GAMING LIFE
5 Great Gaming Easter Eggs
Tired of losing painted eggs in the backyard? Maybe it’s time to search for a different kind of Easter egg—the kind found in your favorite videogames.
Since designer Warren Robinett first blew minds by slipping a hidden message into the 1980 Atari 2600 classic Adventure, countless videogame Easter eggs—obscure images or features tucked away in a game’s coding—have delighted fans.
They come in all shapes and sizes, from cute little inside jokes to entire modes, and they’re all over the App Store. You just need to know where to look.
Crossy Road
Easter egg: Play as the Hipster Whale
‣ Already collected dozens of Crossy Road characters? Here’s one you might have missed: a bespectacled sea creature modeled after the game’s developer, Hipster Whale.
Acquiring him isn’t easy. You’ll need to keep a close eye on Crossy Road’s waterways. On rare occasions, Hipster Whale will float downstream next to a log. Jump on his back, jump right off, then end your round to unlock Hipster Whale as a playable character.
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
Easter egg: Watch the Cantina band
‣ The most famous musical group from a certain galaxy far, far away makes a cameo in Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. On the Ships screen, tap on the flying X-Wing at the upper left to watch each member of the Cantina band play a solo.
Gone Home
Easter egg: Access Mitten’s journal
‣ You spend a good amount of time learning family secrets while exploring your childhood home in this heartfelt adventure game. But if you’re interested in learning about Mitten, the family cat, curl up with this Easter egg right meow.
Here’s how:
1. Head to the garage. Grab a can from the recycling bin, then stand in the kitchen doorway and look up to find a purple toy basketball stuck in the rafters.
2. Knock it down with the can, pick it up, and carry it to Sam’s bedroom.
3. Close her door and you’ll find a little basketball hoop hanging from it. Make a shot and Mitten’s adorable journal entry will start playing.
Stardew Valley
Easter egg: The Junimo Plush
‣ Picking just one Easter egg out of a game as jam-packed with secrets as Stardew Valley is a tall order, but the Junimo Plush is our favorite. To find this incredibly rare item, shake a certain bush in the northwest corner of Pelican Town on the 28th of any season at exactly 12 p.m. Time it right and voilà! Free stuff!
Day of the Tentacle Remastered
Easter egg: Play Maniac Mansion
‣ When it comes to sheer generosity, few Easter eggs give back as heartily as this gem from the great adventure game Day of the Tentacle Remastered. As Bernard, head upstairs to Weird Ed Edison’s office and “use” Ed’s computer to play the original 1987 adventure game hit Maniac Mansion in its entirety!