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time # Vol. 6: Super Mario 64 # Vol. 7: Wario Land 2 # Vol. 8: Donkey Kong Country (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Pikmin (GCN)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Captain Olimar looks alot like Mario and his name is similar to Mario's except for the "L". (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO & Fenrir X: In Japanese, "Olimar (O-Ri-Ma-)" is "Mario (Ma-Ri-O)" backwards.

Cross-Series (Pokmon): The front of Captain Olimar's ship is a Pokeball. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from (Gamecube Galaxy) proves it.

Console (Gamecube): Olimar's ship is called the Dolphin, yet another reference to the Dolphin project. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Pilotwings 64 (N64)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): You can hit one of the faces on Mt. Rushmore to change it into a Mario head. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Comics (Howard & Nester): Lark is said to actually be Nester from the Nintendo Power comics of old. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Programmers: The female instructor with the large breasts was named Hooter in the Japanese version, but when the game was released in the US, her name was changed to Robin. What was the inspiration for that name? A Nintendo game play counselor named Robin Krause. Her picture is shown in a magazine where that fact is revealed. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Pinball (NES)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): In the bonus stage, you play a strange Arkanoid-type game in which Mario supports the paddle. (Credit: Yoichi) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): The girl Mario saves in the bonus stage is Pauline from Donkey Kong. Note: Site reader James Format thought the girl also resembled Olive from Nintendo's arcade version of Popeye, and he sent in this (picture) for proof. I still think the girl is most likely Pauline, but I'll leave this picture up for comparisons, too. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: The playing cards on the pinball table all have the letter "N" on them. Perhaps this is a reference to the fact that Nintendo used to manufacture playing cards? (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Pitfall! (Atari 2600)

Movie (Tarzan): Pitfall Harry's "yell" is based on Tarzan. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Multiplatform)

Specific Reference: The white scorpions from the original Pitfall are in this game and they look exactly like the Atari 2600 graphic. Additionally, the entire original Pitfall game is hidden in Mayan Adventure, too. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Character Cameo: **MAJOR SPOILER** When you beat the game and rescue Pitfall Harry, he looks exactly like his Atari 2600 sprite! Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Planet Harriers (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Fantasy Zone): Opa Opa is an unlockable character, and also shows up at the continue screen. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Plok (SNES)

Movie (Rocky): When you get the boxing glove powerup, it plays part of the Rocky theme song. (Credit: Pero the Cat) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. I should also note that this powerup is called "Plocky" in the manual.

Pocket Fighter (PS1)

Cross-Series (Mega Man/DarkStalkers): Felicia changes into Mega Man, Rikuo (Darkstalkers), Sasquatch (Darkstalkers), and Huitzil (Darkstalkers) in her attacks. (Credit Flying Omelette & Pokejedservo) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Various): Many characters from Darkstalkers, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter 2 and more appear in the backgrounds of the game: # Restaurant Level: Dhalsim, Adon, Charlie, Fei Long, Bishimon, Rolento, Birdie, Gen, M. Bison # Bar Level: Dee Jay, E. Honda, Huitzil, Cammy, Guile, Nash, Birdie, Rose, Rolento, Guy, June, M. Bison, Sagat # Desert Level: Peco, Ryu (from Breath of Fire 3), Roll, Rock, Oro, Rush, Mega Man, Mega Man X, Devilot, Zero # Toy Shop Level: Balrog, M. Bison, Cammy, Talbain, B.B. Hood, Donovan, Anita # Ski Resort Level: Vega, Balrog, M. Bison, Sasquatch, Bishimon, Sodom # Beach House Level: Dhalsim, Sasquatch, Blanka, Ryoko, Elena # Mansion Level: Dmitri # Den Level: Lion (from Red Earth), Felicia, Lilith # Dark Castle Level: Talbain (Credit: Flying Omelette & Pokejedservo) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Resident Evil): Chun-Li changes into Jill Valentine from Resident Evil in one of her attacks. (Credit: Pokejedservo) Status: Unverified

Point Blank (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Dig Dug): There is a level based on the arcade game Dig Dug. The bizarre Pooka creatures pop out of the ground (as do the dinosaur monsters) and the background music is a remix of the original Dig Dug theme tune. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Point Blank 3 (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Various): Several famous Namco characters make cameos in PB3; among them Rick from Splatterhouse, Mappy from Mappy, and Kagekiyo from The Genji And The Heike Clans. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Pokemon Blue/Red/Yellow (GB)

Console (SNES): Ash has a Super NES in his bedroom. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Jackie Chan/Bruce Lee): Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee were named after Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Famous Person (Marcel Marceau): The first Mr. Mime that you get is named "Marcel", which is a reference to the famous mime, Marcel Marceau. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Mario & Wario): In Saffron City, in the Copycat's house, if you go to her SNES, it'll say "It's Mario wearing a bucket on his head" which is a reference to the Super Famicom game, "Mario and Wario". (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Jesse James): Yellow version only: Jessie and James are named after the famous historical figure, "Jesse James". (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Common knowledge.

Movie (Stand By Me): Stand by Me is referenced on a TV screen: "There's a movie on TV. Four boys are walking on railroad tracks. I better go too." (Credit: Fenrir X)

Status: Unverified

Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal (GBC)

Character Cameo: Red and Blue (from Pokemon R/B) make their appearances as trainers. Blue is the 8th gym leader in Kanto because of Giovanni's mysterious disappearance, and the trainer that's at the end of Mt. Silver is Red, a reference to the hero of the red version. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: There's a way to get Carrie from Pokemon Stadium 2 to go to the Battle House in Viridian City. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: At the end of the game when you go to Mt. Silver, there are just two people there, an old woman and a younger one. They aren't named, but the implication is that they are Agatha and Lorelei, the two members of the Elite Four from the first game who are missing from Gold/Silver. (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire (GBA)

Console (Gamecube): There's a Gamecube with a Gameboy Advance plugged into it in the houses of your character and Brendan/May. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Character Cameo: Pryce and Whitney from Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal can be seen in the crowd during the second half of the Pokemon Contest. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: There's a man in Littleroot who brags about how science is staggering. He sounds like the man who brags in almost the same way in Pallet Town in Red/Blue/Yellow and Gold/Silver/Crystal. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Literature (Sherlock Holmes): Wattson (the third gym leader) is based on Sherlock Holmes's assistant. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Movie (Big): The movie Big is referenced on the television in your character's house: "There is a movie on TV. Two men are dancing on a big piano keyboard. Better get going!" (Credit: Fenrir X) Status: Unverified

Pokemon Stadium 2 (N64)

Cross-Series (Various): In "My Room" mode, you can decorate your room from Gold/Silver/Crystal with the items you collect, but in full 3D. When you use one of the game consoles, you can see games from that console on the TV screen. They are: # NES: Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., Kirby's Adventure, Legend of Zelda # SNES: Super Mario World, F-Zero, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Kirby Super Star # N64: Super Mario 64, Wave Race 64, StarFox 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Pole Position (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Various): Namco scattered billboards promoting several of their arcade games throughout the game (ex: Dig Dug). (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Pole Position 2 (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Various): Namco again scattered billboards promoting several of their arcade games throughout the game (ex: The Tower Of Druaga). (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Populous (SNES)

Console (Various): The Bit Plains is a world that has computers instead of houses, and some of the "computers" include GameBoys, Famicoms, NES's, Super Famicom's, and Super NES's. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Powerpuff Girls: Bad Mojo Jojo (GBC)

TV Shows (The Jetsons): George Jetson is among the captives you can save throughout the game. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Products (Various): Some of the passwords are names of online stores, ie. "EBWORLD" and "TOYSRUSCOM". (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Power Stone 2 (DC)

Literature (Pinnochio): One of the characters, Pete, has a storyline similar to that of Pinnochio. He was a puppet that came to life and is now trying to save his life and become a real boy. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Punch-Out!! (NES/Arcade)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): In the NES version, Mario is the referee. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): In the arcade version, Donkey Kong is in the audience. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Look Sharp March): The title theme and demo music is the Gillette "Look Sharp March". (Credit: Minerva K Red) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO and Facilitypro. Note: I actually knew about this one for a long time. The reason I never added it to the database is because I wasn't sure of the exact name of the song or where it was from. I knew it was used in Gillette commercials, but I wasn't sure if they made it up or got it from somewhere else.

Movie (Rocky): When Little Mac gets too beat up, he clearly looks like Rocky at the end of the first movie, especially with the way his eye is swollen over. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Resemblance too strong to be coincidence. Punch-Out!! was no doubt inspired a bit by the Rocky series. (Screenshot)

Programmers: Doc's infamous line, "Join the Nintendo Fun Club!" is a reference to the Nintendo Fun Club News Letter, which eventually became Nintendo Power magazine. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: If you enter the code 800-422-2602 as a password, you'll get a busy signal. This used to be Nintendo's Consumer Service Phone Number. It's an inside joke, because apparently, it was always busy and hard to get a call through. (Credit: Sedgewick) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Sakura): Piston Honda's theme is a traditional Japanese song called "Sakura". (Credit: SethraShnoo) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Puss n Boots: Pero's Great Adventure (NES)

Literature (Around the World in 80 Days): The Puss N Boots game is based on a Japanese anime produced by Toei Animation sometime in the 70s, and it, in turn, is based loosely on the book "Around The World In 80 Days". The US game's plot is changed, however. In the US game, Pero once worked in Count Gruemont's castle. However, one day Count Gruemont found a mouse in his castle, and being the mouse hater he is, he sent Pero to kill it. Pero let the mouse go outside the castle, and Gruemont got so angry he sent Pero back in time, so he is trying to reach Gruemont's time ship at the Statue of Liberty. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: See (Oddities 6) for more information on this. There was also an episode of Captain N: The Game Master based on Puss n Boots, which I have (reviewed) in the Cartoons section. Also, the American subtitle of the game is "Pero's Great Adventure", but in the Japanese version, it was "Around the World in 80 Days". Finally, Pero's name in the Japanese version is "Perrault". He was named after Charles Perrault, the author of "Around the World in 80 Days".

