Random Greatest Video Game Easter Eggs (103 items)

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  (#1) Super Mario Portraits Appear in Courtyard in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

  Another Mario reference in a Zelda game. While in the courtyard where Zelda is hanging out (as child Link), look into the nearby windows. You'll see portraits of various Mario characters depending on your angle.
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  (#2) Playable Atari Games on Nuketown 2025 in Call of Duty: Black Ops II

  If ever you've thought to yourself, "Man, wish I could play some old-school Atari games in this modern first-person shooter," then you're in luck. Classic hits such as H.E.R.O., Kaboom!, Pitfall, and River Raid can all be played from within Call of Duty: Black Ops II. To do so, start a private match on the Nuketown 2025 map, and shoot the heads off every mannequin in the level in 90 seconds or less. You'll find a TV screen near the population sign where the games can be played.
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  (#3) Psycho Mantis Knows What You Like in Real-Life in Metal Gear Solid

  Psycho Mantis wasn’t Snake’s strongest enemy in Metal Gear Solid, but his mental powers make him one of the wiliest. The psychic operative even says he can read your mind, though he really just means your memory card. He has a description no matter what’s on there, but if you happen to have a Legend of Zelda saved on your PSOne Memory Card, Mantis will thoroughly creep you out by saying, “You seem to like Legend of Zelda, don’t you?”
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  (#4) Contest Winner Chris Houlihan's Room in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

  Back in 1990, the now-defunct Nintendo Power held a contest that selected a random winner to appear in a future NES game. That winner was a dude named Chris Houlihan, who received his own fancy room in 1991's The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. There were five different ways you could enter the Rupee-filled room, though it had been intended as a crash prevention measure - the game would only send players there when it couldn't determine Link's destination when transitioning between maps.
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  (#5) Find the Beating Heart of Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV

  Ah, Grand Theft Auto, always pulling fast ones. In GTA IV, use a helicopter to fly up to a set of doors on the Statue of Happiness. Look for the door sandwiched between two signs that say "no hidden content this way" and just walk through it. Inside the statue you'll find a giant, beating heart. Uhh...
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  (#6) A Turkey As Assassin at the Davenport Homestead in Creed 3

  Connor might be one of the more stoic assassins in franchise history, but that doesn’t mean he can’t have fun like in this Easter egg you’ll find at the Davenport homestead. If you hide in a certain corner of the house and whistle, a previously unseen turkey will appear. That might seem lame on the surface, but if you enter the classic Contra/Konami code, Connor will then feed the turkey and a hood will appear on its head, making that turkey an official assassin. Apparently, they’ll let anybody in these days.
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  (#7) Jar Jar Binks Frozen in Carbonite in Imperial Kashyyyk level of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

  Find the trophy room in the Imperial Kashyyyk level of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Inside, you'll find a number of creatures from the Star Wars universe, as well as Jar Jar Binks frozen in carbonite. Finally. Maybe Episode 1 was worth it, after all?
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  (#8) Play as Indiana Jones in Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

  A Lego Indiana Jones game makes sense from a marketing standpoint, but Indy’s blocky adventure was only on the verge of coming out when this Lego Star Wars collection hit stores. However, you can get early access to your favorite Nazi killer should you bother to watch the trailer for his then-upcoming game that’s in the Star Wars movie room. After watching the commercial for his game, Indy becomes a playable character for the entire Lego Star Wars mythos, something fan fiction writers had been dreaming about for decades.
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  (#9) How to Fight in Reptile in Mortal Kombat

  Though Reptile wasn't a playable character in the console port of Mortal Kombat, unlocking the battle with him was the only way to fight in the spike pit arena. To do so, fight an opponent (in single-player mode) on the bridge arena, and be sure to get two flawless victories back to back. Unleashing a fatality on the second round means your next fight will be with Reptile in the spike pit.
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  (#10) You Can Fight Jason Voorhees (from Friday the 13th Movies) in Dead Island

  Dead Island took inspiration from a number of horror classics, but buried on the jungle infested island was a cameo appearance by Jason Voorhees. If you can even find the machete-wielding maniac, you’ll have a hard time killing him since he’s one of the more sturdy beasts in the game. And yes, it isn’t the Jason officially, but his trademark hockey mask and weapon are proof enough for us.
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  (#11) Hidden Name Initials/Credits in Adventure

  Back in the old days, Atari didn't allow video game programmers to credit their full names. As a result, many resorted to hiding their initials within a game, often in secret areas that required a specific step-by-step process to reach. Such was the case with Adventure, whose creator Warren Robinett hid his name as an Easter egg.
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  (#12) Bearded Man Gives Crucial Clue in Mike Tyson's Punchout

  Reddit user midwesternhousewives posted this video outlining a never-before discovered easter egg in Mike Tyson's Punchout for NES. The decades old game apparently still has tons of undiscovered secrets.  According to the discoverer, "everybody knows that you can punch Honda once and knock him out once he goes back for a special attack," but you may not have noticed the "visual cue" that gives you a heads up to oncoming attack. When you see the bearded man in the crowd duck, you know what to do.
  
