10 Hidden Easter Eggs In Spider-Man Games
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
Spider-Man has starred in a lot of games, which meant a ton of great Easter Eggs for us to choose from! For this list, we'll be looking at the coolest hidden details and moments across Spidey's long career in video games. Our list includes Green Goblin's hidden stash in “Spider-Man” (2000), an "Army of Darkness" (1992) reference in "Spider-Man 2" (2004), Deadpool's Pause Rants in “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions” (2010), The Sanctum Sanctorum in “Ultimate Spider-Man” (2005), and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Spider-Man has starred in a lot of games, which meant a ton of great Easter Eggs for us to choose from! For this list, we’ll be looking at the coolest hidden details and moments across Spidey’s long career in video games. Our list includes Green Goblin's hidden stash in “Spider-Man” (2000), an "Army of Darkness" (1992) reference in "Spider-Man 2" (2004), Deadpool’s Pause Rants in “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions” (2010), The Sanctum Sanctorum in “Ultimate Spider-Man” (2005), and more! If there’s an awesome Spider-Man Easter Egg we missed, let us know about it in the comments!
These days, we’ve grown used to seeing hints towards other heroes in the form of buildings, signs, and other features. In fact, it’s expected at this point, especially if the superhero game is open-world. “Marvel’s Spider-Man” is packed with these types of Easter Eggs. But in 2005, it was a somewhat rare occurrence. In the cel-shaded “Ultimate Spider-Man” from Treyarch, it was possible to find Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. Of course, Strange doesn’t appear in the game and, just like the PS4 release, you can’t go inside. But it was nevertheless a cool spot to stumble upon back in the day. While there are other Marvel landmarks to find, like the Baxter Building, the Sanctum’s signature window makes it stand out.
Spider-Man has had several great multiversal stories in recent memory, but “Shattered Dimensions” deserves some credit for leading that charge. It follows 4 versions of the hero from alternate dimensions, each with unique mechanics and each voiced by a different actor. All of them had voiced Peter Parker in previous animated appearances. Neil Patrick Harris, the Amazing Spider-Man, voiced him in 2003’s “Spider-Man: The New Animated Series.” Christopher Daniel Barnes, Spider-Man Noir, voiced him in the 90s animated series. Dan Gilvezan, Spider-Man 2099, voiced him in the 80s series “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.” Finally, Josh Keaton, Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced him in “The Spectacular Spider-Man,” which aired in the late 2000s.
For Spider-Man’s first ever 3D adventure, Neversoft knocked it out of the park. It was super fun for the time and featured some of Spidey’s most notorious enemies as boss fights like Venom and Doc Ock. Green Goblin, one of his most infamous villains, didn’t appear. But you could find a pretty neat Easter Egg that hinted towards his existence. In the level where Peter is being chased by police helicopters, you can spot a crane with the word ‘bomb’ spray painted on the side next to a jack-o-lantern. If you go inside the cabin, you’ll find an alternate costume as well as some pumpkin bombs, which will prompt Peter to slyly say, “Gee, I wonder who those pumpkin bombs belong to?”
Even Spider-Man’s most recent adventure held off on bringing in the hero’s arch-nemesis, but teased him in a tantalizing way. During Mary Jane’s stealth section inside Norman Osborn’s penthouse, she can find a prototype of the Green Goblin’s helmet. It can reveal structural weaknesses, a very dangerous feature for a villain to have, and shows a Glider icon in its HUD when MJ puts it on. She’ll also find prototype hand grenades that resemble his pumpkin bombs. So far, we only know that Venom and Kraven the Hunter will be appearing in the sequel. But we have a pretty good feeling we’ll see Osborn’s turn to villainy as well.
Multiple Spider-Man stories highlight the fact that, no matter how powerful, you can’t save everyone. In the Miles-centric spin-off, Insomniac paid tribute to those we’ve lost, both fictional and actual. Inside the Harlem cemetery, you can pay respects and earn a trophy by interacting with the grave of Jefferson Davis, Miles’ father who died in the first game. You can also find the graves of Ben and May Parker. Insomniac additionally memorialized real-life Marvel icons; “Black Panther’s” Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020, had a street named after him with Boseman Way as well as a special message at the end of the credits. Stan Lee, who passed in 2018, was given a glorious statue outside the restaurant he made a cameo in during the first game.
If Deadpool appears in a video game, he needs to be just as cavalier with the zany 4th wall breaks as he always is. Wade Wilson appeared as a boss for the Ultimate Spider-Man in “Shattered Dimensions.” In this universe, he was anti-mutant and the host of his own show, ‘Pain Factor,’ which forced mutants to compete to stay alive. That may be more villainous than what we know him for now, but at least he still showcased his signature self-aware humor. If you pause during his fight and take too long, Deadpool will frequently complain about it and mock you. He’ll accuse you of having a problem, calling you a pauseaholic, and make some clever jokes. Classic Wade.