Pyramid (NES)

Music (Unknown): The main theme song of Pyramid is a common "Egyptian"-sounding tune that's been used in countless cartoons, TV shows, movies, etc. I have no idea what it's called, but it should sound very familiar to you. Status: TRUE: (Midi) proves it.

Qix (GB)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Get a high score, and Mario will appear in a desert scene, wearing a sombrero and playing a guitar. You also get different Mario "dressup" images for each 100,000 you get in a game. 100,000 is Mexican Mario, 200,000 is African Mario. Unfortunately I have not gotten 300,000 or 400,000 yet, but apparently there are new pictures at these two hi-scores as well. (Credit: Flying Omelette & Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Mario and Luigi appear in the Link-Up multiplayer game as player 1 and 2. (Credit: Mark Kelly)

Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Quest For Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero? (PC)

Cross-Series (King's Quest 4): (EGA version only): Type "Laugh" at the parser while in Erasmus's house to get the message, "This is a serious game, Rosella". Rosella being the main character in King's Quest IV. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Maniac Mansion): The town's resident pub is called the SCUMM bar. SCUMM being LucasArts' proprietary adventure game scripting engine (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion), which rivalled Sierra's SCI (Sierra Character Interface?) at the time. SCUMM was used for classic point-and-click adventures such as Broken Sword 1 and 2, Flight of the Amazon Queen, and Sam and Max, as the system actually evolved throughout the years.(Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: (VGA version only): Looking at the lamp in the inn tells you that it's for rent, and that you should inquire in Quest for Glory II. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: (VGA version only): Looking at the empty patch on the ground tells you that Ali Chica (QFG2) once set up store here. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (The Three Stooges): The 3 guards attempting to cut you off in the bandit hideout are spitting images of Larry, Curly, and Moe, the Three Stooges. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The Sundries store shopkeeper is reading a book; when asked about it he says it's entitled "Quest for Glory: A Hero's Death". (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Literature (Baba Yaga): Baba Yaga is the same cannibalistic, polymorphing witch character from English children's folklore. Although the real Baba Yaga doesn't have a talking skull helper, this game's rendition of the witch also has the characteristic bird-legged hut, which also responds to the ditty "Hut of Brown Now Sit Down". (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Codename: Iceman): At mirror lake, you can sometimes see the periscope of a submarine which then proceeds to run aground and sink. This one refers to Codename: Iceman. You do get to pilot a submarine in that game, and it's annoyingly easy to die by running aground. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (EcoQuest): Also at mirror lake, you can sometimes see a dolphin. Looking at it tells you that it's Delphinus the dolphin from EcoQuest, and it's asking for directions back to its game. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Loch Ness Monster): Also at mirror lake, you can catch the Loch Ness Monster. It can't find the way to Loch Ness. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Dinosaurs): (VGA version only): Sometimes, when walking along the path east of town, you will encounter a miniature Earl Sinclair (from that old sitcom Dinosaurs). You can encounter him twice a day, when he's going to work, and when he's going home from work. Complete with ground shaking. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Looney Tunes): Thieves only: One of the houses you can break into (belongs to a nice old lady) contains a cat and a bird in a cage, references to Warner Brother's Tweety and Sylvester. Examine/talk to them for more references. Save before doing this, as they can KILL YOU. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: (VGA version only): You can ask Sam the Beggar about Silmaria, the setting of Quest for Glory V. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Steven Spielberg): (VGA version only): You can also ask Sam about "cider", to which he tells you about a guy named Amblin from Spielburg who started a cider company. Amblin Entertainment was the company that Steven Spielberg started as a private venture. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Movie (Monty Python & the Holy Grail): The Gargoyle that guards Erasmus's tower does a mean "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" bridgekeeper routine. He specifically asks you "What is your name?" and "What is your quest?".You can't make him commit suicide, however, so answer truthfully. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Monkey Island): Answers to the Gargoyle's question includes the line "to become a pirate", which illicits a response straight from Monkey Island. In the VGA version, the Gargoyle says "Boy, have you got the wrong game", and then sends you down the mountain to your death a la Holy Grail. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (King's Quest 4): Amongst Erasmus's curios is a Rosella Stone. Pun on Rosella from King's Quest IV, as well as the famous real life archeological find. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Space Quest): As the adventurer's guildmaster tells you, one of the monster trophies was earned and donated by the "Two Guys from Andromeda", the programmers of the Space Quest series. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: The Black Falcon Statue is amongst the brigand's treasure hoarde. It appears in every QFG game. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Programmers: The finale of the game has the game's producers amongst the cast (more apparent in the VGA version). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Quest For Glory 2: Trial By Fire (PC)

Literature (Mother Goose): Right clicking on the candle in the menu screen tells you that it belongs to "Jack B. Nimble". You know, the guy who's being nimble, the guy who's being quick, the guy who jumped over the candlestick? (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Star Trek): Our heroes have a near miss with the USS Enterprise from Star Trek during the intro movie. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Programmers: The city of Rasier is an anagram of Sierra. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

# Famous Person (Marx Brothers): The Marx Brothers are programmed into the game. Here's where to find them: Chico Marx: Ali Chica, the annoying salesman who doesn't seem to have anything other than a map and compass. # Groucho Marx: Ali Fakir, who sells you the green saurus. # Harpo Marx: Turn the "Silly Clowns" option on, then explore the streets of Shapier, particularly the T-Junctions. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Merv Griffin): Shoot the Griffin with a targeted magic spell to wake him up and learn that its name is "Merv the Griffin". I wonder if that film production company's still around. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Programmers: Producers Corey and Lori Cole appear as ration sellers Scoree and Sloree in the Fountain Plaza. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Literature (Roget's Thesaurus): When the Saurus follows you into Aziza's abode, you learn that it's name is "Roget the Saurus" (Roget's Thesaurus). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Star Trek): A model of the USS Enterprise is in the magic shop. The game sarcastically tells you it's the USS Exitprize. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (King's Quest 4): Also at the magic shop is a Rosella doll. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Also at the magic shop is a QFG1 antwerp, on a stick. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Cecil the Seasick Serpent): Also at the magic shop is a doll of Cecil the Seasick Serpent. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Harry Houdini): Wizards only: You can request that Harry Houdini be your mentor...unfortunately, he's too tied up. Literally. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Wizards only: Zara, potion seller from QFG1, is a potential mentor (refuses you). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Merlin): Wizards only: Merlin, legendary wizard, is a potential mentor (refuses you). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Wizards only: Erasmus and Fenris, the wacky wizard duo from QFG1, agree to be your mentors. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Space Quest): Ask the astrologer about the solar system model, and he'll tell you that Ortega, Phleebut and other Space Quest locales are part of it. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Real Place (Stock Market): Yes, that's a stock market chart on the astrologer's wall. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Conquests of Camelot): Mirages in the desert include a dead King Arthur from Sierra's Conquests of Camelot. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Products (Microsoft): In Rasier, the windows above the plazas are made by the MS Window Corp. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: The Black Falcon Statue which appears in every single QFG game is the one that Ferrari asks you to steal. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken)

Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Beavis and Butthead): After stealing the statue, you can "Give Ferrari the Bird", Beavis and Butthead style. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Quest For Glory 3: Wages of War (PC)

Specific Reference: There's a silly clown in the inn. Reference to the Silly Clown option in QFG2. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Music (White Rabbit): Note the music playing in the apothecary; it's an actual song about drug abuse. It's entitled "White Rabbit", circa 1960's, by Jefferson Airplane. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Smokey the Bear): Use the rest option in the savanna, light a fire, sleep awhile, and then attempt to leave without putting it out first. You'll see Smokey the Elephant (rendition of Smokey the Bear, wilderness fire prevention mascot) chide you about preventing forest fires in a death screen that turns out to be a test. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Laura Bow): The weapon store is selling "Lara bows" and "Daggers from the Aman Ra tribe". This refers to another of Sierra's adventures, "Laura Bow: The Dagger of Amon Ra". (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Sanford & Son): Sanford and Son, straight from the TV show, run the junk shop. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Stuff in the junk store includes the Black Falcon Statue, which appears in every QFG game. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Products (SPAM): Inventory check: The icon representing your rations shows cans of SPIM. This is a poke at the real life canned processed pork product SPAM. SPIM is also an in-game acronym for "Special Portion Instant Meal". Isn't that what SPAM is as well? (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: You can find signs in the wilderness that tell you Shapier is about 5,000 miles in (direction). Shapier is the setting of QFG2. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (King's Quest): Repeatedly looking at a tree tells you that it's a DavenTree. Daventry is the setting of the King's Quest series. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (The Pink Panther): Kill a giant ant, then examine its body. You get an old, lame joke about the Pink Panther song ("Dead ant, dead ant...dead ant...well, you get the idea.") (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Ask the apothecary owner about his dream to get him to talk about a tree, which turns into a woman. Reference to Julunar the tree girl in Quest for Glory 2. You can also tell him about her once he mentions this. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken)

Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Sierra loves to predate itself: Rakeesh and his wife will tell you about Shakra, who has set up shop in Silmaria. You won't get to visit Silmaria until QFG 5. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken)

Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Leisure Suit Larry): To get a Leisure Suit Larry reference, attempt to buy an "amulet that would make any woman want to kiss you" from the dubious amulet seller. The game will tell you that you're "playing the wrong Sierra game". In one of the earlier LSL's, you ALSO buy a good luck charm from a dubious charm seller with the same promise. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Laurel & Hardy): You can encounter Laurel and Hardy (as Ollie and Stanley), looking for the French Foregin Legion, whilst sleeping in the wilderness. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Sometimes, you can come across traps that you can spring for no apparent reason whatsoever. The traps are reminiscent of the one you freed the talking fox from back in QFG1. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Quest For Glory 4: Shadows of Darkness (PC)

