Happy Easter everyone! And of course, if you don’t celebrate, then Happy Three-Day Weekend! Regardless, here’s a list of hidden and not-so-hidden gems for your Easter weekend. Happy Hunting!
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Crysis 2 – Elevator Rave
Who said that the C.E.L.L. army doesn’t know how to throw down and have a good party? During the chapter “Dead Man Walking”, there will be a seemingly out-of-order elevator to the immediate left of the one Alcatraz exits. Press the switch a few times, then head down to the corner of the hallway; there should be a fuse box that will flash red, indicating that power to the elevator has been restored. Go check back on the elevator one more time, and hit the switch. After a few moments, the doors will open, inviting Alcatraz to a miniature rave, complete with dancing C.E.L.L. soldiers and strobe lights.
Diablo II/Diablo III – Extra Levels
Diablo II: Lords of Destruction has one of the most legendary hidden worlds in all of gaming- the “Cow Level”. While it’s recommended that players only attempt this at a higher level, enter the Rogue Encampment and simply use the Horadric Cube to combine a Tome of Town Portal with Wirt’s Leg. This land of fierce warrior cattle was actually created out of a rumor that began with the original Diablo. Fans speculated that a hidden level could be accessed by clicking a certain number of times on the cows outside of town.
Diablo III has its own hidden level, though it requires a more complex means of entry. In order to access the bizarrely happy and colorful realm of Whimsyshire, players need to gather a Black Mushroom, Leonic’s Shinbone, Wirt’s Bell, Kiquid Rainbow, Gibbering Gembstone and the Staff of Herding plans. Once the Staff of Herding has been created, dungeon crawlers can teleport themselves into the unsettling, cute world of Whimsyshire. Extra difficult versions of the realm can be accessed through upgrading the Staff.
Grand Theft Auto IV – The Heart of Liberty City
Statues are just that, right? Surely they aren’t alive, and there can’t be any organs inside that concrete shell……right? If you fly up to the Statue of Happiness, you will find a door between two signs that read “No Hidden Content This Way”. If players decide to ignore the signs and head into the statue, they’re in for an unexpected and slightly grotesque surprise- a giant, still-beating heart is suspended by chains within the center of the Statue of Happiness.
Just Cause 2 – LOST
One lone island occupies the very top-left corner within the huge world of Just Cause 2. When players fly towards it, their plane or helicopter will crash; doesn’t matter what aircraft, as anything that gets close will plummet into the coastline. Once there, players are welcomed to an eerie jungle, complete with a smoke-engulfed soldier who follows you around everywhere, and a plane crash and an underground hatch that look strangely familiar….like they were featured in a show on ABC or something.
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts – Rare’s Personal Dumpster
No one was very happy with Microsoft’s acquisition of Rare- apparently even Rare themselves. If you look closely within the dumpsters outside of Banjo and Kazooie’s home, you’ll find nods to Rare’s past games, including several Xbox cases of Grabbed by the Ghoulies, the Ice Key from the original Nintendo 64 Banjo Kazooie, Kameo’s book from Kameo: Elements of Power, and a Fudgehog from Viva Pinata.
Psychonauts – Milla’s Repressed Memories
On the much darker and unsettling end of the spectrum, a wildly contrasting area is sealed away within Milla’s level in Psychonauts. When players enter her mind, they find a colorful rave, full of joy and excitement. Off to the side lies a small room; upon entering, Milla suggests that you really shouldn’t be in there. A note can be found that explains how the children at the orphanage she used to be a part of, were all killed in a horrible fire. In the opposite corner of the room, a treasure chest can be opened. Doing so leads to a portal, where Raz finds himself within a flaming prison with the disfigured memories of the children who died.
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Saints Row IV – Tiny Pistol
Wouldn’t it be cool if Men In Black’s “Noisy Cricket” was an in-game weapon? Head to the Let’s Pretend costume shop in the New Baranec division of Steelport. In the back of the store, shoot the handle several times on the door that reads “Employees Only”. The door should open, leading to an underground shooting gallery with the developers’ heads, and a Total Recall inspired cardboard-cutout of Volition Producer Jim Boone. On the right, the “Tiny Pistol” can be found lying in a chair.
As an added bonus, one of the custom skins for the weapon is the “Loud Locust”, a direct reference to the “Noisy Cricket” from the original Men In Black.