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  (#13) Majora's Sells Mario’s Mask in the Legend of Zelda

  Majora’s Mask might be the weirdest game Nintendo has ever put out (that's a compliment), and the creepy mask salesman at the start of the game helps set that tone. If you take a look at the many masks he has to sell, you’ll see a little Mario mask as a wink to the fellow Nintendo franchise. The existence of that mask makes some fans wonder if you’d transform into Mario if you wore it, but that’s one Easter Egg that we’ll sadly never get to see.
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  (#14) Level Specific CODECs in Super Smash Bros. Brawl

  Smash Bros. is built upon a mountain of clever secrets for fans to find, but none had as high production values as these Easter eggs. If you played as Solid Snake in the Shadow Moses stage and continually hit down on the d-pad, you’ll hear Snake have a lengthy radio conversation about his current opponent, all with new dialogue recorded by the voice cast. The same happens for the Star Fox crew on their stage.
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  (#15) Find the Last of Us Newspaper in Uncharted 3

  This fungus-related Easter egg was almost one of the biggest leaks in gaming history. There's a long story behind it, but the short version is that Naughty Dog put this reference in the game thinking that The Last of Us would be announced before Uncharted 3 was released. It wasn't - but no one remembered to remove the foreshadowing hint from Uncharted to account for the scheduling change.
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  (#16) Fire off a Hadouken Like Ryu in Mega Man X

  Street Fighter and Mega Man are two of Capcom’s biggest franchises, but the two series didn’t cross over until this super secret Easter egg in the first Mega Man X. After jumping through an insane number of hoops (including collecting every upgrade and beating a stage without taking any damage), you’ll find a hidden upgrade Dr. Light - who’s dressed like Ryu - left behind. X can now fire off a Hadouken with the same quarter circle attack command. Mega Man X2 continued the tradition by adding a Shoryunken, but it was much easier to unlock. Here's a guide to unlocking the Hadouken if you want to try it.
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  (#17) Hidden Roster of Politicans, Celebs, and Developers in NBA Jam Tournament Edition

  Many are the days we've wished we could jam with the president of the United States - but back in 1995, we did (in video game form, at least). The console release of Midway's NBA Jam Tournament Edition had a huge roster of hidden characters, ranging from then-POTUS Bill Clinton to Al Gore, to the Beastie Boys, and many of Midway's programmers.
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  (#18) Access the Secret Cow Level in Diablo II

  Chances are you've slain dozens of bipedal cows for loot in Diablo II's Secret Cow Level. Funny thing is, this was included as homage to a false rumor about the original Diablo that stated you could access a hidden level if you continuously clicked on the cows just outside of town. To access the wondrous land of Hell Bovines, simply combine Wirt's Leg and a Tome of Town Portal within the Horadric Cube while standing in the Rogue Encampment.
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  (#19) You Can Unlock All of the Bonds in Goldeneye

  Rumor has it that when they first conceived Goldeneye, you could unlock all of the different James Bonds and could even play as alternate Bonds in the game's bonus levels. It's not clear why the mode was cut, though there was most likely a gamut of legal issues or a cranky Sean Connery.

  Luckily, the other Bonds weren't taken out of the game, just made inaccessible. In 2004, fans made an awesome mod that finally allowed the lost Bonds to be used.
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  (#20) A Golden Fire Breathing Chicken Pops Out of Pipes in Gears of War 3

  Zelda games have taught us to be wary of attacking chickens, but this secret in Gears of War 3 made us especially nervous. In one section of the campaign, if you shoot into several different pipes, a seemingly normal chicken pops out. But if you shoot at it enough, it’ll transform into a ten-foot tall, golden, fire-breathing chicken beast. We’d rather face an army of Brumacks then go up against that thing again.
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  (#21) Fight Hidden Boss Culex in Mario RPG

  In the little area known as Monstro Town, there is a sealed door that cannot be immediately opened. If you go to the room next door to the sealed door, a Piranha Plant will hint that he hears someone inside the room talking about a crystal. This is your hint to head to Moleville, where you can buy Fireworks for 500 coins and trade them to a girl in the village for a Shiny Rock. This is the key to entering the sealed door, where you can fight the insanely hard Culex, who looks nothing like the other bosses in the game and is an obvious nod to Final Fantasy. Upon defeating Culex he will reward you with a Quartz Charm, which when equipped ups your attack and defense by 50%, and prevents you from instant deaths in battle.
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  (#22) Arkham City Map in Secret Room in Batman: Arkham Asylum

  Connected to Quincy Sharp's office in Batman: Arkham Asylum is a secret room. To reach it, you have to place several applications of explosive foam, and using detective vision, unveil the location of the weak wall. Successfully find it, and you'll see blueprints of Arkham City hanging up on a wall.
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  (#23) Dead Space Spells Nicole's Fate

  This secret involves spoilers for the original Dead Space, so consider yourself warned. Dead Space’s big plot twist is that Nicole, the female protagonist Isaac Clarke has been chasing the whole game, died before he even arrived at the derelict space station. But that reveal wouldn’t have surprised him if he was paying attention to the chapter titles, because the first letter of each one comes together to spell “Nicole is dead.”
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  (#24) How to Make Robbie the Rabbit Scare the Sh*t Out of You in Silent Hill 4

  This one's liable to give you nightmares. Robbie is a disturbing, bloody-mouthed, pink rabbit mascot from Silent Hill 3. For whatever reason, your neighbor Eileen owns a plushie version of him. You can spot it sitting on her bed if you peek through a tiny peephole in the wall. Usually, the Robbie doll just sits there creepily, but if you take a look after Eileen's gone missing, you'll get a terrifying surprise – Robbie staring and pointing directly at you. Oh, dear GOD.
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  (#25) Altair Dead in a Bale of Hay in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