Cross-Series (The Castle of Dr. Brain): A brochure in the adventurer's guild is for Sierra's puzzle game "The Castle of Doctor Brain". And speaking of Doctor Brain, you'll encounter his ancestor, Dr. Crainium, in town. His house is laden with puzzles that also dot his descendant's abode. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Feed fake info into the TRAP device in Dr. Crainium's house. One of the possible critters you can ID is Smokey the Elephant from QFG3. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Click on any chandelier in the game to get the message "Your chandelier swinging days are over". Reference to QFG1, where you used this method to knock the 3 Stooges (see corresponding QFG1 cameo) senseless. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Katrina mentions something about being kicked out of the Wizard's Institute of Technocery. Reference to QFG2. Now you know what's with that blank picture there. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Movie (Monty Python & the Holy Grail): A monster you can encounter is the vorpal bunny, a white rabbit with blood on its mouth. Reference to the rabbit in the cave of Caennerborg, a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Baba Yaga (your nemesis in QFG1) is also in this game, playing a bit part. The witch isn't too happy about being chased away. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Gabriel Knight): See that hanged man outside Baba Yaga's abode? It also appeared in Gabriel Knight. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: One of Dr. Crainium's conversation options refers to an antwerp population explosion in Spielburg. Spielburg is the setting of QFG1...and YOU were the one who caused it (see corresponding QFG1 cameo). You can also catch an antwerp in the game. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Sierra loves to predate itself: Dr. Crainium also mentions a science guild in Silmaria. Yes, there is a science guild in Silmaria in QFG5. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Thief only: The Black Falcon Statue that appears in every QFG game appears in the monastery. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Quest For Glory 5: Dragon Fire (PC)

Cross-Series (Monkey Island): If you die from drowning, you get a death message telling you that you aren't Guybrush Threepwood. Reference to the protagonist of LucasArt's Monkey Island series, who can hold his breath underwater for 10 minutes (real time). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The cloud face guardian outside Erasmus's abode forces you to replay the scene with the guardian gargoyle in QFG1. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Literature (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy): The cloud face guardian may ask you about the Meaning of Life, to which the correct answer is 42. This one's from the HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Salim from QFG3 and Julunar from QFG2 run the apothecary. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: Sam the not-a-beggar-now from QFG1 runs the bank (!!!). Oh, and because you helped him back then, he opens an account for you with no hassle. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Programmers: You finally find the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School in 12345 Aerris Way. Aerris is Sierra spelt backwards. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Wizards only: If you have the manual from QFG3, there's a listing for the spell "Thermonuclear Blast" which cannot be learnt in that game. Well, the Famous Adventurer gives the scroll containing this spell to you if you perform a certain task (fighters and thieves get something different). Useless spell; casting = instant death. Natch. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Movie (The Lion King): There's a boar head trophy in the adventurer's guild which (according to description) makes you feel like singing Hakuna Matata. It's the head belonging to Puumba from Disney's Lion King/Timon and Puumba. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The Dead Parrot Inn is a poke at the OD'd parrot back in Rasier's Blue Parrot Inn in QFG2. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Programmers: Look past the gazebo which takes you to Erasmus's abode to see mountains that look suspiciously like those in the Sierra logo. If you click the eye icon on them you'll get "a subliminal message to buy more games". (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Literature (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde): Dr. Moebius/Dr. Praetorius (you'll find out they're one and the same later on) parallels the classic Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. You even buy two separate pizzas for them (both with different toppings) in order to please both sides of this guy. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: You can access the QFG2 Silly Clowns "option" in the game after you provide entertainment in the inn (between rites 6 and 7 I think). Does nothing but give you stupid messages in this game, however. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: You get not 1, but 2 Black Falcon Statues this game. Thieves only: You start with one (the fake one that seems to be around every other game). Everyone: It's in the governor's mansion treasure room. It COULD be the real one, but nobody ever confirms it. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Radiant Silvergun (Saturn)

Cross-Series (R-Type): The boss of 3-C is based on the ship from R-Type. It has a fat single shot that it needs to charge. It also has the R-Type II style wave charge shot. It has a satellite orb in front of it as a shield (reference to the force). It fires little missiles. And it has the three power ups that you can get in R-Type: Lasers that bounce off walls at 45 degrees, attacks that go along the walls, and a straightfoward round shot. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. There are too many similarities for it to be a coincidence.

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy Tactics): One of the pieces of music from this game is taken from Final Fantasy Tactics, the "2C thru E" theme. They both have the same composer (Hitoshi Sakimoto). (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Rad Mobile (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Sonic the Hedgehog): Sonic hangs from the mirror while you race. (Credit: Michael Morrissette) Status: Unverified

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Atari 2600)

Cross-Series (Yars Revenge): Walk off the Flying Saucer Mesa and drop the Chai. The Yar from Yars Revenge will appear. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: Howard Scott Warshaw hid his initials in this game, too. I think you have to get the Yar to appear and then beat the game. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Rampart (FC)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): The Famicom version is different from the NES version because it was made by Konami. In the main menu for the Famicom version, the icon you use to select options is Konami Man's head. (Credit: Arnold & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Reliable Source, (OPCFG).

Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (PS2)

Cross-Series (Jak & Daxter): A large portrait of fellow platformers Jak & Daxter can be found in Clank's apartment. (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 (PS2)

Famous Person (Bill Clinton): Bill Clinton is one of the hidden playable boxers. He's called "Mr. President". (Credit: Ragnorak-X) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Various): Michael Jackson, Shaquille O' Neal, and Hilary Clinton also make appearances as hidden characters. (Credit: Rick L)

Status: Unverified

Resident Evil 2 (PS1)

Character Cameo: Brad Vickers, the helicopter pilot from the first game, appears in RE2 as a zombie if certain requirements are met. (Credit: Ace Whatever) Status: Unverified

Return Fire (PS1)

Music/Movie (Various): Return Fire uses classical music for a lot of its tracks, including, "Flight of the Valkyries", "Overture of 1812", and "The William Tell Overture". Not only are these cameos in themselves, but flying in a helicopter with "Ride of the Valkyries" playing is taken from a scene in Apocalypse Now. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Revelations: The Demon Slayer (GB)

Mythology (Biblical): The Gaia Masters' names all come from biblical sources. Raphael and Michael were angels. Baal and Mephist (Mephisto?) were false gods, and Lucifer is a fallen angel also known as Satan. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources confirm it.

Revenge of Shinobi, The (Genesis)

Movie (Rambo): The bad guys with flamethrowers are Rambo. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Movie (The Terminator): The Terminator is one of the bosses, and he slowly turns green as you attack him, like the Incredible Hulk. (Credit: Andy Thorley)

Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Spider-Man/Batman): Spider-Man is one of the bosses, and after you beat him he will, for some reason, turn into Batman. Batman was taken out of the PAL release and replaced with Goliath from Gargoyles. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Rez (DC/PS2)

Cross-Series (Space Channel 5): There's an unlockable morolian form, a bad guy from Space Channel 5. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (PS1)

Cross-Series (Tail Concerto): In the town of RedHot, there's a sign in the town's General Store that says, "TAIL CONCERTO", which is another PS1 game made by the same company that produced Rhapsody. Also, Miss Myao's kittens look exactly like the kittens in Tail Concerto. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Thousand Arms): In the town of Oasis there's a sign that says something like, "THOUSAN...AR...I can't read it, the sign is too dirty!" I'm sure that it's supposed to say THOUSAND ARMS, another PS1 game made by Atlus. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: Some treasure chests sing, "Atlus USA!" when you try to open them. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Comics (Spawn): The puppet you get through the mail-order club, Dark Knight, is clearly a ripoff of Todd McFarlane's Spawn. He's like a super-deformed version of Spawn. (Screenshot)

Status: TRUE: If the similar looks aren't enough evidence that someone who worked on this game was a fan of Spawn, the comic book itself is spoofed when Cornet looks at a bookshelf and says, "Look at all the comic books! They even have SPOON #!" That MUST be a spoof of Spawn. Otherwise, it doesn't make any sense. (Screenshot)

Ridge Racer (PS1)

Cross-Series (Galaxian): You play a mini version of Galaxian while the game is loading (kill all the Galaxians to unlock hidden cars!) (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Programmers: The hall-of-fame message spells out RIDGE RACER PSX NAMCO. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Ridge Racer 5 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Pac-Man): One of the music tracks that plays during the race is a remix of the Pac-Man theme. (Credit: PenguinMan26) Status: Unverified

Ridge Racer 64 (N64)

TV Shows (Transformers): One of the trucks on the side of the road is based on the famous Autobot Leader Optimus Prime from Transformers. There's also, supposedly, a reference to the Transformers movie and Peter Cullen, the voice actor of Optimus Prime, in a movie theater on one of the courses. Status: TRUE: Several sources have confirmed this is true, including the (ZMFTS Homepage).

