Top 5 Mindblowing Details You Missed in Classic Rare Games
With the promise of E3 on the horizon, gamers everywhere are scouring the net like investigative journalists, all in the hopes of unearthing some tiny, previously unseen detail about the latest titles that developers have been slaving over. But should we focus so much on the future when there are still so many hidden gems tucked away in the titles of yesteryear? Yes. Yes is the answer to that question. Unless you decide to put Rare‘s titles under scrutiny, as there are several background details so impressive, so elaborate and so awe-inspiring that we’ve been forced to borrow the overused internet ‘listicle’ hyperbole of mindblowing just to bring them justice. Forget about the Facebook link on life-changing puppy smilies; this list will change the way you look at your favorite Rare titles. Hold onto your cranium hoss, your mind might figuratively esplode. These are the Top 5 Mindblowing Details You Missed in Classic Rare Games!
#5. CRYPTIC ALIEN CIPHER REVEALS SEQUEL SECRETS – PERFECT DARK ZERO (XBOX 360)
While Perfect Dark Zero may have set the stage with dataDyne’s penchant for corruption, corporate espionage and inexplicable feathered hair, the extra-terrestrial influence from the original Perfect Dark title was absent from Joanna‘s debut – or so it would seem. Searching through the filing cabinets during the “Subway Retrieval” mission will reveal a secret code for a locked door, which Joanna uses to access a safe with confidential information. If you’re familiar with the slightly geeky language of binary however, the strings of zeros and ones actually form a message, and if translated outside of the game spells “No Elvis?”. Alluding to Joanna‘s extra-terrestrial partner years before their official meeting in Perfect Dark, this prophetic secret lays hidden away in Perfect Dark Zero for those clever enough to decode it…
#4. GHOULHAVEN PRISONERS THROUGH THICK AND THIN – GRABBED BY THE GHOULIES (XBOX)
During your initial tour through the early rooms of Ghoulhaven Hall, you’ll likely spot a few of the Baron’s prisoners that you’ll need to rescue during the final chapter in Grabbed by the Ghoulies. All ten shackled youths will be waiting for your second visit, appearing exactly as you found them previous – with the exception of one skinny girl found in the pantry freezer. While Cooper can spot this scrawny teen surrounded by frozen treats in Chapter Two, the return trek in Chapter Five reveals a barren freezer and a considerably plump prisoner with an appetite for frostbitten goodies. Separated by fifty-five rooms and encouraged to rush during the Race chapter, it’s easy to overlook this intricacy. Compliments may go to the chef every time this freezer-bound binge-eater belches, but our kudos go entirely to Rare for this keen feature.
#3. SETTING A RARE SPORTS TREND WITH ROYSTEN – KINECT SPORTS: SEASON TWO (XBOX 360)
Kinect Sports Rivals might have won the hearts of Rare fans with its choice selection of awesome easter eggs, though its reputation as the first and only Kinect Sports title to do so would be overlooking a brilliant addition found within collaborative effort Kinect Sports: Season Two. Fetch yourself the second challenge pack or go straight for Prize Driver in Kinect Sports Gems and then pay very close attention to the lucrative artifacts as they make their way down the conveyor belt. If you’re lucky you’ll manage to spot a rather nondescript fishbowl marked for “-$500”, which belongs to Rare‘s resident goldfish from the Banjo-Kazooie series, Roysten. Appearing in the likes of Viva Piñata and Grabbed by the Ghoulies, this clever nod to Banjo‘s hapless goldfish remained stubbornly hidden until the release of Rivals!
#2. GETTING AHEAD OF YOURSELF IN BANJOLAND – BANJO-KAZOOIE: NUTS & BOLTS (XBOX 360)
On the topic of Rare‘s aviary-ursine duo, the Bear and Birds latest release of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts seemed to be crammed with a number of intricate details, spanning the likes of Showdown Town, Spiral Mountain and even Nutty Acres. In order to view the largest reference however, you’ll need to step back in time to enter the nostalgia-flavored museum, BanjoLand and then step back further still to view the entire level in full. Surprise! Every exhibit, pathway and annex have been arranged specifically to form the shape of Banjo‘s head when viewed from above! The Mayahem Temple pitch? That would be a round bear snout. Mumbo’s Skull at the entrance of the level? Convenient placement to serve as an ear. Just when you thought that BanjoLand was stuffed to the rafters already, Rare goes one step beyond.
#1. HERE COMES THE SUN, LITTLE DARLING, AND I SAY IT’S ALL RIGHT – BLAST CORPS. (N64)
Blast Corps.! An explosive title synonymous with mindful destruction, nuclear annihilation and scientifically accurate planetary orbits. Wait. What? You could be forgiven for missing that last detail, as it can only be seen if you’re paying very close attention to the level selection map in between the high-stakes missions. As you progress through the game, you’ll trek about the Earth, unlocking further objectives on other planets as you do so. Timing the rotation of the Sun in relation to the other planets here provides a shocking revelation, as Rare has modeled the Blast Corps. solar system to match our own, converting days years in space as passing minutes! Stick with Neptune for a little over an hour and you’ll spot the Sun slowly coming around – 165 earth years for a single revolution on the fourth planet. Color us impressed!
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