  In Assassin's Creed games, we've always kind of just accepted that jumping into a bale of hay from, like, 20 stories up was a safe way to escape danger. But in The Witcher 2, it seems Geralt has discovered that that's not the case - at least, if Altair's dead body is any indication. That, or the dude just botched his landing.
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  (#26) Cloud Strife and Aerith Gainsborough Reunite in Final Fantasy Tactics

  In Chapter 4 of Final Fantasy Tactics, you can follow a series of steps to open a time portal and get Cloud Strife to join your party. Doing so ultimately results in his encounter with a "flower girl" - Aerith - who is being harassed by thugs, one of which suggests she sell her body instead of flowers. Ick.
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  (#27) Minecraft Dirt Caves Dot the Landscape in Borderlands 2

  Lots of games make cute Minecraft references, but Borderlands 2 does it right. While spelunking through the Caustic Caverns, you may find some unmistakable dirt cubes blocking your way. Bust through them with your melee attack (in classic Minecraft fashion), and you'll find a cave filled with Creepers on the other side. Killing them may even net you a sweet Minecraft helmet accessory, complete with chunky pixelation!
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  (#28) Programmer John Romero's Head on a Stick in Doom II

  The impaled head of John Romero, one of the lead programmers of Doom II,  is one of the more famous Easter eggs in all of gaming. To find it, you must use a noclipping cheat during the final boss encounter in Doom II and walk "through" the villain's head. There you'll find Romero's head mounted atop a stake. This visual gag is actually the hit detection box for the boss.
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  (#29) LucasArts HQ with a George Lucas Meet and Greet in Zombies Ate My Neighbors

  Sure, LucasArts has been consumed by Disney, but at least we'll always have a 16-bit version of the LucasArts offices to remember this great developer by. If you enter "QSDZ" at the password screen of this classic top-down shooter, you'll be whisked to the Credits Level. Instead of killing the undead in a zombie-filled suburb, you'll be chatting with the folks who made the game and blasting purple tentacles in the LucasArts offices. George Lucas even greets you at the door - what a guy!
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  (#30) The Giant Squid in the Assassin Tomb in Assassin's Creed II

  While in the Assassin Tomb beneath Santa Maria della Visitazione, pull the lever that activates the swinging poles and look down into the nearby pool of water for about a minute. There, you'll see a large squid swim past. Repeat the process, and the thing will take a swing at Ezio with its tentacle arm. Rude.
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  (#31) A Sarcastic Announcer Mocks You in Wave Race Blue Storm

  Surprisingly, this one managed to stay buried for quite a while. By pressing a specific sequence of buttons in the audio options menu, you can change the generally cheerful announcer into a sarcastic d-bag who mocks your every move.
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  (#32) Duke Nukem Hates Pop Culture Game Heroes in Duke Nukem 3D

  Duke's always had a penchant for poking fun at pop culture and his own FPS competitors, most famously with the disemboweled corpse of Doom's protagonist in one of Duke 3D's hidden rooms. Other potshots include a busted T-800 Terminator, Luke Skywalker's corpse suspended from the ceiling in an ice cave, and an impaled Indiana Jones. Duke Nukem Forever continued the tradition by mocking Gears of War's Dom and Halo's Master Chief. In retrospect, Duke's attempts at making fun of the superior game heroes are… regrettable.
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  (#33) Hidden Mickey in Aladdin (Genesis) Can Buy You an Extra Life

  As a company, Disney is famous for hiding Mickey Mouses in its feature films and theme parks, so it’s no surprise that some of their games did it as well. In the gorgeous 16-bit Aladdin tie-in game, a pair of Mickey ears pop up early in the second stage.

  Bonus: if you line up Aladdin with the ears to make it look like he’s wearing them, you’ll get an extra life.
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  (#34) Jukebox Plays Portal's "Still Alive" Song in Left 4 Dead 2

  Sometimes you need a bit of musical motivation for all that zombie slaying, which is where the Left 4 Dead 2's jukebox - located in the Parish campaign - comes in. You'll find it in a cafe. Flip through the available songs, and you'll eventually come across Portal's "Still Alive." A fitting tune for the survivors of a zombie apocalypse, don't you think?
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  (#35) Watch Elexis Touch Herself in a Hot Tub in SiN

  One level takes you through Elexis's compound, where you can find a hidden security camera feed of her lounging in a hot tub. You get to watch the back of her head as she, well... you know. You can also activate "no-clip" mode, which allows you to move through walls. This lets you access the hot tub, which is normally cut off from the rest of the level. Using your newfound ghost pervert skills, you can see the animation that the previous camera shot obscured.
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  (#36) A Message from Sonic CD Masato Nishimura in Sound Test Menu

  Here's an Easter egg that's totally harmless in theory, but incredibly disturbing in practice. If you access the secret sound test menu, THEN input a secret combination of sounds, you'll suddenly be greeted by a frightening collage of Sonic sprites with leering, human faces and some unsettling music to match. There's an incredibly complex explanation behind this creepy secret, but long story short, it's a personal touch snuck into the game by level designer Masato Nishimura.
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  (#37) Photo of Rebecca Chambers in Albert Wesker's Desk in Resident Evil 2

  Some Easter eggs are a lesson in tedium. Take, for instance, the hidden roll of film in Resident Evil 2. Find Albert Wesker's desk in the S.T.A.R.S. office and check it 50 times to get the film. Then develop it in the save room with a darkroom to unveil a photo of Rebecca Chambers with the word "Recruit" on it. You should consider apologizing to the "X" button of your PlayStation controller afterwards.
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  (#38) Unlock a Statue of Guybrush Threepwood in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