Ridge Racer Revolution (PS1)

Cross-Series (Galaga): Same as Ridge Racer, but this time it's a mini version of Galaga '88. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Klonoa: Door to Phantomile): The track "Phantomile" is based on Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Pac-Man/Dig Dug): There are Pac-Man and Pooka (of Dig-Dug fame) statues near the finish line in the "Phantomile" track. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous: The track "Shooting Hoops" is most likely an NBA reference (explains that the track is in Los Angeles) and the track looks like a basketball hoop. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): The default decals are all based on Namco games (ex. Bosconian). Many of the trophies in this game are based upon many of Namco's earlier games (ex. Pac-Man, Klonoa, Mappy). (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series/Music (Various): On the beginning of the "Helter Skelter / Out of Blue", there's a screen that has 3 Namco characters and the bottom blinks "Movin' On". One of them is Pooka from Dig Dug, another is Rally-X. FO's Note: "Helter Skelter" is a Beatles song, and "Out of the Blue" is an Electric Light Orchestra album title. Someone must like classic rock! (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Phozon): In the "Edge of the Earth" level, at the end of the first sharp turn, there is a skyscraper with PHOZON in neon letters, a reference to one of Namco's earlier games, Phozon. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Programmers: There's a Namco blimp from Namco Museum Vol. 1 (which is from the "Pole Position" room) in the "Phantomile" stage. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: There are Ridge Racer Type 4 and Rage Racer billboards in this game. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Galaxian): There still is a Galaxian clone in this version of Ridge Racer, and you still unlock the 8 cars from winning. (Credit: Michael Morissette) Status: Unverified

Ristar (Genesis)

Movie (The Terminator): When you beat the Kaiser and Ristar flies into space, you hear him say "Hasta la vista, baby" which is a line from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Rival Schools (PS1)

Cross-Series (Street Fighter Alpha): Sakura from Street Fighter Alpha is a playable character. (Credit: MJB817) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources confirm it.

River City Ransom (NES)

Cross-Series (Double Dragon): The "Dragon Twins" bosses are a Double Dragon reference, and their theme music is the title music from Double Dragon. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Road Fighter (FC)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): If you get through most of a course without crashing once, Konami Man will fly by on the left side of the screen and award you bonus points. (Credit: Arnold & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Reliable Source, (OPCFG).

Robopon 2 (GBA)

TV Shows (Various): The Robopon "Gundarn" is a reference to the Gundam anime. The Robopon Rider1 and RiderV are very similar to the Japanese superhero "Masked Rider." The Robopon Mock V is a reference to Speed Racer's Car, the "Mach 5". (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Mega Man): The Robopons Protopon and Soul are references to the Mega Man series. Soul is very similar to Mega Man, and his description even reads "Fight for Everlasting Peace!" (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (The Simpsons/Pokemon): The Robopon Train's description reads "Choo -Choo Choose this Robopon!", which is either a reference to the Simpsons episode where Lisa gives Ralph a card that says "I Choo-Choo Choose you!", or a Pokemon reference. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Knight Rider): The Robopon NitBoat's description reads: "A wise-talking, crimesolving boat." This is a reference to K.I.T.T. from the show "Knight Rider", about a talking, crime solving car. (Credit: MJB817)

Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Bill Gates): There is a man named Gate who owns Macro computers and has a robot dog named X-Dog. This is a reference to Bill Gates, Microsoft, and Xbox. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Real Place (Mt. Fuji): The Robopon Fujipon is a robotic version of Japan's Famous Mt. Fuji. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Bemani): The Robopon B-Mani is a reference to the popular game series. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Anime/Famous Person (Cowboy Bebop/Mick Jagger): At the area called Pond Garden you fight Jett and Spikey who are references to the anime "Cowboy Bebop." When you defeat Spikey, he even says "See you, Robopon boy!", which is similar to the line, "See you space cowboy!", that is used at the end of many episodes. In this same area, you also fight a man named Jagg, who is a reference to Mick Jagger. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Musashi/Kojiro): The Robopons Musashi and Kojiro are references to the samurais of Japanese legend. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Anime (Trigun): The character Nick D. is a reference to Nicholas D. Wolfwood from the anime Trigun. They both have very similar names and they both run orphanages. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

RoboTrek (SNES)

Cross-Series (ActRaiser 2/Illusion of Gaia): The computer in the hero's house gives you an advertisement for ActRaiser 2 and Illusion of Gaia when you turn it on. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Console (SNES): The computer used to make robots is a giant Super Famicom controller. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Castlevania): The Count has a lot of names, and one of them is "Belmont". It might be a Castlevania homage, though Robotrek was not made by Konami. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Character Cameo: Turbo the dog, from Soul Blazer, makes yet another appearance in an Enix game. He's located in Rococo town next to the Mayor's office. (Credit: Bomberguy221) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: Many Enix games have the "Phoenix" as the ultimate power. In Robotrek, the strongest sword shoots out a Phoenix. (See under ActRaiser 2 for more info.) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: The planet "Quintenix" is an obvious reference to Quintet and Enix, the developers of the game. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Albert Einstein): Dr. Einst is named after and looks like Albert Einstein. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Soul Blazer): The cats in RoboTrek look just like the cats in Soul Blazer. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Soul Blazer/Illusion of Gaia): There are some strange similarities between Robotrek, Soul Blazer, and Illusion of Gaia. Both Robotrek and Blazer have a theme about inventors and tools, and you can talk to animals in both. The final area of all three games (RoboTrek, Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia) is against an outer space "warping" background. And all three games have the same exact text font. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Illusion of Gaia): In the very end of RoboTrek, after you beat the game, there's a cut scene of Kotetsu's ship escaping from the fortress. The fortress, seen in the background before it explodes, looks alot like the Tower of Babel from Illusion of Gaia. Kotetsu's ship also has the American Super NES controller buttons on the side of the front end. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. (Note: I had earlier said that the ship looked somewhat like the one from Aliens, but now that I look at it again, I think the resemblance was coincidental because Kotetsu's ship appears to be shaped like a sword.)

Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Gradius): The "Pulsating Plasma Blaster" on stage 5 is a take on the Gradius boss. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Goemon): The platforms on stage 2 that are behind and in front of the waterfall were also featured in the Konami SNES game, Legend of the Mystical Ninja. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Bucky O'Hare): The stage 6 boss is a take on the next-to-last boss of Bucky O'Hare. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Rocket: Robot on Wheels (N64)

Real Place (Coney Island): The first area is called "Clowney Island", which is a take on "Coney Island". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Real Place (Mt. Rushmore): In the mini game "Feed The Presidents", you're throwing the apples into the mouths of nutcracker versions of the presidents' faces on Mount Rushmore. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Roland in the Caves (CPC464/6128)

Music (La Cucaracha): The theme tune is "La Cucaracha". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Roland on the Ropes (CPC464/6128)

Music (High Noon): The theme tune is "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling" from the film "High Noon". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

R-Type (Multiplatform)

Movie (Alien): The first boss (the Krell aka Double Keradops aka Gladiator aka Doppelganger, etc.) resembles the alien from the Alien movies. Status: TRUE: See (Oddities 22) for picture comparisons.

R-Type 2 (Multiplatform)

Movie (Alien): The Alien-esque Krell is back, but now its covered in armor and called the "Subatom" or "Zabtom". You can blow away its mask to reveal its face, though.

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: The tiles in the background of stage 4 of R-Type 2 read "IREM". (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

R-Type 3 (SNES/GBA)

Movie (Alien): And yet another appearance of the Alien-inspired Krell as a boss! He's even got a chestburster. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

R-Type Delta (PS1)

Cross-Series (Image Fight): The Level 4 Boss has the same type of semi-circle laser beams that the Level 1 Boss of Image Fight has. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Movie (Alien): The Alien-like Krell is back as a boss in this game, too. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. FO's Note: Please note that the Krell bosses were included multiple times because they are an Alien reference, not because they are character cameos or intra-series cameos. Stop trying to refute them! CASE CLOSED!

R-Type Final (PS2)

Cross-Series (X-Multiply): The RX-12 ship ("Cross the Rubicon") has a powerup similar to that of the ship in X-Multiply. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Various): Some of the unlockable artwork in R-Type Final is based on stuff from other games, such as Gallop and Image Fight 2. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Rygar: The Legendary Adventure (PS2)

Music: The music in most of the Necromandio Cave comes from the Gran Mountains music in Rygar for the NES. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: The pedestals that you move to unlock barriers come from the arcade version of Rygar. (Credit: ShadOtterdan) Status: Unverified

Taisen Hot Gimmick (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Sengoku Ace): Aine from Sengoku Ace has a stage (which when completed gives you the option of some rather revolting choices of removing his clothing.) (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Tales of Destiny (PS1)

Cross-Series (Tower of Druaga): There is a dungeon based on the classic Namco Arcade game Tower of Druaga. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Tales of Phantasia): Cless and Arche from Tales of Phantasia also make an appearence in a hidden quiz game. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Pac-Man): During a racing minigame in one of the towns, an odd, remixed version of the intermission music from Pac-Man plays. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Tales of Destiny 2/Tales of Eternia (PS1)

Cross-Series (Legend of Valkyrie): Valkyrie from the Namco classic Valkyrie no Densetsu appears as a secret boss. The stage leading up to her also plays the music from Valkyrie no Densetsu. (Credit: Travis Fahs) Status: Unverified

Taz-Mania (GB)

Console (Gameboy): In the game's intro, Taz can be seen holding a Game Boy. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: (www.vgmuseum.com) proves it.

Tech Romancer (DC)

Anime (Various): Some of the robots were inspired by other series. The designer/art director was a famous name in the business of Japanese Robot Design, Shoji Kawamori. He also directed things, too. One level is modeled after Trigun! I know what you're thinking; the desert can hardly be a reference, but the main thing about this background is the ship that crash landed into the desert. The ship looks identical to the one from Trigun that also crashed into the desert at a single angle (It's sticking up from the ground about 45). The other level is on the moon. The background shows a large battle occuring between two space fleets. This is most likely a reference to Mobile Suit Gundam. (Credit: Bill) Status: Unverified

Tecmo Bowl (NES)

Cross-Series (Rygar/Ninja Gaiden): On the Scoreboad between quarters and before and after the games, there are ads for Rygar and Ninja Gaiden. (Credit: Yoichi) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO, (Screenshot) proves it.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game (NES)

Products (Pizza Hut): There are Pizza Hut signs all over the place in this game. Konami and Pizza Hut had some kind of promotional deal going on when they made this game. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it. (Sorry that the snowman is half-obscuring it. I'll get a better screenshot eventually.)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters (SNES)

Cross-Series (Castlevania): Wingnut's profile says that he likes Castlevania. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Tekken (PS1)

Cross-Series (Galaga): Tekken for the PS1 lets you play Galaga while the game loads. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: Unverified

Tennis (NES/GB)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Mario is the umpire in this game. He is more obviously Mario in the GB version. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified in the Mario Mania Nintendo Power guide. FO's Note: The reason he doesn't seem as "obviously" Mario in the NES Tennis is because he's the old "Donkey Kong" version of Mario in that game, which I have a (Screenshot) of.