Megaman X/Megaman X2 – Street Fighter Instant Kill Moves
The secret weapon in Megaman X proves that gamers will go to great lengths to accomplish something, especially if it means obtaining the ultimate instant-kill move. In order to obtain the Hadouken (yes, the Hadouken), players need to have a fully upgraded X; all E-Tanks, all Heart Containers, all armor upgrades, and all Maverick weapons. Enter Armored Armadillo’s stage, and before you reach the hatch that leads to the boss-area, jump into the chasm….Kill yourself at the end of the level another four times. On the sixth run, climb the final wall to the top, and an upgrade capsule will appear. Dr. Light will be dressed in a traditional karate gi, and will grant you the Hadouken.
…..Alternatively, you could just complete Armored Armadillo’s stage without taking ANY damage, but that’s no fun. The Hadouken is also unlockable in the PSP title Maverick Hunter X.
Megaman X2 has its own hidden Street Fighter move, with the Shoryuken. Reaching this requires a bit of finesse: During the second Sigma Stage, there’s a path that branches up and downward. In order to reach the higher ladder, lead the one bat over to that area, then freeze it to use as a platform. Progress through that area, until you reach a snaking descent lined with spikes. Navigate down this path with the air dash and the S. Burner flaming dash. Afterwards, slide down the wall on the left; the fourth blue section is a facade, and can be passed through. Another Dr. Light upgrade capsule be in wait, with the Shoryuken.
Serious Sam: TFE/Serious Sam 3: BFE – The Hall of Developers
A classic self-imposed Easter Egg, the Serious Sam development team can be found as big-head enemies in the first level of Serious Sam: TFE (both original and HD versions). In the very first area of the game, a hidden passageway off to the far left holds the Croteam staff, all of whom have been turned into pacifist enemies. The secret was carried over into Serious Sam 3: BFE, in the level “The Dark Bride”. This one is a little more challenging, as it requires a pinpoint leap through a window on the far right side of the map.
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Notched Pickaxe
Pickaxes can be found lying all around the world of Tamriel. However, for those who are courageous enough to ascend up the highest mountain in Skyrim (Throat of the World), a special kind of mining tool awaits them. One of a kind, the Notched Pickaxe (reference to Markus “Notch” Persson, creator of Minecraft) grants extra Smithing abilities, and does 6 damage if used as a weapon.
Alice: Madness Returns – Raz’s Corpse
Some minds just prove themselves to be too much for a skilled Psychonaut to handle. Apparently this was the ill-fated case for Raz, as his decaying body can be found behind a keyhole in Queensland…Perhaps this is why we may never see a Psychonauts 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL33QudLYnk
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Altair’s Last Leap
While we’re on the topic of characters dying in other games, a different kind of assassin has an unfortunate death in The Witcher 2. While we’ve come to find that Altair and the bloodline of assassins are all able to leap from phenomenal heights, and somehow land on a pile of hay unharmed, it would seem that the original assassin just missed his mark. Altair’s body can be found lying motionless next to several bales of hay.
Serious Sam 2 – So That’s Where Duke Has Been
The Serious Sam 3 trailer wasn’t the first time that the franchise has poked fun at Duke Nukem. Between the endless void from Duke Nukem Forever’s announcement and its final release, Serious Sam 2 featured an Easter Egg regarding Duke’s absence from gaming. In the swampy industrial area within the first half of the game, Duke Nukem’s skeleton can be found hanging from a tree. Upon finding him, Sam’s only remark is “Dude, you’ve been hanging here, like, FOREVER.”
Killer Is Dead – Cheerleader In A Barrel
This Easter Egg is found within the pseudo-DLC chapter, Episode 51: The Man Who Stole Blood. After the turret section with Brian, backtrack into the corridor and head through the opening on the left. Once you’ve reached the outdoors area, there should be a rather jumpy barrel, sitting alone on a ledge. Shooting it releases Juliet Starling from Suda 51’s previous game, Lollipop Chainsaw.
Battlefield 3/Battlefield 4 – EA Franchises
Battlefield 4 has plenty of Easter Eggs; players are continuing to find new ones within each individual DLC expansion. So far, soldiers have found the Megalodon, the Yeti’s hideout, the Sand Castle, and even a T-Rex. Taking a step backward in the saga, Battlefield 3 is rife with secrets and references to other EA-published titles. Discovered references include a unit from Battlefield 2142 (Operation Riverside map), the Wake Island Memorial where DICE remembers those who have fallen in previous Battlefield titles, Issac Clarke’s Dead Space 2 helmet (found on Epicentre), a model of the Normandy SR-2 from Mass Effect (found within Donya Fortress), and Faith Connor’s shoes from Mirror’s Edge (Markaz Monolith).
