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We love gaming. Whether it’s the boisterous cast of characters, the addictive online multiplayer, the mind blowing cut scene or the heart stopping ending, video games have something that few things can match. But somewhere in the midst of these great experiences is the subtle master of the video game world: the Easter egg. Arguing over which particular hidden gem is the shiniest is as pointless as… well… an Easter egg. So instead, let’s take a moment and give a tip of the hat to some of the franchises that frequently give us the lovely Easter eggs we so incredibly enjoy.

Super Mario

Okie Dokie! There are so many noteworthy eggs hidden in the seventy eight million Mario titles that it would take far too long to go through them all. So let’s just say five seconds down on the white platform, warp pipes, and the infinite water level made so many childhoods better.

Fallout

How hard would it actually be to find an Easter egg in a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Even before Bethesda took charge, Fallout has brought some awesome Easter eggs from extra experience opportunities, Star Wars references, and actual Easter eggs. Fun little secrets scattered across the expansive maps always light up our eyes like Pipboys.

Halo

Halo has always had its landmark Easter eggs, but there’s something noteworthy about Halo’s Easter egg contributions. The Halo skulls gave Easter eggs substance. Spend hours of extra time running around, scouring maps, and grenade jumping (who was the first person to decide that was a terrific idea?!?). The payoff: additional gameplay changes that offer increased difficulty (no body damage) or gag effects (confetti popping grunts).

Metal Gear

Two words: Johnny Sasaki. Or how about three words: Controller Port Two. Metal Gear doesn’t offer the gamer a massive amount of Easter eggs in the ‘traditional’ sense. Half of the franchise’s dialogue options, gameplay, and even pivotal boss fights (The End) are malleable Easter eggs. For example, during your first play through of Metal Gear Solid 2, you could have missed the dog tag portion of the game entirely. Though the tags really fall underneath ‘collectibles,’ just finding them is the Easter egg. If you never had the chance to experience these games, check out the WONDERFUL Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection.

Grand Theft Auto

Nobody rocks the Easter egg quite like Rockstar. Grand Theft Auto has given us so many Easter egg moments, our stomachs are coated in red dye #5. How about the most controversial Easter egg in gaming to date: San Andreas’ Hot Coffee. How many times did you try to float over in your Dodo in GTAIII to try and reach the ‘Ghost Town.’ Not to mention the almost countless tidbits scattered throughout each title, Rockstar took Easter eggs to a whole new level.

 

Happy Easter, hardcore gamers! Take some time away from your family and tell us about your favorite Easter eggs!