Terranigma (SNES)

Cross-Series (Soul Blazer): Turbo the dog from Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia is also in this game. (Credit: Shadow Villgust) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Alexander Graham Bell): There is a guy named 'Bell' in the game. He invents the telephone in the game. This is a reference to Alexander Graham Bell who invented the telephone in 1876. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Thomas Edison): There is a guy named 'Eddy' in the game. In the game he invents the light. This is a reference to Thomas Edison, he invented an automatic repeater for telegraphic messages and the carbon transmitter. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Sven Hedin): There is a guy named 'Hedyn' in the game. He is a traveler and you'll meet him at various spots during the game. Later he write stories about his travels, inspiring many people to travel and see other places. This is a reference to the Swedish explorer Sven Hedin. The real 'Hedyn' (Hedin) explored Asia six times. He also explored the Middle East as well as the United States, where he explored the Grand Canyon. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Henri Matisse): There is a guy named 'Matis' in the game who is a painter. This is a reference to Henri Matisse, a French painter (Matis lives in France in the game), sculptor, illustrator and designer. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Keynes): There is a guy named 'Keinz' in the game. He's an economic forecaster in the game. This is a reference to Keynes, the most famous and influential economist of the 20th century. Keynes was the mind behind Keynesianism, the advocation of government monetary and fiscal programs intended to stimulate business activity and increase employment. (Credit: Ruudos)

Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Wilbur Wright): There's also a guy named 'Will' who's the inventor of the airplane in this game. He is named after Wilbur Wright of the Wright Brothers. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Real Place (McDonald's): 'Mick' is a guy that starts a hamburger restaurant in the game. Calling it Mick's burgers. Probably a rip-off of McDonalds. Mick and Mc sound a bit like each other, too. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Christopher Columbus): 'Columbus' is also in this game and is of course a reference to Christopher Columbus, a navigator and explorer. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Genghis Khan): There is also a guy named 'Temjin' in the game. This is probably a reference to Genghis Khan, real name: Temuchin. (Credit: Ruudos) Status: Unverified

Programmers: At some point in the game you can visit a representation of Quintet's offices and meet some characters based on the programmers. (Credit: Ragnorak-X) Status: Unverified

Tetris (NES/GB)

Cross-Series (Various): On the NES Nintendo version, many different NES characters appear when you beat Level 9, B-Type games, such as Mario, Luigi, Pit (Kid Icarus), Samus Aran, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Peach, and Link. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. I only have a (Screenshot) of Kid Icarus.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): In the GameBoy version, Mario and Luigi appear during 2player matches. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Tchaikovsky): Nintendo NES version: BGM A is the first part of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Real Place (St. Bazil's Cathedral): The multi-domed building that is picture in almost every version of Tetris is St. Bazil's Cathedral. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Music (Korobeniki): In the Game Boy version, Music A is a traditional Russian folk song called "Korobeniki". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Tetris 2 (NES)

Real Place (Nazca Plains): The background images are based on real line drawings from the Nazca Plains. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Bird) (Spider) (Monkey)

Theme Park (Genesis)

Famous Person (Walt Disney): One of your competitors is Malt Wisney, a play on Walt Disney. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Three Stooges, The (NES/Amiga)

Cross-Series (Ghostbusters 2): The game begins with the three stooges walking out onto the Ghostbusters 2 logo. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Defender of the Crown): Amiga/GBA version: The stooges walk out onto a Defender of the Crown logo. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Thrill Kill (PS1 - Unreleased)

Literature (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory): The character Violet Boregard is named after the character from the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, only the spelling of "Beuregarde" has changed. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Comics (The Incredible Hulk): In the manual, Mammoth's backstory mentions the classic "Don't get him angry...you wouldn't like him when he's angry" line from The Incredible Hulk. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Mythology (Biblical): Cain and Judas are named after characters from The Bible, both of whom betrayed someone close to them. Cain murdered his brother; Judas turned Jesus over to the Romans. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Movie (Hellraiser): Tormentor has a finishing move called "Hellraiser". Not only is the name a cameo (referring to the 1990's film of the same name) but the sequence is one from the film. In it, Tormentor suspends the enemy in the middle of the room using a multitude of chains then proceeds to tear him/her up. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: TRUE: (External Link) confirms it. (Warning: Slightly graphic image.)

Tinkle Pit (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Rolling Thunder): Leila from Rolling Thunder and Rolling Thunder 2 makes a cameo in this Namco arcade game. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Tin Star (SNES)

Music (Yellow Rose of Texas): The music in the bonus levels is a slightly remixed version of "The Yellow Rose of Texas". Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose (SNES)

Movie (Various): In Tiny Toons for SNES, there are lots of movie references, such as Star Wars, Back to the Future, and old westerns. The last level is a spoof of Star Wars and is also based on an episode of Tiny Toons. The old westerns and Back to the Future references are one and the same, since Back to the Future III took place in the Old West. And if that isn't enough, all the stages are listed in the instruction manual, with a picture for each, including the deleted fifth level which never made it into the final game. (Credit: JG Shady) Status: Unverified

Tiny Toon Adventures: Montana's Movie Madness (GB)

Music (Can-Can): The music for when the boss is almost defeated is the Can-Can. (Credit: Deven711 ) Status: Unverified

Tom and Jerry (NES)

Console (NES): Stage 4-1 has an NES sitting near the start with a controller stood up sideways to the right of it. Both are actually part of the level, as they can both be jumped upon. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Controller Screenshot) (NES Screenshot)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Spider-Man): Spiderman is a secret playable skater. (Credit: Ragnorak-x) Status: Unverified

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS1)

Cross-Series (X-Men): Wolverine is a hidden character in Pro Skater 3. (Credit: Will B.) Stauts: Unverified

TOONSTRUCK (PC)

Music (Who Put the Bomp): One of Spike's lines is "So it was YOU who put the dip in the dip de dip de dip!", which is a reference to the Barry Mann song "Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)". (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): The games in the arcade are as follows: Sweet Fighter, Wac-Man and Mortal Wombat. Obviously these are spin-offs of Street Fighter, Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

Mythology (Utopia/Xanadu): Two of the towns in the game, Cutopia and Zanydu, are named after imaginary places from real life. Cutopia is named after Utopia, Zanydu is named after Xanadu. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

TV Shows (Looney Tunes): The company WACME is clearly a spin-off of the Warner Brothers ACME. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

Literature (Little Red Riding Hood): The character B.B. Wolf is based on the Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood. In fact, he even says his name is Big Bad Wolf. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

Famous Person (Arnold Schwarzenegger): The gym owner Jim is based on Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

Music/Products (Various): The three frogs; Dough, Ray and Mee are named after the first three notes in a musical scale. Also, the frogs call themselves "The Fabulous Baker Boys" after the cake company of the same name. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Stauts: Unverified

Total Carnage (SNES)

Cross-Series (Smash TV): The first hostages you rescue in the game appear to be the host of Smash T.V. (Total Carnage's predecessor) and the women that constantly surround him in that game. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Products (Nike): Speed-ups are a pair of orange shoes with the Nike swoosh on them. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Smash TV): At the end of General Ahkboob's first speech, it sounds like he says "I'll buy YOU for a dollar", which may be a spin on the saying "I'd buy that for a dollar" from Smash TV. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Tuff E Nuff (SNES)

Cross-Series (Various): There are several references to other Jaleco games in the top scores table. B.Loaded (Bases Loaded), B.Brothers (Brawl Brothers), R.Turf (Rival Turf), Goal! (gee, I wonder), and possibly the other 3 are references to other games as well. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: Unverified

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (N64)

Cross-Series (Quake): Entering the code "CLLTHTNMTN" will activate "Quack Mode", which will make the texture mapping pixelated and the animation choppy. This is obviously a reference (but more like an insult) to the popular PC shooter, Quake. (Credit: Iqniz) Status: Unverified

Turrican (Multiplatform)

Movie (Aliens): The games in the Turrican series have enemies and backgrounds based on the Alien movies. (Credit: Espilonarge) Status: TRUE: Confirmed at the (Turrican Website).

Turrican 2/Universal Soldier (Multiplatform)

Movie (Aliens): A lot of Aliens references yet again in Turrican 2 on Stage 5 here. Even the heads this time have "Aliens" written (or rather drawn) all over them. Even face huggers within the eggs appear in these levels (just as pesky in the original Turrican). (Credit: Espilonarge) Status: TRUE: Confirmed at the (Turrican Website).

Turrican 3/Mega Turrican (Multiplatform)

Movie (Aliens): And here we are again with yet another rip off from Aliens where the aliens look meaner, and the graphics looks more gruesome. The Alien Queen is one of the bosses. She spits acid at you which is another Aliens reference. And on another screen, you'll notice a Terminator rip off with a huge T800. (Credit: Espilonarge) Status: TRUE: Confirmed at the (Turrican Website).