For the tie-in games for Sam Raimi’s original trilogy, Bruce Campbell narrates the tutorial sections. This itself is an Easter Egg, as Campbell made cameos in all three movies and starred in the “Evil Dead” trilogy, which was also directed by Raimi. But there’s a hidden line of Campbell’s in “Spider-Man 2” that should be impossible for most players to hear. If you die during the tutorial, which you can only do by hacking the game to make Spidey shoot into the sky and come falling back down, you’ll hear this: . It is quite literally a line for game testers, though it must have been an incredibly fun discovery for whatever player came across it.
Being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man means accepting your neighbors as they are. But Miles and his mom may want to think about moving. Outside of Miles’ building, there are a few interesting names listed on the intercom. One is Waldo, as in “Where’s Waldo?,” while another reads Andy & Buzz, a nod to “Toy Story.” Those neighbors are all well and good, but one tag further down reads Cthulhu, with an adorable squid doodle next to it. As if living near a horrific cosmic entity wasn’t bad enough, the bloodstained tag at the bottom reads Fred & Jason, referencing Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. Their apartment number, 13F, is a nod to the latter’s franchise, “Friday the 13th.”
Most tie-in games, especially superhero ones, will expand the narrative by including quests and villains not seen in the movie. For “The Amazing Spider-Man,” one mission has Peter tracking Vermin, a mutated humanoid rat, through the sewers of NYC. You can probably already guess where this is going. At a certain point, Spidey will taunt Vermin by asking him if he’s “off to eat pizza” with his adopted turtle sons. A clear nod to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this reference has another layer to it. Sam Riegel, who voices Spider-Man, also appeared across multiple games and animated shows as the voice of Donatello.
Another instance of a tie-in game including a villain not seen in the movie, “Spider-Man 2” has you go up against the Master of Illusions, Mysterio. During a level that sees the villain attacking a theater, Spider-Man must rescue patrons while a giant projection of Mysterio looms above. During the encounter, Mysterio can be heard saying “Klaatu Barada Nikto.” This famous phrase originated in 1951’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” But it makes it onto our list for its use in “Army of Darkness,” the finale of the “Evil Dead” trilogy, where it’s botched by Bruce Campbell’s Ash. It’s more than just a link between two Sam Raimi-directed trilogies. Bruce Campbell was also meant to appear as Mysterio in Raimi’s canceled “Spider-Man 4.”
Spider-Man has starred in a lot of games, which meant a ton of great Easter Eggs for us to choose from! For this list, we’ll be looking at the coolest hidden details and moments across Spidey’s long career in video games. Our list includes Green Goblin's hidden stash in “Spider-Man” (2000), an "Army of Darkness" (1992) reference in "Spider-Man 2" (2004), Deadpool’s Pause Rants in “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions” (2010), The Sanctum Sanctorum in “Ultimate Spider-Man” (2005), and more! If there’s an awesome Spider-Man Easter Egg we missed, let us know about it in the comments!
The Sanctum Sanctorum
“Ultimate Spider-Man” (2005)These days, we’ve grown used to seeing hints towards other heroes in the form of buildings, signs, and other features. In fact, it’s expected at this point, especially if the superhero game is open-world. “Marvel’s Spider-Man” is packed with these types of Easter Eggs. But in 2005, it was a somewhat rare occurrence. In the cel-shaded “Ultimate Spider-Man” from Treyarch, it was possible to find Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. Of course, Strange doesn’t appear in the game and, just like the PS4 release, you can’t go inside. But it was nevertheless a cool spot to stumble upon back in the day. While there are other Marvel landmarks to find, like the Baxter Building, the Sanctum’s signature window makes it stand out.
Familiar Voices
“Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions” (2010)Spider-Man has had several great multiversal stories in recent memory, but “Shattered Dimensions” deserves some credit for leading that charge. It follows 4 versions of the hero from alternate dimensions, each with unique mechanics and each voiced by a different actor. All of them had voiced Peter Parker in previous animated appearances. Neil Patrick Harris, the Amazing Spider-Man, voiced him in 2003’s “Spider-Man: The New Animated Series.” Christopher Daniel Barnes, Spider-Man Noir, voiced him in the 90s animated series. Dan Gilvezan, Spider-Man 2099, voiced him in the 80s series “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.” Finally, Josh Keaton, Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced him in “The Spectacular Spider-Man,” which aired in the late 2000s.
Hidden Stash
“Spider-Man” (2000)For Spider-Man’s first ever 3D adventure, Neversoft knocked it out of the park. It was super fun for the time and featured some of Spidey’s most notorious enemies as boss fights like Venom and Doc Ock. Green Goblin, one of his most infamous villains, didn’t appear. But you could find a pretty neat Easter Egg that hinted towards his existence. In the level where Peter is being chased by police helicopters, you can spot a crane with the word ‘bomb’ spray painted on the side next to a jack-o-lantern. If you go inside the cabin, you’ll find an alternate costume as well as some pumpkin bombs, which will prompt Peter to slyly say, “Gee, I wonder who those pumpkin bombs belong to?”