In Battlefield 4, packaging slips addressed to Visceral EA can be found, along with a Mirror’s Edge commercial (Campaign, 2nd mission), and some bottles of wine labeled with past Battlefield titles and references (i.e. “Frostbite” and “1942”).
Suda 51 Games – I Love Strawberries, Don’t You?
While it isn’t apparent at first, several Suda 51 games from Grasshopper Manufacture have some kind of reference to strawberries. It sounds ridiculous at first, but the evidence is as follows:
- No More Heroes series: In every iteration of No More Heroes, one of Travis’s favorite anime series happens to be Bizarre Jelly 5…no, it’s not a real series, however, a trailer and a Bizarre Jelly bullet-hell shooter can both be unlocked in the games. The leader of the five girls (the red, buxom one) happens to go by the name “Strawberry”.
- Lollipop Chainsaw: Not only does Juliet Starling love lollipops, but she has a favorite flavor that she absolutely adores….Strawberry.
- Shadows of the Damned: Garcia’s shape-shifting ghost companion, Johnson reveals that strawberries are actually a cruel joke by Flemming, as they are actually composed of ground-up human tongues. During the course of the game, Garcia will come across gates that will only unlock after he crams a specific item into the lock’s mouth. These items are a human brain, an eye, or- you guessed it- a strawberry.
- Killer Is Dead: A fairly straightforward one, the pattern on the shirt worn on Brian Roses consists of strawberries.
Bayonetta – The Best of Capcom and Sega
Bayonetta is filled to the brim with references to other Capcom and Sega titles, though several of them require a bit of research, and will definitely get overlooked on the first playthrough:
- Dr. Robotnik’s Funeral: After the opening chaotic falling sequence, players are shown the closing moments of a funeral for “Eggman the Destroyer”, which may be a reference to Dr. Eggman, better known as Dr. Robotnik from the Sonic franchise.
- Viewtiful Joe’s Death: In the same graveyard, a tombstone reads “JOE: ‘Red Hot’ Home Run Hitter”, with “Red Hot” being a reference to several elements of the Viewtiful Joe series.
- Rodin the Merchant: Every time Bayonetta enters Rodin’s shop, he has a random phrase to say. One of these is “Hey, check this out. Whadya buyin!? Heard that in a game once.” “Whadya buyin!?” is one of the Resident Evil 4 Merchant’s trademark phrases.
- I Learned That From Dante: Several members within Bayonetta’s development team worked on the original Devil May Cry titles. Subtle references are made through Bayonetta’s dialogue, including “Let’s rock, baby!” (spoken by Dante right before the title screen in the first Devil May Cry) and “Flock off, feather-face!” (also from the first Devil May Cry).
- Movie Buff: “Tentacles…Why did it have to be tentacles?” is a reference to the famous “Snakes…” line from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Luka’s Cross-Franchise Girlfriends: During Chapter V, Luka lists off four ex-girlfriends- Claire (Claire Redfield, Resident Evil), Trish (Devil May Cry), Silvia (Joe’s girlfriend, Viewtiful Joe), and Ammy (shortened nickname of Amaterasu, Okami).
- The Arachnid Returns: One of Bayonetta’s summoned Climax monsters is a giant lava spider, modeled after the first boss in Devil May Cry.
- Going Tunes: The music for the Route 666 segment consists of two remixes; the first is “Splash Wave” from OutRun, with the other being the theme from After Burner.
- Space Harrier Umbran Witch Edition: Chapter XIV is essentially a Bayonetta-themed Space Harrier remake, including the oval-shaped projectiles and a snake for the ending boss. The background music is a remix of the original theme. At the beginning of the section, Bayonetta speaks the line “Welcome to my fantasy zone”, which is another direct reference, as Space Harrier opens with the line “Welcome to the Fantasy Zone!”
Borderlands 2 – What Isn’t A Reference?
Uh, you better check the Wiki on this one. From weapons, to skills, and even hidden areas, Borderlands 2 is bursting at the seams with Easter Eggs and pop culture references.
Nintendo Games – Totaka’s Song
To this day, the Totaka’s Song Easter Egg remains as one of gaming’s most elusive secrets. Why? No one has found every single instance of the short 19-note melody. Totaka’s Song is a hidden musical verse found in supposedly every game that Nintendo Composer Kazumi Totaka has been affiliated with. The song is usually found through a cryptic method of the player being in a specific area, and then waiting for a set period of time. So far, it has been found in over 15 games, including Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Paint, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Yoshi’s Story, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins and Pikmin 2:
