As a general rule, developers tend to use the trophy system onPlayStationin order to reward players for reaching certain milestones in their games. Whether it be completing a specific story mission or pulling off a tricky gameplay challenge, the trophies bestowed upon gamers usually retain titles that reference the actual feat completed to achieve the trophy in the first place.
Related:Difficult PlayStation Games That Have Surprisingly Easy Platinum Trophies
That being said, this seemingly hard-and-fast rule is anything but, with developers routinely using the medium oftrophiesfor purposes of a more meta variety. From joviallyreferencing other gaming franchisesto poking fun at movies, television, and beyond, no medium is safe from some video game developers and their delightful obsession with pop culture.
Even an AAA game such asStar Wars Jedi: Survivoris not above a cheeky reference here and there, with developer Respawn Entertainment clearly not devoid of a sense of humor. So much in fact, thatStar Wars Jedi: Survivorincludes not one but two nods to other franchises from entirely different mediums.
The first is ‘Cobra Cal’ which references the television seriesCobra Kai, a sequel series to the classic 1984 filmThe Karate Kid. Players need to slash a training dummy to achieve it while Cal is sporting a stylish headband. The second is ‘Road House’, which players can snag for performing a dropkick while Cal has a mullet. This nods to the 1989 Patrick Swayze vehicleRoad House, which sees Swayze protect a nightclub by consistently kicking any baddies that wander too close.
9The Cake Is Not A Lie! - Fat Princess
From merely glancing atFat Princess, one can see that short-lived developer Titan Studios were not shy about poking fun at other franchises, with the titular princess looking remarkably similar toanother famous video game princesswith a penchant for getting kidnapped. Players who delve into the story mode of this real-time strategy game will soon unlock the trophy ‘The cake is not a lie!’.
Obtained by completing the game’s story mode, this trophy references yet another member of royalty, albeit in a more metaphorical sense.Portalis considered one of the greatest games ever made and, to hint at a certain character’s true intentions in the game, developer Valve added some graffiti for players to stumble across, one instance of which states that ‘the cake is a lie’.
After a cinematic reveal trailer that nearly broke the gaming sphere of the internet, Techland released the first entry in theDead Islandseries to middling reviews in 2011. Dealing with zombie outbreaks in various tropical locations, players of theDead Islandseries will find themselvescrafting modded melee weaponsto use in the delightfully crunchy combat system.
Related:The Best Open-World Zombie Games Ever Made
The trophy ‘How many days exactly?’, from the eponymous first game in the series, requires players to play the game at least 28 days after starting. Techland bears all with this reference to Danny Boyle’s28 Days Later, showcasing one of their key influences right on their sleeve.
7Gotta Catch ‘Em All - UFC Undisputed 2010
Despite receiving relatively positive reviews upon release, the mixed martial arts fighting gameUFC Undisputed 2010is arguably best known for including basketball star Shaquille O’Neal as a playable character. The strange guest character roster aside, the game makes another odd reference with its silver trophy ‘Gotta Catch ‘Em All’.
Unlocked by collecting all the UFC trading cards in the game, this nod to the blisteringly popular Nintendo franchisePokemonfeels extremely incongruous. Still, even if the most skilled UFC fighterwent toe-to-toe with a Charizardin the ring, the outcome would not be pretty.
6Snakes On A Train - God Of War: Ascension
The 2006 action filmSnakes on a Planesees actor Samuel L. Jackson shielding the passengers of a commercial airliner from a horde of venomous snakes, with Jackson ultimately becoming tired of these [expletive] snakes on this [expletive] plane. The B-movie quickly fell out of the zeitgeist after release. That is, until the release ofGod of War: Ascensionin 2013.
This prequel to the original trilogysees the beginning of Kratos’ vengeful crusade against Ares. While this premise does not indicate it, the game includes an unmistakable nod to the film with the trophy ‘Snakes on a Train’, which players receive for rising large mechanical snakes as part of the narrative.
5Solid Snape - Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
TheHarry Potterfranchise got the Lego makeover in 2011 with the two separate gamesLego Harry Potter: Years 1-4andLego Harry Potter: Years 5-7, allowing fans of the Wizarding World to collect studs throughout familiar locations and battle with their favorite characters.
Related:Harry Potter Game Tier List
The former game, however, includes a cheeky reference to a famed video game character in the form of the bronze trophy ‘Solid Snape’. With the name, players will instantly recognize the nod to Solid Snake ofMetal Gear Solidfame. The requirements only strengthen the reference, with the game wanting players to hide in a barrel as Severus Snape.
4Should Have Called 555-2368 - The Darkness 2
A first-person shooter where players control a Mafia hitmanwho is possessed by an ancient demonic forcethat grants him a set of demon tentacles must have been an excellent game pitch. At least, this is assumedly the case, asThe Darknessand its sequelThe Darkness 2deal with precisely that. The second game even has a juicy reference to a classic supernatural film of the 1980s to sweeten the deal.
The trophy ‘Should Have Called 555-2368’ inThe Darkness 2tasks players with defeating the Hell Beast, a dragon-like monster and final boss of the game. However, the number in the trophy description is a smart callback to the number to call for the paranormal exterminators from theGhostbustersseries.
Considering Valve essentially stopped developing new IPs afterLeft 4 Deadin 2008, their gameshave left a lasting impacton the gaming world. One such game series isHalf-life. Cast as the silent scientist Gordon Freeman, players fight their way through an alien invasion, one species of which is the parasitic Head Crabs.
It would seem that the developers of the psychological horror gameF.E.A.R. 3share in the fond memories ofHalf-life, with them adding a trophy to their game titled ‘Head Crab Removal’. This achievement is gifted to the player after killing 20 enemies with a crowbar, a favorite weapon of Gordon Freeman.
2Up Your Arsenal - Resistance 3
Insomniac Games have had a rich history in the realm of video games, being the mind behind the originalSpyrotrilogy and theMarvel’s Spidermanfranchise. The studio also has a reputation for having a sense of humor, injecting jokes and references into the most unlikely of places.
Take the trophy ‘Up Your Arsenal’ fromResistance 3, which players can achieve by killing an enemy with every kind of weapon available in the game. Not only is the title itself a suggestive play on words, but it also goes a layer deeper when one realizes it is a direct reference to another Insomniac property, that beingRatchet & Clank. No stranger to innuendo and pop culture references itself, Insomniac’s direct nod to theirRatchet & Clankseries in the seriousResistance 3is a delightful and sneaky Easter egg for fans of the developer.
1Master Of Unlocking - Grease Dance
In 1996, the first entry in the soon-to-be-famous survival horror game seriesResident Evilwas released to critical acclaim. Praising the combat, gameplay, and puzzles, the only element critics were unsure of was the English localization of the game from the original Japanese.
But one may be wondering whatResident Evilhas to do with the 2011 dance gameGrease Dance, which sees players mimicking dance movesto the soundtrackfrom the 1978 filmGrease. To answer the query, the game has a trophy that directly references one of character Barry Burton’s poorly translated lines in the form of ‘Master of Unlocking’. Why is there aResident Evilreference in this dancing game? That, sadly, is a more perplexing mystery.