  In the second mission of the game, enter the room with the hologram Jabba the Hut. To Jabba's left is a statue of Guybrush Threepwood, the protagonist of LucasArts's The Secret of Monkey Island. Best of all, you can unlock the Guybrush Threepkiller costume by smashing the nearby game machines. Guybrush Threepwood, mighty Jedi.
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  (#39) The Puzzle's in the Painting in God of War: Ascension

  This cleverly hidden puzzle can only be solved in Chapter 14 - The Cistern. You'll find a painting depicting Olympus, which, when examined, spits out a seemingly random string of letters. Once deciphered, these letters translate to: Sun, bird, bull, lion, sun, all of which correspond to nearby plates printed on the ground. Activating those plates in that specific order unveils a new image on the painting, with the following cryptic message: "When the Earth stops, the journey begins."
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  (#40) Cavemen Family in Sierra 117 Level of Halo 3

  The Halo franchise has always been packed with some pretty neat Easter eggs, but none have been as outlandishly creepy as the family of cavemen found in Halo 3's Sierra 117 level. Seriously, look at those things - they look like differently sized clones of the same thing. That face is the sort that haunts dreams.
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  (#41) Put Wario on Mount Rushmore in Pilotwings 64

  When it launched with the N64 in 1996, Pilotwings was known as the other game that came out alongside Super Mario 64. And Mario even found a way into Pilotwings by replacing George Washington among the Presidents on Mount Rushmore. But if Mario’s not your bag, secret seekers found out they could run into Mario’s face and switch the visage to Wario’s instead.
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  (#42) Corpse of Psychonauts' Raz Hidden in a Memory in Alice: Madness Returns

  Hidden with one of Alice's in-game memories in a secret hole lie the fleshless bones of Razputen "Raz" Aquato of Psychonauts fame. Poor guy - even mind-surfing powers apparently can't save you from the madness of Wonderland.
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  (#43) Find Abstergo Industries' Files in Far Cry 3

  Throughout the stage you’ll find hidden proof that Abstergo, the enemies of the Assassin’s Guild, had been doing experiments on the same island that Far Cry 3 takes place. After the surprise success of Far Cry 3, could this be Ubisoft testing the waters for a full on crossover?
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  (#44) Find and Shoot a Hidden Coin to Make Naked Dudes Clap For You in Hitman: Blood Money

  Blood Money's "Till Death Do Us Part" mission has Agent 47 mingling with party guests, including a group of rednecks that seems to be having a scuffle. But if you can find and shoot a tiny coin hidden in the backyard, those same surly tough guys will suddenly strip down to their boxers and sprint to your position to give you a round of applause. Uh… thank you very much?
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  (#45) Pikmin Pop out of Flower Beds in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

  The GameCube entry in the long-running Mario sports series included an Easter egg that give tribute to one of the system’s most original games. If you hit your golf ball into a flower bed, you’ll a see number of Pikmin jump out of the vegetation. We hope this means you’ll collect Mario’s lost golf balls in Pikmin 3.
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  (#46) Tannis Rides a Fish in Borderlands

  Tannis is key to the storyline in Borderlands, but that doesn’t mean this NPC doesn’t know how to have fun. You can find this one by heading to the docks in the south east, then shooting a handful of barrels in a very specific order that developer Gearbox had to spell out on its forums. Once you do this, Tannis pops out of the water riding a fish off into the sunset. This secret was repeated with a little more gusto in the sequel.
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  (#47) Donkey Jim Kong Appears in Earthworm Jim Special Edition

  When Earthworm Jim originally hit Genesis and SNES in 1995, many thought it would be the biggest game of the year, but it got overshadowed by the 600 pound retail gorilla that was Donkey Kong Country. After Earthworm Jim got a Sega CD rerelease, the devs took a little swipe at the primate that outsold them via the unlockable head graphic you see above. That’ll teach DKC!
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  (#48) Explore The Island From TV's Lost in Just Cause 2

  Try to fly over the island in the upper lefthand corner of the map and you're in for a surprise of the "oh god my plane's on fire" variety. While most games are content to sprinkle in references to pop culture, Just Cause 2 built the entire island from Lost for you to explore, itself riddled with references from the show.
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  (#49) Pee-Wee's Playhouse Character Cowboy Curtis Makes a Cameo in Enter the Matrix -

  Back when hype was at a fever pitch for the Matrix sequels, Enter the Matrix was an official film tie-in that took great care to respect the film’s plot lines. Sadly, that accuracy came at the cost of the game being any good. Despite the lack of quality, the game did have some cool secrets hidden within, particularly for fans who grew up with Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. Type “Cowboy Curtis” into the hacking mini game and you’ll get a brief response from Morpheus a.k.a. Laurence Fishburne, the man who played Curtis on Pee-Wee show.
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  (#50) Naughty Dog Piñata Characters in The Last of Us -

  Before the zombie apocalypse, Sony developer Naughty Dog dipped its resources into the piñata business. When searching around the apartment in the Pittsburgh chapter, you might stumble upon some familiar faces: Nathan Drake, Jak, and Daxter, all in adorable pinata form. Makes sense, since Naughty Dog famously developed Uncharted and Jak and Daxter prior to The Last of Us.
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  (#51) Shorts Are Still Comfy and Easy to Wear in Pokémon X and Y