Tyrants/Mega-Lo-Mania (Genesis)

Music (Holst): The music that plays during battle is "Mars the Warmaker" by Gustav Holst. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Real Place (Bethlehem): Bethlium is based on Bethlehem. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Products (Marmite): Maramite is based on Marmite (British Vegemite). (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness (PC)

Movie (Star Wars): At one point during the game, you must go through a space-battle sequence. The enemy ships you shoot down here bear an astonishing resemblance to TIE Fighters. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Ultima 2: The Revenge of the Enchantress (PC)

Movie (Time Bandits): One of the focal points of this game is mastering the use of the "Time Doors" that connect the different eras to one another, with the final battle taking place in the "Time of Legends." Ultima series creator Richard Garriott has stated he took this idea from the movie Time Bandits. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Real Place (McDonald's): In 1990 AD, in the town of New San Antonio, you can buy food provisions from a "McDonnal's" restaurant, complete with drive-through window and a clown statue in front. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Music (Sister Sledge): In some towns, you may encounter a priest-like NPC called Sister Sledge, who simply says "We are family!" That, of course, is the title of a 1978 song by the band Sister Sledge, perhaps best known as the anthem of the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates en route to their World Series run that year. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Looney Tunes): At one point you'll have to take off for a mysterious "Planet X" in order to complete the game. This has strong overtones of the classic Looney Tunes short "Duck Dodgers in the 24th-and-a-Half Century," which saw Daffy Duck doing comic battle with Marvin the Martian on Planet X. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Ultima 6: The False Prophet (SNES/PC)

Music (Rule Britannia): The music in Lord British's castle is "Rule Britannia". The town of Lord British's castle is even called "Britannia". (Credit: ACC Kain & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: Lord British, himself, is based on Ultima's creator, Richard Garriott. (Credit: ACC Kain) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO, source: Nintendo Power.

Literature (The Wizard of Oz): Lord British says that his favorite book is The Wizard of Oz, and you can find the book in the Lycaeum and bring it to him. (Credit: ACC Kain) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ultima 7: The Black Gate (SNES/PC)

Cross-Series (Wing Commander 2): Cheaters out there, be sure to take note of the tune that plays in the secret solution rooms. If you've also played Wing Commander 2, you'll know where that them came from. It's the one that plays during cutscenes involving the Kilralthi. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Wing Commander 2): Another Wing Commander 2 cameo occurs when you talk to a farmer on the outskirts of Britain. He says he was assaulted by a group of cat-like humanoids going 'kill-wrathy' (if this doesn't already sound familiar, smack yourself on the forehead, please). The starship they landed on happens to still be on his field. Walk in the direction he points out. Eventually you will come across a craft sitting in the field that looks obviously Wing Commander Kilralthi-ish...which it is. Pity you can't enter it. This craft did appear in Wing Commander 2, but it wasn't listed in the manual. It is actually the "final boss" of that game, piloted by Prince Thrakath. Incidentally, the Kilralthi cutscene theme also plays in the ship's vicinity. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Specific Reference: For a little reference to this game's predecessor (Ultima 6) go look for a lone horse in a barn, just behind Iolo's home (near Bee Cave), and talk to it. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Mythology (Scientology): The focal point of this game is uncovering the truth about The Fellowship, a seemingly benign "self-help group" that is secretly plotting to overthrow Lord British and install the Guardian as the ruler of Britannia. The Fellowship recruits its members through a simple philosophy and outwardly harmless community service; it is not until members are well and truly indoctrinated that the truth is revealed to them - and by this time, their free will has been all but drained away. The Fellowship as a group is intended to be Richard Garriott's commentary on the so-called Church of Scientology, complete with an L. Ron Hubbard type in Batlin. Like The Fellowship, Scientology lures you in with a siren song of easy

answers to all of life's pressing problems (in this case, through the book "Dianetics"), then gradually, through subtle means, siphons away your will to dispute anything you are told by fellow Scientologists (to say nothing of your bank account) until, finally, it is far too late to do anything but accept the utterly ridiculous "truth" of the religion as absolute gospel. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Star Trek: TNG): The town/castle of Serpent's Hold is populated by characters deliberately evocative of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. You've got the town's leader John-Paul, his right-hand man Richter, a captain of the guard named Horffe, Leigh the healer, and so on. Their personalities are all pretty much as you'd expect, too. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent's Isle (PC)

Programmers: If you take the subquest that requires you to kill Captain Stokes, be sure to have a look around his bungalow after the deed is done for a sight gag and some Origin plugs. For one thing: Check out the arrangement of the "Glowing Cube" and "Runic Box". Does this not look like some modern implement? (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

# Cross-Series (Various): Better yet, examine the "Glowing Cube" (don't touch the Runic Box; doing so will cause the contraption to blow up in your face. It causes no damage, but you'll miss out on the shameless plugs). You'll find ads for: 1. Wing Commander: Privateer # 2. Strike Commander # 3. In the words of the Avatar himself: "Ultima 8? PAGAN?! This doth not bode well..." (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Specific Reference: Remember that silly talking horse in Ultima 7 pt 1? He's in this game too...at least in your dreams. You can find him in the dreamworld, at the very back of the dream stables, as a 'nightmare' (literally. An ethereal dream horse; he's easy to spot, being the only one that stands in one place). As per his waking incarnation, he also has only useless

information to give on the game's predecessor ("Beware the Fellowship! They're Evil!"). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: Unverified

Music (Groucho Marx): In the town of Monitor you will have to get a tattoo from a woman named Lydia. This is a direct reference to the pop standard "Lydia the Tattooed Lady," one of Groucho Marx's signature songs from his act. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Galaga): UMK3 has a hidden Galaga clone game in it. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO, source: Nintendo Power.

Uninvited (NES)

Cross-Series (Deja Vu): You can find a tombstone in the labyrinth with Ace Harding's name on it. Ace Harding was the hero of the Deja Vu games. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Shadowgate): The phonograph plays the main theme from Shadowgate . Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Literature (The Lord of the Rings): The servant ghost refers to the star as "My precious." This was obviously taken from "The Lord of the Rings", in which Gollum refers to the ring as "My precious". Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (Indiana Jones): When you meet the dogs, the character says, "Dogs! Why did it have to be dogs?" which is a spoof on the famous Indiana Jones line, "Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?"

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (MacBeth): The main character says that the cauldron is like one out of "MacBeth". Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Scarlett O'Hara): The description of the Ghost Lady says that she is dressed like Scarlett O'Hara. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Movie (Night of the Living Dead): If you find a room full of zombies in the labyrinth, the game makes a reference to George Romero's "Living Dead" films. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Cross-Series (Shadowgate): There is a grave in the labyrinth that says, "Here lies Talimar". Talimar is the wizard who became the Warlock Lord in Shadowgate. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (Frankenstein): The main character says the lab looks like Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Uniracers (SNES)

Cross-Series (Wario Land/Mario Paint): One of the tracks is called Wario Paint, named after Wario and Mario Paint. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

U.N. Squadron (SNES)

Cross-Series (Various): You can get the Yashichi item from Mega Man by shooting above the rightmost turret of the Forest Fotress on your first pass. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Bionic Commando): The moving trucks on the map are from Bionic Commando. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Vagrant Story (PS1)

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy Tactics): There's an item called "Agrias's Balm" with the description "Balm used by the great knight Agrias as told in the Zodiac Brave Story". Agrias is a character in Final Fantasy Tactics and "Zodiac Brave Story" is another name for FFT. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy Tactics): In the beginning there's a quote from A.J. Durai, which is a reference to Alazam Durai from Final Fantasy Tactics. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Literature (Hamlet): Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are named after characters in Hamlet. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Van Helsing (PS2/XBOX)

Cross-Series (Castlevania): In one of the early levels there are bookcases. If you examine one, the game makes a reference to the Belmonts of the Castlevania series. (Credit: Kurt Kalata) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source, Castlevania Dungeon.

Viewtiful Joe (GCN/PS2)

Cross-Series (R.O.B.): There is a picture of a R.O.B. on the back of Viewtiful Joe's case. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): If you hold down the X button, Joe will throw up a bomb, jiggle it on his knee, and whistle the first 6 notes of the Mario theme. If you do it in mid-air, he'll whistle another part of the Mario theme. If you do it in Slow Motion, he'll whistle another part. Pretty cool, huh? (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Console (Gamecube): Sometimes the third boss, Gran Bruce, spits out a Nintendo Gamecube. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (R.O.B.): The robots in the background of the Final Level look VERY similar to the R.O.B. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Mega Man): In the Hulk Davidson boss intro, when Hulk asks Joe about the VWatch, he says "Who do you think you are? Some kind of Mega Man or something?", a reference to the Mega Man series. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Movie (Star Wars): In the second-to-last boss intro, Captain Blue (The Boss) says "Sylvia, I am your father.". It sorta resembles Star Wars where Darth Vader tells Luke "Luke, I am your father." But Luke screams "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and Sylvia tells him that her mom told her that her dad died. Kinda strange, huh? (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Devil May Cry): Dante from Devil May Cry is a recruitable character in the PS2 version. (Credit: MJB817)

Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Gargoyle's Quest): The first room of level 2-2 has Firebrand statues in the background. (Credit: Magical Yard Gnome) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Various): The boss Hulk Davidson is probably a reference to Hulk Hogan and Harley Davidson. (Credit: Magical Yard Gnome) Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Guns n Roses): The Joker miniboss appears to be an homage to Slash of Guns n' Roses. He uses guns, wears a rose, and also wears a huge top hat like Slash's. (Credit: Magical Yard Gnome) Status: Unverified

Movie (Some Like it Hot): The stage "Some Like It Red Hot" has its name derived from the Marilyn Monroe movie "Some Like It Hot". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Movie (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea): The stage "20,000,000 Leagues Under The Sea" has its name derived from the movie "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea". (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: Unverified

Virtua Cop 2 (DC)

Cross-Series (Shenmue): There are a lot of Sega related signs in the background. In the subway there is even a Shenmue poster. (Credit: Hussein) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (DC)

Anime (Various): This game is a 3D robot fighting game. Most robots, however, were inspired by other robots. Cypher is inspired by Transformers (He's the only one who can transform, and his architecture is reminiscent of Transformers). Specineff is based on the main robot from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. Angelan is very Final Fantasy inspired, seeing as though she uses a staff I recall seeing in an FF game, and uses magic. This is odd, since all the other robots use lasers and missles and whatnot. Grys-Vk resembles some of the shorter anime robots, such as Gasaraki's robots and Votoms. Temjin, and the Apharmds are Gundam inspired. There may be other references, since they're a very diverse ensemble of mechs, but I'm not sure what. Also, Katoki Hajime, famed mech designer, designed these robots. You can see some references and nuances to his other robots in his work. (Credit: Bill) Status: Unverified

Anime (Gundam): The sound effect Temjin makes while throwing a bomb is that of the Gundam-rising sound effect from various Gundam series. The sound effect is very distinguishable, so I can be sure of this. (Credit: Bill) Status: Unverified

Wacky Worlds (Genesis)

Cross-Series (Various): The Genesis game Wacky Worlds has cameos by Sonic, Tails, Toejam & Earl, and Ecco the Dolphin. (Credit: Yashiro Nanakase) Status: TRUE: Verified by PortalSonic.com & IGN.com.

