Gaming, whether as a hobby or an industry, generally has a universal point of commonality: it respects its roots.
Games these days may be elaborate in terms of graphics, gameplay, and presentation, but we wouldn’t have any of that if not for the home andarcade classicsof days gone by.
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Does anyone have a quarter? I got a Game Over!
Many individuals working in the industry today grew up on those classic games. Wherever realistically possible, they like to slot in nods to their favorites, whether as optional mini-games or even essential story sections.
Interestingly, some of these throwback moments merely take cues from classic games, while others go the distance and import them entirely.
10Space Harrier On A Missile
Veteran game director Hideki Kamiya has a bit of a habit inthe games he directs: almost all of them have at least one reference to one of his favorite arcade games.
The game that debatably did this most blatantly wasBayonetta, which has both a soft reference to Afterburner and a much more overt reference to Space Harrier.
In the latter case, Bayonetta hijacks a missile with her magic and flies it through waves of angelic forces, complete with a remix of the Space Harrier theme. She even preempts this little jaunt with, “Welcome tomyfantasy zone!”
9Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Sonic Mania
Sonic Maniawas built from the ground up as a loving tribute to the classic sidescrolling Sonic games. However, sidescrolling isn’t all there is to the Sonic legacy.
Case in point, at the end of Chemical Plant Zone, rather than a traditional battle with Robotnik, you’re dropped into the controls of the long-forgotten Mean Bean Machine.
Before you can proceed to the actual boss fight of the zone, you need to defeat Robotnik in a head-to-head game of Puyo Puyo.
Don’t worry if you’re not used to these kinds of puzzle games, because Robotnik is severely out of practice and basically lets you have it.
8Midway Arcade Games
LEGO Dimensions
Lego Dimensions
LEGO Dimensionsutilized various toys-to-life products to bring in all kinds of worlds and characters fromclassic movies, games, and TV shows.
One of the kits available for the game was themed after classic Midway Arcade games. Not only was there a full level themed after various Midway games, but you could actually play the games themselves by repairing arcade machines.
With the machines, you could access 23 different Midway arcade classics, including Joust, Rampage, Robotron, Spy Hunter, and more.
7Punch Out The Resourceful Rat
Enter The Gungeon
Enter the Gungeon
Enter the Gungeonhas lots of fun references to various pop culture facets, such as the Quad Laser from Aqua Teen Hunger Force or the Wind-up Gun from Futurama.
For the most part, though, the actual gameplay stays relatively consistent. The major exception to this comes in the secret boss fight against the Resourceful Rat.
While the first two phases of the fight are normal shootouts, the third phase suddenly switches into a game of Punch-Out, complete with dodging and super punching.
We haveno idea whyyou’d want to box with an oversized rat, but who doesn’t like Punch-Out?
6Holotape Games
Presumably, in the alternate history of the Fallout series, none of the game publishers we know ever came to be. Nuclear apocalypse and all that.
However, there were apparently some game-minded programmersworking for Vault-Tecand RobCo, because there are still video games in the Fallout world, specifically inFallout 4.
By finding special holotapes scattered around the world, you can play altered versions of classic games on a terminal or your Pip-Boy. The referenced games include Donkey Kong, Missile Command, Pitfall, Space Invaders, Robotron, and The Bard’s Tale.
5Classic Kingdom Games
Kingdom Hearts 3
Here’s a fun fact: Nintendo’s classic series of Game & Watch games had two Disney tie-ins, both starring Mickey Mouse. The first of these games, simply titled “Mickey Mouse,” was actually one of the most successful Game & Watch products Nintendo sold.
As a nod to these timeless LCD games,Kingdom Hearts 3has a series of unlockable LCD games collectively titled Classic Kingdom.
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Games like Epic Mickey and DuckTales showcase the best that Disney has to offer in the gaming sphere.
While the actual Game & Watch games aren’t included, likely due to potential licensing problems, the 2D beepy sprites are pretty obviously inspired by Nintendo’s original handhelds and have similar gameplay.
4Pitfall At Murderworld
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
InMarvel Ultimate Alliance, the villain Arcade traps our heroes in his sadistic carnival, Murderworld. As they fight their way through, they encounter and battle a brainwashed Jean Grey.
to undo her brainwashing, Arcade forces you to play at a nearby cabinet, warning that “there’s going to be a few pitfalls along the way.”
This was no exaggeration: the cabinet places your hero in the first level of the Atari classic Pitfall, complete with holes, swinging vines, and scorpions. It’s only by platforming your way to the end that you can save Jean.
3Super Bowser Bros.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)
Bowser has always seemed subtly envious of Mario’s platforming skills. When the opportunity presents itself, he never shies away from an opportunity to ape his competition.
Following chapter 2 ofPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser makes his way to Petalburg in pursuit of Peach. To get there, he stomps his way through a faithful recreation of World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros.
Rather than mushrooms, hitting blocks in this mini-game yields hunks of meat that make Bowser grow exponentially in size. By the end of the level, he can get so big that he stomps right over the flagpole.
2Saints Of Rage
Saints Row 4
InSaints Row 4, the alien overlord Zinyak has placed the captured Saints in virtual simulations of their respective worst nightmares. Upon discovering the long-lost Johnny Gat is being held as well, the Boss busts into his simulated realm.
Johnny’s nightmare is asidescrolling beat ‘em up gametitled Saints of Rage, a clear nod to the Streets of Rage series.
The Boss and Johnny fight their way through the relevant events of the first two Saints Row games, ultimately helping Johnny come to terms with Aisha’s death at the hands of the Ronin in the second game.
1Wolfstone 3D
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
InWolfenstein 2, the massive German U-boat, Eva’s Hammer, is the base of operations for the resistance movement. As far as submersibles go, it’s not a terrible place to live, as it has private rooms and even a comfy bar.
Within that bar, B.J. can find an arcade machine left behind by the vessel’s former owners: a suspiciously familiar first-person shooter titled “Wolfstone 3D.”
This is a full recreation of the original Wolfenstein 3D video game, with many of the same map layouts and mechanics.
Of course, since it’s a Nazi ship, it wouldn’t make sense to be shooting Nazi soldiers, so all the soldiers in the game are replaced with American, British, and Russian forces.
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