  "Hi! I like shorts! They're comfy and easy to wear!" That's the undeniably random battle cry of a Youngster in the original Pokémon Red and Blue. And because this bizarre bit of fashion advice was such a memorable, goofy line to many players, it's stuck with the series as a running joke. Multiple Pokémon games have referenced it - most recently Pokémon X and Y.
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  (#52) Sergeant Johnson Tussels with a Covenant Elite in Halo: Combat Evolved

  Playing through Halo: Combat Evolved on Legendary (its hardest difficulty) was no easy task. But those who completed it on that setting were treated to a surprise cutscene in which Sergeant Johnson was seen grappling for his assault rifle with a Covenant Elite. Once the Pillar of Autumn's self-destruct sequence was initiated in the background, he stared longingly into the Elite's eyes and said "This is it, baby. Hold me." The two then embraced as the Halo ring exploded into tiny pieces.
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  (#53) ToeJam and Earl Earl Has a Secret Hot Tub Level with Hula Girls

  The first level of the game consists of two islands in a giant ocean. By using an item (such as a jet ski or inner tube) to reach the lower left section of the ocean, you'll find a secret island with a hot tub full of hula girls that will heal you, and a lemonade stand that grants extra lives. Best. Vacation. Ever.
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  (#54) Don't Fear the Reaper in Gears of War: Judgment

  Finding this secret requires some pretty crazy hoop-jumping, but the payoff is well worth it. First off, you have to be in the multiplayer-only Library map - an odd mode in which to hide an Easter egg. By shooting tiny slips of paper hidden throughout the level, you'll cause the nearby portraits to change in gruesome ways. Do this with every painting on the map, and you'll summon a ghostly Reaper that you can fight in an epic one-on-one duel to the death.
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  (#55) Giant Ocean Bunny in Watery Island Area in Saints Row 2

  The series truly embraced its wild nature in Saints Row The Third, but developer Volition was already playing with it during the second Saints title, as this Easter egg proves. If you head to several nondescript islands in the game’s watery area, you’ll end up falling through one, which will awaken a sleeping giant. Simply look to the horizon and you’ll see a monstrous purple rabbit arise, making this one more the Easter bunny than an Easter egg.
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  (#56) Play Free Zork and Dead Ops Arcade on Menu Screen in Call of Duty: Black Ops

  On the menu screen, repeatedly hit the left and right triggers to make the strapped-in Alex Mason rock back and forth. Eventually you'll break free of the restraining cuffs. Walk to the computer behind your chair. By typing in the appropriate commands, you can play Zork and Dead Ops Arcade, among other games.
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  (#57) Guybrush Dies in Secret of Monkey Island 2

  Unlike their cruel Sierra counterparts, LucasArts adventure games were famous for not killing players or forcing them to completely start an adventure over, which makes this deadly moment an out of character Easter egg. When Guybrush is trapped in a death trap that requires him to blow out a candle, if you wait about ten minutes, it eventually burns through a rope that then sends him to his death. But because the plot is all being told to by a living Guybrush, he then admits the death was embellished and the scene starts over.
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  (#58) Guitar Hero for Sale in The Amazing Spider-Man

  The recent adaptation of the 2012 Spider-Man film has an Easter egg that looks to poke some gentle fun at its publisher, Activision. See, if you search the title’s version of Manhattan long enough, you’ll come across a Guitar Hero instrument with its telltale colored buttons on the neck. Where are they located? In the windows of pawn shops.
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  (#59) Resident Evil's "Jill's Sandwich" Featured in Dead Rising as Eatery

  Anyone who played the original Resident Evil likely remembers the laughably cheesy line "that was TOO close, you were almost a JILL SANDWICH!" Now, Barry's comforting words will live on forever in Dead Rising, where you can visit a quaint little shop called Jill's Sandwiches.
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  (#60) Xbox Prototype in a Museum of Japanese Artifacts in Ninja Gaiden II

  Seeing this big shiny metallic "X" is a sobering reminder of what could've been. Thankfully, Microsoft's Xbox was a giant, clunky... box instead. You can find this Easter egg in Chapter 4, inside the museum full of Japanese artifacts. It even makes the Xbox's startup noise!
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  (#61) Programmer Landon Dyer's Initials Found in Donkey Kong (Atari 400 and 800)

  The Easter egg hidden in the Donkey Kong port for the Atari 400 and 800 went undiscovered for 26 years before programmer Landon Dyer unveiled its existence. By fulfilling a very specific list of criteria before purposely killing Mario, you can see Landon's initials (LMD) on the game's title screen.
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  (#62) A Slenderman Sighting on the Bush Wacky Level of Runner 2

  No game is safe from the faceless horror that is Slenderman. While running and jumping through the "Bush Wacky" level in World 3 of Runner 2, you can catch a glimpse of everyone's favorite boogeyman staring at you silently from the background. Whatever you do, don't turn around. That's when he gets you.
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  (#63) Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter as Marines in Mission 6 of Halo 4

  While in Mission 6 of Halo 4, find the two marines standing near a forklift in the large loading bay. At first, the two just stand there in silence. Wait for a bit, though, and you'll hear the voices of both Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter as they talk about moving crates and the how comfortable carpet is.
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  (#64) Elevator Disco Rave in Crysis 2

  Not even a Nanosuit can provide these kinds of smooth moves. While trekking through the office building in the "Dead Man Walking" mission, you can uncover a lovely surprise: two C.E.L.L. assault soldiers boogie'ing their hearts out in an elevator car filled with strobe lights, fog, a disco ball, and thumping techno. Maximum Dance, engaged.
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  (#65) A Teaser Biohazard 4 (Resident Evil 4) in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

