Sometimes game developers make, for lack of a better phrase, interesting design choices, when they want to make a statement in their game, infuse themselves in history or just plain get bored. Sometimes they try to fill their games with quirkiness or something they can market as a selling point.
If you ask me, I have no problem with it, because as you’ll see, this can yield some very cool results.
Mario Paintings in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Did you know Mario, Peach and Yoshi are in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? When you make it to the castle courtyard as young Link and speak to the princess for the first time, take a quick look in through the castle windows.
Upon discovering this cameo when I was younger, I was truly amazed. Being as naive as I was then only added to the sense of surprise, as I mused to myself about how awesome the discovery was, and how awesome I was for discovering this supposed secret.
As hard as it is to admit, to this day, I’m absolutely terrible at finding secrets in games. I think even back then I knew this and so the fulfilment I got from discovering my jumping and yahoo-ing pal in a photo on my new favourite game excited me greatly and I couldn’t help but share the ‘secret’ with all the friends.
Of course, as far as secrets go, this is an incredibly minor one and one that takes very little effort to actually experience, but nonetheless, it still holds a place in my heart as one of the best video game cameos of my childhood… even if it was just a framed photo of Mario and co.
Snoop Dogg in Tekken Tag Tournament 2?!
I, for one, am quite partial to a bit of good ol’ gentlemanly gangsta beats, holmes. I also find the Tekken series to be pretty damn good. Naturally, I was surprised at first but eventually wore a big-ass grin when I heard that Snoop Dogg would be featuring in the new release in the series: Tekken Tag Tournament 2. What? Is he a playable character? Sadly, no. That was my first question to. It’s a little disappointing, but in retrospect it’s probably the right decision to not have included Snoop as playable.
Although you can’t beat the living crap out of Jin as one of the most iconic rappers of all time, you can listen to a new song by Snoop playing as you fight, as he watches from the background, surrounded by, for lack of better phrasing, exotic women. One one hand, it is a little sad that he isn’t playable because, due to the comedic rule of threes, I would be obligated to make an Xzibit reference (Yo Dog, I heard you like Doggs so I… etc.).
Dan Forden – “Toasty!?”
That name ring a bell? No? Don’t worry, I had no idea who this Dan Forden was until not long before writing this article either. Chances are, however, that you’ve definitely experienced Dan Forden is some way shape or form, especially if you’re partial to fighting games.
Dan Forden is but a humble sound programmer who attained cult status with one simple word: “Toasty!”
He has delivered his trademark line in nearly every Mortal Kombat game to date (at least, the decent ones), in the corner of the screen, appearing for a brief second when you pull off a noticeably violent uppercut or have one performed against you.
I really couldn’t tell you exactly what toasty means, in the context of the Mortal Kombat world, nor do I really care.
That one word has become extremely iconic to the Mortal Kombat series and, rather impressively, remains alive to this day, which is a great achievement in itself and the reason it’s on this list. Kinda like Snoop Dogg’s rap career.
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