Wai Wai World (Famicom)

Cross-Series (Various): The game is nothing but a giant bunch of cameos. Characters from other Konami games that appear in this include include Simon Belmont from Castlevania, Goemon from the Goemon games, Fuuma from Getsu Fuumaden, the Vic Viper from Gradius, Mikey from Goonies, Twinbee and Dr. Cinnamon from the Twinbee games, Moai from Moai Kun and King Kong from the MSX 2 and Famicom King Kong games. And of course, this game is where Konami Man and Konami Girl came from. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: The OPCFG.

Wai Wai World 2: SOS! Parsley Castle (Famicom)

Cross-Series (Various): Just like the first, more cameos abound in this. Simon Belmont from Castlevania, Bill from Contra, Fuuma from Getsufuu Maden, Goemon from the Goemon games, the Vic Viper from Gradius, Twinbee from the Twinbee games and Upa from Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa are all in this. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: The OPCFG.

Waku Waku 7 (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Galaxy Fight): Bonus Kun from Galaxy Fight is also in Waku Waku 7. (Credit: Iqniz & Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from MobyGames.com proves it.

Wario Land 2 (GB)

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): There are apes who wield hammers that look somewhat like the oldschool Donkey Kong, and they hammer away in the same way that Mario did in the original arcade Donkey Kong. (Credit: Aaron Campbell) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): Treasures in the game include a Yoshi egg, a Dr. Mario pill, a Game Boy, and a Metroid. (Credit: Codie Martin & JG Shady) Status: Unverified

Wario's Woods (NES/SNES)

Character Cameo: Toad is the main character of Wario's Woods. Birdo also appears in the one player mode. (Credit: JG Shady & Flying Omelette) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Wario Ware Inc. (GBA)

Cross-Series (Dragon Warrior): 9-Volt's stage is a spoof of Dragon Warrior. It has a Dragon Warrior-style overworld and you gain experience points for each mini-game you win. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: Verified by Crawl and 1000.

Cross-Series (Various): This game is just full of cameos from other Nintendo games! There are music and mini-games based on Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros., Dr. Mario, the Legend of Zelda, F-Zero, the R.O.B., Ice Climber, Punch-Out!!, Metroid, Balloon Fight, Urban Champion, Duck Hunt, and Excitebike. (Credit: Crawl and 1000) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Konami): Sometimes, in Level 3 of the mini-game "Code Buster", it asks you to push Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, which is the famous Konami code used for several of their NES games. (To make it even more interesting, press B, A, Start after you complete the code.) (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

# Various: Here is a list of cameos I have found for Wario Ware Inc. Wario Whirled - Name is a parody of Wario World. # The Maze That Pays - Looks similar to Pac-Man (with coins in place of power pellets) # Super Wario Bros. - Name is a parody of Super Mario Bros. # Classic Clash I, II, III - All three of these games feature Mario and Bowser. # I Came, I Saw - After you saw the third log, you will see a baseball player doing sit-ups inside. This character is taken from Mario Paint (at the beginning of the game, after you click on Mario, you see him briefly). FO's note: He's also in the music selection screen of Mario Paint. # Fries With That? - Levels two and three have you putting ketchup on a package of fries. The package of fries has a "W" on it. The W probably stands for Wario, but the way that the W is written looks like the McDonald's arches upside-down. # The Real McCoy Hare Scare - Game Boy Advances are shown in both of these games. # Veggie Might - This is a parody of the Australian vegetable spread Vegemite. # Wario Bros. - Name is a parody of Mario Bros.

# Vermin - This is a reference to the Game & Watch game Vermin. # Unexcite Bike - Name is a parody of Excitebike. # Grow Wario Grow - The music and graphics for this game are taken from Super Mario Land, but Wario's sprite is taken from Wario Land. # Rock Paper Scissors - Mario is featured. # Wario Facial - Mario and Luigi's hats, eyes and mustaches are featured. # The Wario Ware microgame features Mario. # Dr. Wario - Name is a parody of Dr. Mario. (Credit: KingTT) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): All of 9-Volt's games are Nintendo games or products: Balloon Fight (NES), Duck Hunt (NES), Game Boy (Portable Game System), Donkey Kong (Arcade), F-Zero (SNES), Family Basic (Famicom keyboard), Super Mario Bros. (NES), Ultra Hand ("Magic Hand" device), Chitorie (Remote-controlled vacuum cleaner), Laser Outlaw (Arcade), Hogan's Alley (NES), Mario Paint: Fly Swatter (SNES; Fly Swatter was a minigame within Mario Paint), Ice Climber (NES), Legend of Zelda (NES), Sheriff (Arcade), Dr. Mario (NES), Racing 112 (Television Video Game), Mario Clash (Virtual Boy), Helmet (Game & Watch), Urban Champion (NES), Stack-Up (NES), Metroid (NES), Wild Gunman (NES), LazerBlazer (SNES), and Ultra Machine (Batting Machine). (Credit: KingTT) Status: Unverified

Wario World (GCN)

Cross-Series: The first showdown boss looks and acts like Yoshi. She (yes, it is a girl) is green, has a white stomach, and she sticks her large tongue out at you. (Credit: Deven711) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from IGN.com proves it.

Console (Various): Some of the treasures you can get include a Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Gamecube, and an NES. (Credit: Deven711) Status: Unverified

Wave Race: Blue Storm (GCN)

Cross-Series (1080 Snowboarding): Four of the characters in this game share names with four of the snowboarders in 1080 Snowboarding (N64). (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

West Bank (C64)

Music (Scott Joplin): The theme tune is a Scott Joplin rag. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Wild 9 (PS1)

Cross-Series (Earthworm Jim): The background music for the Beast Ride stage is the "Use Your Head" music from Earthworm Jim Special Edition. Aside from the Wild 9 version only looping once, the track is identical to the Earthworm Jim Special Edition version. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: The "Use Your Head" song is Track 10. I'd reccomend going to Zophar's Domain and downloading the Earthworm Jim .rar. The "Use Your Head" is labeled as "Buttville" (oddly, the actual Buttville stage isn't on the .rar file). It doesn't sound exactly like the song on Wild 9, but it's close enough to tell they're related (remember; EWJ:SE remixed the song, then Shiny used the remix in Wild 9).

Programmers: In the ending, when you get a glimpse of the back of Wex's vehicle, his license plate reads "SHINY", the makers of the game. (Credit: CodieMartin) Status: Unverified

Music (Amazing Grace): Amazing Grace is the Game Over screen's music. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: For confirmation, pop the disc into a CD player and go to track 14, I believe. Second to last on the disc.

Famous Person/Cross-Series (David Bowie/Earthworm Jim): B'Angus has the David Bowie eyes, like what Earthworm Jim has. I'm not sure if you want to consider this a reference to Earthworm Jim, or David Bowie. I'd go with David Bowie, because that's what EWJ's eyes are

based off. Obviously, that's something Shiny really likes to put in their games. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: (Picture) proves it.

Wild Arms 3 (PS2)

Specific Reference: During the game, you will have the opportunity to collect a series of "Adventure Books" to read to Clive's daughter. A principle character in these stories is Marivel Armitage, from Wild Arms 2, though the plot of the Adventure Books does not in any way reflect the WA2 storyline. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Character Cameo: The main character of WA3, Virginia Maxwell, shares her last name with WA1's "Calamity" Jane Maxwell, though the two characters do not appear to be otherwise related. Like Jane, however, Virginia favors dual pistols in combat, so perhaps it could be more than mere coincidence. Interestingly, it is Virginia's rival, Maya Schroedinger, who seems to have inherited Jane's character design! (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous (Schroedinger's Cat): One of the characters accompanying Maya Schroedinger is a small catlike being known as Shady. At one point in the game, Shady tells of how Maya, as a small child, released him from a box that her father, a "crazy scientist," had placed him in. The implication is that Shady is, in fact, Schroedinger's Cat from the famous thought experiment. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl) Status: Unverified

Wild Gunman (NES)

Miscellaneous: Don't know if this is a cameo, but Wild Gunman was originally an arcade game that used 16mm film. When the wild gunman's eyes flashed you had to shoot him with a light gun - just like in this game. And yes, the original was by Nintendo. (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Wipeout (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Various): Psygnosis jumped on the advertising bandwagon by placing billboards for several of their PSX games throughout the game (ex: Krazy Ivan). (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Wonder Dog (Sega CD)

Miscellaneous: This is the oddest cameo yet, imo. I picked up a video cassette cleaner a year or so back and popped it in my VCR to clean it. Who should appear onscreen but Wonder Dog, hero of the obscure first generation Sega CD game Wonder Dog, holding a giant brush! He then proceeded to clean off the entire screen, while a Japanese woman said "When Wonder Dog with stop mark plate appears, push stop button". I guess Wonder Dog's been having a hard time finding work ever since Victor Musical Industries let him go back in '92 after his game tanked. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Worms Armageddon (PS1)