  You can find a teaser poster for Biohazard 4 (Resident Evil 4) in RE3. To find it, head to the movie theater before meeting up with Carlos in the diner. It'll be hanging on a wall right in front of the building.
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  (#66) Find Half-Life Character Gordon Freeman's Crowbar in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

  During the "Black Project" mission you'll be tasked with infiltrating Area 69 and stealing a jetpack. Pay attention to the rooms you have to walk past, though - one of them has Gordon Freeman's crowbar sitting on a table.
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  (#67) Samus's Aran's Gunship Makes a Cameo in Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze

  Nintendo has never been one to shy away from stealthily cross-referencing its various franchises between games. Look closely at the silhouetted background of the Busted Bayou level near the K in KONG, and you can see Samus Aran's Gunship lodged between the trees. Must've been that baby Metroid messing with the controls again.
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  (#68) Final Fantasy XXVII Poster in Frank Pritchard's Office in Deus Ex: Human Revolution

  The first time you step foot into Frank Pritchard's office, take a look at the wall to the left of the doorway. There, you'll find a poster with the title "Final Fantasy XXVII." Of course, by the time Final Fantasy hits the 27th numbered entry, we'll probably be sucked into various computer worlds Jonny Quest-style... wonder what turn-based combat will look like by then.
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  (#69) Meet The Developers After Fighting a Double-Powered Lavos in Chrono Trigger

  Ever wish you could meet the developers of Chrono Trigger in person? Well, you sort of can. After beating the game and starting a New Game Plus, a new Gate appears in the right-hand telepod in Leene Square. Take this at the beginning of your new game to fight a double-powered Lavos. If you manage to beat him, you'll find virtual representations of the dev team at the End of Time.
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  (#70) You Can Find the Hatch from Lost in the 1st Level in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

  While X-Men Origins: Wolverine wasn't an amazing game by any means (though it was pretty good), it did include a pretty incredible reference to World of Warcraft and the television series Lost. You can find the hatch from Lost in the very first level, while chapter two contains an icy cave in which you can find Frostmourne - Arthas's corrupting sword from Warcraft III.
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  (#71) A Bullet Bill Patch Is Featured in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

  Most Zelda games contain at least one Super Mario reference, and they're often cleverly hidden. In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, head to Lake Hylia and find the creepy-looking clown that operates the cannon there. Switch to first-person mode and check out the sleeve on his left arm to find an image of Bullet Bill on his stylish jacket.
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  (#72) Cowboy Hats for All on Insane Difficulty in Gears of War 2

  Love Gears of War, but find yourself wishing that Marcus and company wore cowboy hats? There's an easy fix for that. In Gears of War 2, play on Insane difficulty and load up chapter three in the campaign. There are three cowboy hats just hanging out in the environment - shoot all three, and everyone on your rig (as well as many of the locusts you'll have to kill) will pull a John Marston and wear an awesome cowboy hat.
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  (#73) It’s Raining Speedo-Clad Men in SimCopter

  The Sim series started off small with several spin-offs before conquering the world with The Sims. Games like SimAnt and SimFarm were early software hits, but SimCopter made the biggest splash, thanks to one coder placing a disproportionate number of gay, speedo-clad men on the streets of the city you patrol via chopper. The coder in question was fired for making such a huge change to the game, but fans appreciated something as bland as SimCopter getting a little more fabulous.
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  (#74) Playing D&D with "Summoner Geeks" in Summoner

  Volition's Summoner, a third-person RPG, was a fairly decent launch title for the PlayStation 2, and it contained a rather humorous Easter egg. After finishing the game and watching the credits, an animated rendition of the Dungeons and Dragons comedy sketch "Summoner Geeks" would play. This video, which included characters from both the Summoner and Red Faction series, was made as a promotional tool for Summoner.
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  (#75) Joe Whistles the Super Mario Theme in Viewtiful Joe (GameCube)

  Viewtiful Joe eventually ended up on other systems, but it was originally set as a Nintendo exclusive, and this Easter egg confirms it. After you unlock the Shocking Pink bomb attack, Joe gains the ability to bounce bombs on his foot like it’s an explosive hacky sack. While bouncing the ball Joe can be heard humming the iconic Super Mario Bros. theme.
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  (#76) Jack's Surveillance Photos in Andrew Ryan's Office in BioShock

  When you're looking through the eyes of another person, it's a tad difficult to see your own face. A lot of first-person game developers seem to get a kick out of teasing what your character's face might look like without ever revealing his or her mug. But in BioShock, you can see surveillance photos of Jack's face shortly after you enter Andrew Ryan's office. Just keep checking the walls for the string diagram with the famous words, "Would you kindly" scrawled in big ol' letters.
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  (#77) A Giant Rat on Parade in Mirror's Edge

  Given how seriously Mirror's Edge takes itself, this Easter egg is surprisingly bizarre. When Faith has to use the sniper rifle during part D of the "Kate" chapter, shoot the engine of the target truck as it comes around the corner, then hit the white spot directly in the middle of the orange sign on the building behind it. You'll be rewarded by seeing a gigantic, police cruiser-sized rat bounding around the corner and scurrying down the street.
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  (#78) Malak’s Transformation into Twi’lek Dancer in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

