(Spoilers) Easter eggs, hidden references, in-game jokes

nathanel · January 13, 2010, 11:56:49 AM

Hi!

(btw I LOVE these new VVVVVV emots =])

I thought it would be cool to have a thread to collect all the jokes hidden in room names, in the rooms themselves and anywhere otherplace in the game. Also, I've read that there are numerous references to some old games in room names and enemies shapes. As I pretty much missed the 8bit era, I don't really seem to find them, so I would be great if some good people would also explain them here. But not only old-game-references, as Terry is quite a creative guy (and so is Bennett) and I can feel that there are tons of jokes and references to just about everything.

So, for starters:

- room named Diode in the Laboratory looks like a diode on electronic schemes and also works like one - it lets you pass only in one direction (ok I know it's a simplification). Probably for many people it was obvious but it put a smile on my face when I first noticed it. =)

eyf · January 13, 2010, 12:58:05 PM

Don't Adjust the V-Hold.

rhebus · January 13, 2010, 01:40:40 PM

Here are some more 8-bit references:
Manic Mine: Manic Miner for the ZX Spectrum [although I think the Yes Men is the most similar room to MM in the game]
It's a Secret to Nobody: Secrets in Legend of Zelda on the NES were marked with "It's a secret to everybody".
Sweeney's Maze: ZZT by Tim Sweeney of Epic Megagames (now famous for Unreal). The monsters here are centipedes from ZZT.
Twisty Little Passages: Zork/Adventure type games

And non-gaming references:
Silverstone Grand V: Silverstone is the usual track for the British F1 Grand Prix
Take the Red Pill: The Matrix
Ascending and Descending: MC Escher picture of the same name
It's not easy being green: Kermit the Frog!

Green Dudes can't Flip: White men can't jump
Murdering Twinmaker: The Fly

and that's only from two levels

anyone want to do some of the rest of the game?

Also, I like the music track that you get in the Tower in Flip Mode

Spoiler: It's in the jukebox as ercoF evitisoP

SoulEye · January 13, 2010, 01:46:02 PM

I can inform you that the soundtrack has one reference (one songs sounds like a specific game and stage), one spoiler, and one secret. The last two are related, and if you find out, it's an anticlimax, so don't get your hopes up (sorry about that, you factfinders).

sergio · January 13, 2010, 01:57:12 PM

Quote from: SoulEye on January 13, 2010, 01:46:02 PMI can inform you that the soundtrack has one reference (one songs sounds like a specific game and stage)

Ooh, any hints? Is it a C64 game?

eyf · January 13, 2010, 02:10:18 PM

In Laboratory, there's a teleporter mid-stage and a narrow passageway at the top left corner of the screen. There's a trinket at the end of a very cramped and irregular maze. The maze reminded me of the Gnomish Mines in Nethack. Am I correct?

maxporter · January 13, 2010, 02:20:45 PM

There's a room named "I changed my mind, Thelma" - a reference to Thelma and Louise.

SoulEye · January 13, 2010, 02:41:26 PM

Quote from: sergio on January 13, 2010, 01:57:12 PM
Quote from: SoulEye on January 13, 2010, 01:46:02 PMI can inform you that the soundtrack has one reference (one songs sounds like a specific game and stage)

Ooh, any hints? Is it a C64 game?

The game is extremely famous (although cannot claim to be a household name like Mario) and found on many platforms. I played it on Snes the first time though it made its debut in the arcade halls. There was no C64 version to my knowledge. There WAS however a (bad) movie made for it. (That last hint should narrow it down quite a bit)

eyf · January 13, 2010, 03:02:55 PM

Quote from: SoulEye on January 13, 2010, 02:41:26 PM
The game is extremely famous (although cannot claim to be a household name like Mario) and found on many platforms. I played it on Snes the first time though it made its debut in the arcade halls. There was no C64 version to my knowledge. There WAS however a (bad) movie made for it. (That last hint should narrow it down quite a bit)

Google "gamename c64" and you'll see that there, in fact, was a C64 version of it. :-)

Requiem · January 13, 2010, 06:09:52 PM

Hmm... Street Fighter? Has a C64 version, has a bad movie, and I can KIND OF hear a connection with the main theme, but I'm not too sure.

SoulEye · January 13, 2010, 07:41:40 PM

Yup you're both right. There was a C64 version, and the game is street fighter. Have a listen to Pushing Onwards and Ryu's theme ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jgbOECFhEI ) and also Guile's theme ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iof5pRAIZmw ) !

Tribalsoul · January 13, 2010, 09:05:51 PM

Quote from: SoulEye on January 13, 2010, 07:41:40 PM
Yup you're both right. There was a C64 version, and the game is street fighter. Have a listen to Guile's theme!

I recognized SFII/Guile from the moment I first heard the music in a trailer or song sample, but I always thought the similarities were created on a subconscious level. I really didn't expect it that it was done on purpose.

Requiem · January 13, 2010, 09:28:27 PM

Went back and listened to Guile's Theme. Can't tell which song off V sounds similar, but I know it is definitely similar... Pushing Onwards, perhaps? Gotta go back and listen to all of them now...

SoulEye · January 13, 2010, 10:03:57 PM

I guess it was unconscious at first, then I recognized it, but thought it was just fun!

The Brass · January 17, 2010, 09:35:43 AM

One could just enter it into the address bar and get the appropriate wiki page, but the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final (Vinyl) was one of the most dramatic football games of all time. The supposed-to-be-weak West Germany 3-2'd the expected winner Hungary, and this was very important for the post-war identity of the country.