Cross-Series (Street Fighter 2): The fire punch and dragon ball attacks are a direct take-off of Ken/Ryu's dragon punch and fireball moves in the Street Fighter games. (Credit: Ragnorak -X) Status: Unverified

Movie (Monty Python & the Holy Grail): One of the weapons, the holy hand grenade, is the exact weapon used to kill the monstrous 'killer rabbit' in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". (Credit: JediMasterGeo) Status: Unverified

Wu Tang: Taste the Pain/Wu Tang: Shaolin Style (PS1)

Cross-Series (Thrill Kill): The whole game is just a reskinned version of Thrill Kill only with one or two different finishing moves. (Credit: Andy Thorley)

Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Thrill Kill): Belladonna from Thrill Kill is a hidden character, though oddly enough, she uses Tormentor's whip, rather than her own cattle prod. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy 7): There is an option to turn Method Man into a character called "Hystrix" who is a homage to Cloud Strife. He wears a similar outfit and carries the Buster Sword. The only real difference is that Cerith is bald. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Programmers: The faces of some of the game's producers can be seen above/behind their names during the credit sequence. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Products (Sony): After one of his fatalities, Rza will turn to the camera and shout, "Sony digital surround sound!", which is a reference to the speaker system...which is odd, because Sony had no part in the game. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

WWF Superstars (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Double Dragon): Billy Lee from Double Dragon can be seen standing near the front of the audience, on both the left AND right sides, for some reason. Both games were made by Technos. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: Unverified

Xenogears (PS1)

Cross-Series (Chrono Trigger): Lucca from Chrono Trigger makes a cameo appearance. She is in Lahan, teaching you how to use save points. Her sprite only bears superficial resemblance to

the ruin diggers in Dazil; also note the characteristic glasses. (Credit: Flying Omelette & Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: Numerous sources have verified this.

Cross-Series (Chrono Trigger): Another cameo for Xenogears is that the three sages of Shevat are named Belthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar. Same as in Chrono Trigger. (Credit: Tom Otting) Status: Unverified

Products (Budweiser): In the Aveh Capital Fair, there is a shop with a beer keg. The shopkeeper will offer you some "Bartweiser" beer, pun on the real-life Budweiser beer. It even ACTS like alcohol and gets you drunk; If you choose to drink it, your screen will start "swimming" back and fourth until you leave the area. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Literature (The Old Man of the Sea): The Captain of the Thames quotes Ernest Hemingway; in particular is this widely-loved quote amongst the Xenogears community, from "The Old Man of the Sea": After all...(He is) (a man) (of the sea). (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it.

Cross-Series (Final Fantasy 7): The wall potraits in a home in Solaris look vaguely familiar. I can't identify the guy on the left, but I'm pretty sure the one on the right shows Tifa Lockheart from Final Fantasy 7. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Anime (Macross): In disc 2, to defeat the Solaris Fortress Hurricane, the group is forced to go to Noturne and "borrow" their capitol building, which turns out to be an ancient battleship which can convert into a gigantic mecha form known as the Super Dimensional Gear Yggdrasil IV, a homage of sorts to the Super Dimensional Fortress Macross of Robotech/Macross series fame. The gear even takes some design hints from the series; it has a weapon similar to Macross VII's Battle 7 Gun, the SDF-1's torso construction, and a VF-1J head. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht (PS2)

Cross-Series (Xenogears): In the Japanese version of Xenosaga, in Hakase's lab at the Kookai Foundation, there's a lineup of scale models of past giant robots. One of these is "ElementDX," which is actually the Elements' Gear from Xenogears. This was, unfortunately, removed from the U.S. version; the lineup has been replaced by another pile of junk. (Credit: Dan Tanaree) Status: Unverified

Xybots (Arcade)

Cross-Series (Berzerk): Xybots is supposedly a homage to the classic arcade/Atari game, Berzerk. (Credit: Prime Op & Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources confirm it.

Yars Revenge (Atari 2600)

Programmers: Destroy the Swirl in mid-air then stay on the lower-half of the solid vertical line during the explosion. The initials "HSWWSH" will appear, which is a reference to the game's programmer Howard Scott Warshaw. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Note: The is the first "easter egg" I can ever remember discovering in a game. I didn't even know what it was way back when I first saw it happen. I didn't realize it was someone's initials and just assumed the game had glitched up.

Programmers: The Yar is "Ray" spelled backwards. The game takes place in the Razak Solar System. This is "Kassar" spelled backwards, and the double "s" replaced with a "z". These are a reference to Ray Kassar, who once worked for Atari. (Credit: Kairobi King) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Numerous sources have confirmed this one.

Yoshi's Story (N64)

Cross-Series (Mario Paint): On the Story Select Screen, wait for the music to loop a few times. Kozumi Totaka's signature tune will play (the "Mario Paint tune"). (Credit: Mark Kelly) Status: Unverified

Yu-Gi-Oh: World Championship 2004 (GBA)

Cross-Series (Goemon): There is a card called "Sasuke Samurai" that is definitely modeled off of Sasuke from the Goemon games. (Credit: MJB817) Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Gradius): There is card called "Gradius" which has a picture of the Vic Viper on it and is an obvious reference to the Gradius games. (Credit: MJB817) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: www.classicgaming.com/gradius

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (PC)

Cross-Series (Maniac Mansion): Both Maniac Mansion and Zak McKracken were made by LucasArts around the same time, and when you find the chainsaw in MM, your character notes that there's no chainsaw fuel for it, and there's none you can get in the game. In Zak, you find chainsaw fuel...but it's noted there's no chainsaw you can get in the game! Freaky, huh? (Credit: SlyDante) Status: Unverified

Zanac (NES)

Cross-Series (Guardic): If you beat the game, press A & B on Controllers 1 & 2 after the fairy stops moving during the end credits. The message, "See you again in Guardic" will appear. Guardic is an MSX shooter also made by Compile. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Guardic): The level 6 boss is made up of tiles that spell out "GUARDIC".

Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Programmers: In level 6, there are floor tiles that spell out "COMPILE", the name of the company that made Zanac. Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Zero Divide (PS1)

Cross-Series (Phalanx): There is a hidden game called Tiny Phalanx. It is a 3 level game that plays just like Phalanx on the SNES, with original stages and even its own invincibility cheat. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: Unverified

Zero Wing (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Truxton): The design of the ship you control (the infamous ZIG that you may remember from the "All Your Base" fad) seems to have been inspired (or directly taken) from Toaplan's earlier shooter Truxton. The very first enemy ships you encounter do look a lot like ZIGs. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Truxton Pic) (Zero Wing Pic)

Music (Can-Can): The track "Dancing Raisins!" is the Can-Can. (Credit: Andy Thorley) Status: Unverified

Zillion (SMS)

Cross-Series (Fantasy Zone): Opa-Opa from Fantasy Zone puts in an appearance here. (Credit: Dire 51) Status: Unverified

Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics 2 (NES)

Cross-Series (Tetris): You collect tetrads, or Tetris pieces. (Credit: Deathspork) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Various): As Mike travels through time, he meets many famous historical people, both real and fictitious, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Cleopatra, Sherlock Holmes, King Arthur, Merlin, and Lancelot. There is also a reference to Marco Polo. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Some of my screenshots are glitchy due to poor emulation. I apologize for that.)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): When you have to go get the pizza for Cleopatra, the guy with the pizza is riding a Koopa Troopa. (Credit: Codie Martin) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. (Screenshot) proves it.

Products (Little Caeser's/Pizza Hut): When you deliver the pizza to Cleopatra, notice the bottom of the box after she finishes the pizza: Caesar's Hut. Hmm... a cross between Little Caesar's and Pizza Hut perhaps, or just a tribute to Pizza Hut with a little Roman twist? You decide. (Credit: Mike Waters) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Famous Person (Picasso): The caveman artist, Pikazo, is obviously named after Picasso. (Credit: Flying Omelette & Anenomephobic) Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Music (Surfin' Bird): The magic words used to invoke the Oxford Wonder World's time travel powers (Papa Oom Mow Mow) are taken from the Trashmen's song called "Surfin' Bird". Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Mythology (Mesopotamian): In Castlevania 3, Dracula's final form is that of the Mesopotamian demon, Pazuzu. In Zoda's Revenge, Zoda-Y's second (and final) form is also a Pazuzu. Zoda-Y is

the boss of the Transylvanian mansion level. Coincidence? Possibly. But a Pazuzu is still a mythological reference, regardless. Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Famous Person (Various): In the Italy Chapter, there's a guy on the street selling maps to the artists' homes. He names off Donatello, Michelanago, Raphael, and then he says he's sold out of Leonardo maps. Yes, I know these were all actual artists, but they weren't the ONLY renaissance artists, and it's an awfully big coinkydink that he would just happen to mention only the ones the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are named after. Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Screenshot 1) (Screenshot 2) The screenshots are glitchy due to poor emulation, but the text is still readable.

Cross-Series (Tetris): Hirocon, as seen in the ending, bears a rather strong resemblance to Tetris creator Alexey Pazhitnov. (Credit: Andrew Rae) Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner (PS2)

Cross-Series (Gradius): In Anubis: Zone of the Enders (AKA Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner), the Vic Viper (of Gradius fame) shows up in a cameo role as the mech used by Leo Stenbuck, the hero of the first ZOE game. It's playable in multiplayer as well as in a Gradius minigame called Zoradius. In addition, to unlock the Zoradius minigame, you have to start a battle against Vic Viper in EX mode, pause the game, and input the Konami code (UUDDLRLR...) (Credit: Dan Tanaree) Status: Unverified