  BioWare games are known for their multiple endings, but this hidden climax its first Star Wars game is one of the weirdest. When the hero faces his former apprentice Darth Malak, plug in a second Xbox controller and press L, R, and Y at the same time. Malak will transform into a Twi’lek dancer, and though the camera cuts away, we can only assume the two then have an epic dance battle.
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  (#79) Chestbursters Dressed Like One Froggy Evening's Michigan J. Frog in Aliens: Colonial Marines

  Yes, the game might've been only marginally better than a vigorous slap in the face, but Aliens: Colonial Marines at least had the courtesy to give us a great Easter egg. In the laboratory from the mission One Bullet, you can find a special containment capsule with a tiny straw hat and cane inside. Later on in the same level, you'll encounter two contained Chestburster specimens that are now outfitted with that same hat and cane. This is a reference to the Spaceballs bit lifted from the classic Chuck Jones cartoon One Froggy Evening.
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  (#80) Valve founder Gabe Newell's Room in Half-Life

  How much do you love Valve founder Gabe Newell? Enough to construct a tiny box with the walls, floor, and ceiling all plastered with a picture of his grinning mug? Boot up the "c1a1c" map (the last segment of the Unforeseen Consequences chapter), then activate -noclip mode to let Gordon Freeman pass freely through the level geometry. Delve beneath the level, and you'll spot a pitch black box. Once inside it, turn on your flashlight to be greeted by 1,000 smiling Newell faces.
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  (#81) Portal's Keyboard Pays Homage to Half-Life: Opposing Force

  While taking a nice, death-free stroll through any of the office areas in Portal, take a gander at some of the keyboards. You'll notice that the following keys are yellow instead of black: A, S, D, E, R, H, N, I, P. These can be unscrambled to spell Adrian Shepard, the protagonist of Half-Life: Opposing Force.
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  (#82) Sonic Battles Reskinned Eggman in Christmas Nights

  Christmas Nights may look like a seasonal rebranding of the Saturn’s killer app, but it also acted as a special present to all the Sonic-starved Saturn owners. As a special holiday present to fans, Christmas Nights had an unlockable Sonic stage that ended with the blue hedgehog battling a standard Nights boss that had been reskinned as Eggman.
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  (#83) Take out the Trash Near Banjo's House to Find the Ice Key in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

  Currently, Rare seems solely focused on Kinect and Avatar games, making Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts the developer's last game in one of its classic franchises. The game has a rather ignoble goodbye to Rare’s past among its Easter eggs that’s found in the dumpster near Banjo’s house. Within it, you’ll find the Ice Key from the first game, a Viva Pinata Fudgehog, and Kameo’s talking book. Elsewhere, you’ll find a bin full of Grabbed by Ghoulies, which is exactly the right place for that trashy game.
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  (#84) Play Maniac Mansion in Weird Ed's Room in Day of the Tentacle

  The follow-up to the beloved adventure game Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle actually allowed people to play its predecessor in its entirety. While playing as Bernard, just go to Weird Ed's room and "use" his computer to gain access to Maniac Mansion. The whole thing.
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  (#85) Colonel Campbell Confesses in Alien Crop Circle in Metal Gear Solid 4

  After defeating Laughing Octopus in Act 2, you'll be tasked with tracking Naomi. After you find her handkerchief on the ground, you'll come across a squatting guard. Take him out and continue forward to find a crop circle. If you hang out there for a bit, you'll start to hear Colonel Campbell recount his tale of being abducted by aliens. What a guy.
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  (#86) Gandalf of the Future Hangs from Broken Platform in Sanctum 2

  This futuristic, first-person tower defense game is full of nifty Easter eggs, but this one's a fan favorite by far. In the Bio Lab level, you'll find a lone explorer hanging on for dear life to the edge of a broken platform. As you approach, he'll utter one piece of advice in his best Ian McKellan voice: "Fly, you fools!" Then he plunges to his doom. NOOOOOOOOO!
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  (#87) Journey Protagonists on a Distant Planet in The Unfinished Swan

  Isn't it pleasant when indie crossovers happen for pretty much no reason besides mutual respect? At the top of one of the tallest towers in The Unfinished Swan, you'll find a gigantic telescope. Peek through the looking glass then zoom all the way in, and you'll see a pair of scarf-folk preparing to begin their journey on a distant planet.
  
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  (#88) Insomniac Museum's Deleted Content in Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando/Up Your Arsenal/A Crack in Time

  This one might seem a little too much like self-promotion, but the Insomniac Museums actually exist to show off content that the developers chose to cut from the Ratchet and Clank games. Usually only accessible at certain times of the day after you’ve 100% finished the game, you’ll find leftover items, art, and other features that Insomniac chose not to include in the game. We wish more developers found such cool ways to share stuff like this with their most dedicated fans.
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  (#89) Well-Hidden Cheese Wedges Found in Perfect Dark

  Developer Rare loves to hide secrets in its games, but this Perfect Dark egg has to be one of its weirdest. Hidden within each chapter of the single player portion of the FPS is a small wedge of cheese, and they’re hidden so well that few found any of them in the game without a guide, let alone all 17.
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  (#90) John Marston's Hat Stuffed in a Trashcan in L.A. Noire

  During "The Silk Stocking Murder" case, check out the trash can in the alleyway behind your car after returning from the rooftop. Inside, you'll find the hat that belonged to John Marston in Red Dead Redemption.
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  (#91) Ask K. K. Slider for Totaka's Song in Animal Crossing

  This specific tune has showed up in a bevy of Nintendo games, including Mario Paint, Mario Land 2, Yoshi's Story, The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening, and more. To hear it in Animal Crossing, find K. K. Slider and ask him to hear the "K.K. Song."
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  (#92) A Scriptwriter Makes a "Payned" Expression in Alan Wake

