Everyone loves an Easter egg, not the chocolate kind, but the hidden secret references or shout-outs that populate gaming. Often found in secret places or obscure locations, Easter eggs can tickle the brain or add a layer of fun to an otherwise serious game.
We’re here to celebrate these often mysterious references that can be found in nearly every game. Join us as we look through the best game Easter eggs you can find.
Minecraft Cave – Borderlands 2
The Borderlands series is packed with references, but none so good and surprising as the hidden Minecraft Creeper Cave in the Caustic Caverns in Borderlands 2. Filled with blocks, enemies, and skins all from Mojang’s massive hit, it’s a little refresher in a tough area.
Potato Painting – Hitman 2
It took two years to find, but someone finally noticed that IO Interactive hid a sneaky reference in Hitman 2 featuring a certain painting of Jesus which went through an unfortunate ‘restoration’. This Easter egg went unnoticed until Reddit user u/tanstaafl–42 posted about it on the Hitman subreddit.
Nuked the Fridge – Fallout: New Vegas
You see a lot of strange stuff in the wasteland, and if you take the Wild Wasteland perk at the start of Fallout: New Vegas you’ll see some even stranger stuff. Strangest of these is the refrigerator which contains the corpse of a certain be-hatted archaeologist adventurer. Looks like this attempt to escape a nuclear blast didn’t quite work for old Indy.
Proper Credit – Adventure
In the beginning of gaming it was hard to get credit for your work. That’s why Adventure programmer Warren Robinett took matters into their own hands, which meant inventing the very first Easter egg. By following a series of unlikely actions in-game you’ll get access to a hidden room which features the words ‘Created by Warren Robinett’. This was heavily featured in the Ready Player One movie and book.
A Failed Proposal – Spider-Man
The saddest Easter egg in this list features a proposal a Spider-Man fan managed to get Insomniac to include in their game. In-game, a movie marquee asks Maddie to marry Tyler Schultz. However, the proposal sadly came too late, as the couple had broken up before the game’s release.
Arkham Blueprint Room – Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Arkham Asylum is filled with secrets and hidden rooms, but it took over six months for this Easter egg to be found – to the point where the developer announced it via a podcast as no-one had got close. By blowing up a wall in Warden Sharp’s office you can get access to a secret area which hints at the next game in Rocksteady’s series – Batman: Arkham City. Very sneaky indeed, Rocksteady.
The Children of Goldshire – World of Warcraft
The spookiest Easter egg ever? Possibly. Near Goldshire, in the human zone of Elwynn Forest, you’ll find a house. At certain times during the day in that house, six children will meet to stand in a pentagram formation whilst spooky music and sounds play. What’s this Easter egg a reference to? No-one knows yet…and frankly, we might not want to know.
John Romero’s Head – Doom 2
One of the most well-known Easter eggs in gaming is John Romero’s severed head. The game designer features in Doom 2’s last level, behind a small slot in the final boss. It turns out the Icon of Sin isn’t the game’s last boss, it’s John Romero himself and it’s him you have to kill.
Not an Easter Egg – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
This one isn’t an Easter egg technically, despite being a hidden secret. Why’s that? Because this Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas secret says so. If you fly right up to the top of the Gant Bridge you’ll find this hidden sign, which is definitely not an Easter egg, right?
The Dog Did It – Silent Hill 2
Finally, Silent Hill 2’s famous ending. This serious meditation on grief, loss, and guilt has a few different endings, but the best is the one where main character James Sunderland finds out just who is behind his torment. That’s right, it was the dog all along.
What’s your favourite game Easter egg? Head over to our community forum and let us know, we’d love to hear from you.