Future Arch-Nemesis
“Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018)Even Spider-Man’s most recent adventure held off on bringing in the hero’s arch-nemesis, but teased him in a tantalizing way. During Mary Jane’s stealth section inside Norman Osborn’s penthouse, she can find a prototype of the Green Goblin’s helmet. It can reveal structural weaknesses, a very dangerous feature for a villain to have, and shows a Glider icon in its HUD when MJ puts it on. She’ll also find prototype hand grenades that resemble his pumpkin bombs. So far, we only know that Venom and Kraven the Hunter will be appearing in the sequel. But we have a pretty good feeling we’ll see Osborn’s turn to villainy as well.
Paying Tribute
“Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales” (2020)Multiple Spider-Man stories highlight the fact that, no matter how powerful, you can’t save everyone. In the Miles-centric spin-off, Insomniac paid tribute to those we’ve lost, both fictional and actual. Inside the Harlem cemetery, you can pay respects and earn a trophy by interacting with the grave of Jefferson Davis, Miles’ father who died in the first game. You can also find the graves of Ben and May Parker. Insomniac additionally memorialized real-life Marvel icons; “Black Panther’s” Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020, had a street named after him with Boseman Way as well as a special message at the end of the credits. Stan Lee, who passed in 2018, was given a glorious statue outside the restaurant he made a cameo in during the first game.
Deadpool’s Pause Rants
“Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions” (2010)If Deadpool appears in a video game, he needs to be just as cavalier with the zany 4th wall breaks as he always is. Wade Wilson appeared as a boss for the Ultimate Spider-Man in “Shattered Dimensions.” In this universe, he was anti-mutant and the host of his own show, ‘Pain Factor,’ which forced mutants to compete to stay alive. That may be more villainous than what we know him for now, but at least he still showcased his signature self-aware humor. If you pause during his fight and take too long, Deadpool will frequently complain about it and mock you. He’ll accuse you of having a problem, calling you a pauseaholic, and make some clever jokes. Classic Wade.
Bruce Campbell’s Hidden Line
“Spider-Man 2” (2004)For the tie-in games for Sam Raimi’s original trilogy, Bruce Campbell narrates the tutorial sections. This itself is an Easter Egg, as Campbell made cameos in all three movies and starred in the “Evil Dead” trilogy, which was also directed by Raimi. But there’s a hidden line of Campbell’s in “Spider-Man 2” that should be impossible for most players to hear. If you die during the tutorial, which you can only do by hacking the game to make Spidey shoot into the sky and come falling back down, you’ll hear this: . It is quite literally a line for game testers, though it must have been an incredibly fun discovery for whatever player came across it.
Miles’ Neighbors
“Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales” (2020)Being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man means accepting your neighbors as they are. But Miles and his mom may want to think about moving. Outside of Miles’ building, there are a few interesting names listed on the intercom. One is Waldo, as in “Where’s Waldo?,” while another reads Andy & Buzz, a nod to “Toy Story.” Those neighbors are all well and good, but one tag further down reads Cthulhu, with an adorable squid doodle next to it. As if living near a horrific cosmic entity wasn’t bad enough, the bloodstained tag at the bottom reads Fred & Jason, referencing Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. Their apartment number, 13F, is a nod to the latter’s franchise, “Friday the 13th.”
Sewer-Dwelling Kin
“The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012)Most tie-in games, especially superhero ones, will expand the narrative by including quests and villains not seen in the movie. For “The Amazing Spider-Man,” one mission has Peter tracking Vermin, a mutated humanoid rat, through the sewers of NYC. You can probably already guess where this is going. At a certain point, Spidey will taunt Vermin by asking him if he’s “off to eat pizza” with his adopted turtle sons. A clear nod to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this reference has another layer to it. Sam Riegel, who voices Spider-Man, also appeared across multiple games and animated shows as the voice of Donatello.
Sacred Words
“Spider-Man 2” (2004)Another instance of a tie-in game including a villain not seen in the movie, “Spider-Man 2” has you go up against the Master of Illusions, Mysterio. During a level that sees the villain attacking a theater, Spider-Man must rescue patrons while a giant projection of Mysterio looms above. During the encounter, Mysterio can be heard saying “Klaatu Barada Nikto.” This famous phrase originated in 1951’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” But it makes it onto our list for its use in “Army of Darkness,” the finale of the “Evil Dead” trilogy, where it’s botched by Bruce Campbell’s Ash. It’s more than just a link between two Sam Raimi-directed trilogies. Bruce Campbell was also meant to appear as Mysterio in Raimi’s canceled “Spider-Man 4.”