  There are a few cute allusions to developer Remedy’s first game, Max Payne, in their newer series Alan Wake, but a definite favorite was scriptwriter Sam Lake’s bit of self-mockery. Lake not only wrote the scripts for Payne and Wake’s adventures, he was also the original face model for Payne, and in one of Alan Wake’s random live action videos he briefly contorts his face into the famously pained expression.
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  (#93) A Disco Party in the Mind Control Facility in Stanley Parable

  Oh, Stanley Parable - always the cheeky one. Hang out in the Mind Control Facility for long enough, and you'll eventually be granted access to a mysterious light switch. Flipping said switch kicks off a surprise disco party, complete with goofy, secret-related blurbs that feel both congratulatory and slightly mocking.
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  (#94) You Can Read Mitten's Journal in Gone Home

  Gone Home's journal entries are what deliver most of the heartfelt story, but there's one that you probably missed, and it may be the most evocative of all. To get it, you have to locate a small purple basketball in the Greenbriar family's garage, then make a basket on the hoop affixed to the back of Sam's door (take that, everyone who says Gone Home isn't a game). Your prize is a reading of a meow-tastic journal entry by Mitten the cat, while a slideshow of random cat pictures displays on Sam's TV.
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  (#95) Ijiek Racing Brand is a Tribute to the Series Creators in Dead Rising 2

  Much like the original Dead Rising star Frank West, sequel protagonist Chuck Greene can dress up tons of different outfits, but his standard clothes are where a secret is hidden in plain sight. Chuck’s Ijiek Racing jacket may seem like a hard to pronounce in-game brand, but it’s really a tribute to the series’ creator. Reverse the letters and you get “Keiji,” as in Keiji Inafune, the creator Mega Man who went on to head up Dead Rising until he left Capcom shortly before Dead Rising 2 came out.
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  (#96) Various Games and TV Shows Are Given Shout Outs in Bayonetta

  There are a TON of references to various games and TV shows in Bayonetta, all of which are equally awesome. You'll really have to pay attention if you hope to catch 'em all, though, as many are cleverly hidden. Between all the nods to Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Resident Evil 4, and other Capcom games (as well as some movies and TV series), there's plenty to see.
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  (#97) Dance the Night Away: The REAL Endgame in Deus Ex: Invisible War

  Okay, so Invisible War maybe wasn't the best Deus Ex game - but it at least had an awesome hidden ending. Before uploading the Aquinas information to anyone, head to UNATCO. Find the ruined wall and pick up the nearby flag, take it down the stairs to the middle floor, and into the bathroom in the room on the far left. Flush the toilet while holding the flag and you'll be transported to a hidden nightclub in which a bunch of characters are dancing. Enjoy your hidden ending, you crazy dance machine, you.
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  (#98) Milla Vodello's Burning Orphange Nightmare in Psychonauts

  For such a light-hearted platformer, this cerebral secret is shockingly dark. While bouncing around Milla's Dance Party mindscape, keep an eye out for a secluded playroom with a large toy chest. Hit it open and hop in, and Raz will be sucked into a fiery cell surrounded by disfigured spirits with endless, horrifying whispers. This is a mental representation of the sadder side to Milla Vodello's character: the compartmentalized memory of the children who died when a fire broke out in Milla's orphanage.
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  (#99) A Thief: The Dark Project Stealth Tutorial in Dishonored

  Dishonored had a lot in common with the stealth franchise Thief, and even payed tribute to the tutorial of Thief: The Dark Project. To find this, load up Mission 7 and head to Assassin's Hideout in Central Rudshore. Sneak inside and you'll find a training area, where one assassin is teaching another the basics of stealth. Pay attention to the dialogue, it's nearly identical to the tutorial dialogue from Thief: The Dark Project.
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  (#100) Secret Hall of Developers on "Dark Bride" Level in Serious Sam 3: BFE

  All the Serious Sam games are packed to the gills with secrets, this is just the latest and highest resolution version of the series's most recognizable (and strangest) running joke. In the "Dark Bride" level, some tricky jumps can get you past a giant pond and through a nearby window. Once across, you're accosted by giant-headed martians with the developers' faces. Kill them. Kill them all.
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  (#101) The Maw Makes an Appearance in 'Splosion Man -

  In level 3-17 of 'Splosion Man, you can find a tank that contains The Maw, a character from a 2009 game of the same name. 'Splode in front of it and you'll unlock a neat cutscene.
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  (#102) Hydralisk Hidden in Daughters of the Moon Mission in Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos

  Back in 2002, playing a fully polygonal StarCraft game seemed like nothing more than a wonderful pipe dream. That's what made Blizzard fans ecstatic when they found a 3D-rendered Hydralisk unit from StarCraft's Zerg race hidden in the "Daughters of the Moon" mission from Warcraft 3's Night Elf campaign. By using the Ballista unit to chop down foliage in just the right spot, you could locate (and recruit!) this poison-spitting alien. Alternatively, you could just play a round of Defense of the Ancient and pick the Venomancer.
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  (#103) Finding Parker from the Original Red Faction in Red Faction: Guerilla

  Northeast of Mohole in the Badlands zone is a cranky old dude sitting in a chair. If you hang around long enough, he'll start mumbling about how difficult his war was, and that yours is far easier in comparison to the battles he had to fight. This man is Parker - the protagonist of the original Red Faction.

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