20 HIDDEN Easter Eggs in Spider-Man Games

20 Hidden Easter Eggs in Spider-Man Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at some of our favorite Easter Eggs found throughout Spider-Man video games!

Hero Ads

“Ultimate Spider-Man” (2005)

The world of “Ultimate Spider-Man” overflows with Easter Eggs referencing other characters. Some of them are obvious and in your face, like billboards that advertise Fisk Enterprises or recruit for S.H.I.E.L.D., and an in-universe “Kraven the Hunter” TV show. There are others, though, that are a bit more hidden or obscure, like a poster for a movie called The Ultimates hanging up at a movie theater. Or graffiti that reads ‘Geldoff Rules,’ referencing a mutant who debuted in the Ultimate universe, was brought over to the main comic universe, but was killed off a few years after this game came out.

The Man Without Fear

“Marvel’s Spider-Man” Series (2018-)

You can find nods to various other heroes throughout Insomniac’s games. First up, Daredevil. In “Marvel’s Spider-Man,” one of the collectable backpacks holds a business card for the law offices of Nelson & Murdock. You can also find their plaque on a building in Hell’s Kitchen. Other important locations for the character include Fogwell’s Gym, Josie’s Bar, and the Clinton Mission Shelter. Insomniac seemingly took it a step further in “Spider-Man 2.” In the Upper West Side, you can find a hidden room, blocked off inside a bookshop. The room holds various weapons, armaments, occultist symbols, and a skull sitting on the table, leading many to believe this a reference to The Hand, the secretive, antagonistic force Daredevil is constantly at war with.

The Costa Family

“Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018)

At the very beginning of “The City That Never Sleeps” DLC, MJ narrates over an evidence board featuring various New York crime families. One name in particular might stand out to old-school comic fans: the Costa family. Though they aren’t important to the in-game story, and are only name-dropped later, they’re a vital piece to the backstory of Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher. Although the people responsible for the deaths of his family have been altered between numerous retellings, the Costa Family were the ones responsible in the original comics. If Insomniac ever brings the Punisher into their universe, the seed has been planted for a more classic adaptation.

Marvel’s First Family

Since Spider-Man has such a strong tie to the Fantastic Four in the comics, several games have included references to them. On top of racing the Human Torch in “Ultimate Spider-Man,” you can find their headquarters, the Baxter building, as well as the Reed Richards Science Center and the Latverian Embassy. Insomniac has also naturally included a reference to the group in its world. In “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” you’ll also find the Baxter Building. At the very top, you’ll find the team’s trademark emblem painted across the roof. You can also find one of the collectable spider-bots here, themed after Spidey’s time with the Future Foundation.

Coney Island Rides

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” (2023)

During a calmer bit in “Spider-Man 2’s” story, Peter, MJ, and Harry enjoy a night out at Coney Island. And while you explore the many games and rides, you might notice the place is littered with Easter Eggs. There’s the Octoride, with its octopus mascot wearing an old timey doctor’s headlamp. There are attractions named after obscure Spidey characters, like Speed Demon, Hydro Man, King Crab, Rocket Racer, and Big Wheel. There are also references to characters outside Spidey’s mythos. There’s the Flying Mantis, a reference to Mantis of Guardians of the Galaxy, Dazzler’s Dance Stage, a nod to the X-Men character, and the Whack-a-Mole-like Hydra Heads.

The Original

“Marvel’s Spider-Man” Series (2018-)

Spider-Man debuted in 1962’s “Amazing Fantasy” #15, which has one of the most famous covers in comic history: Spider-Man, swinging through the city, with a civilian in tow. Insomniac’s games have included small nods to the cover. In Miles Morales’ solo adventure, you can find a copy on a shelf in his room. The Easter Egg makes a more blatant appearance in “Spider-Man 2,” replicated as a picture that Peter took for the Daily Bugle, and displayed in his room.

Trophies

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” (2023)

Kraven’s whole purpose in “Spider-Man 2” is finding an opponent worthy of killing him. And he takes out a whole lot of Spidey’s villains in his hunt. While you see him dispose of Scorpion, you get confirmation of others in a later mission with MJ. As she attempts to rescue Dr. Connors, you can find Vulture’s wings, Shocker’s gauntlets, and Electro’s vest. The one who’s missing is Rhino. But after launch, some players found that if you glitch through the overworld map, you can find Kraven’s throne room, seemingly cut from the game. Mounted on a wall behind the throne is Rhino’s head.

Goblin’s Lair

“Spider-Man 3” (2007)

You can find a few nods to Spidey’s villains in the “Spider-Man 3” video game, such as the meteorite that the symbiote arrived on, sitting in an alley. But a much cooler one can be found inside one of the city’s apartments. Specifically, Norman Osborn’s. Yes, you can enter the Green Goblin’s home and, more interestingly, break through a mirror, behind which sits his secret lair. Inside, you’ll find his glider and mask, as well as a variety of gadgets and weapons. It was pretty cool for the devs to include this for players to stumble on.

Roxxon’s Associates

“Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales” (2020)

The mission ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ sees Miles escaping from a Roxxon facility. And along the way, he can take a look at what they’ve been up to. In the back of one of the rooms, among the other computer screens, you can see a silhouetted list of known criminals Roxxon considered hiring. First is Black Cat, who appeared in the first game’s DLC. Second is Tombstone, who was also in the first game. And third, is Prowler, who of course plays a huge role throughout this game’s story.

Tune of Shadows

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” (2023)

Insomniac’s “Spider-Man” games are far from the first to feature Venom. And the devs chose to pay homage to an earlier adventure that also featured the character through a pretty cool Easter Egg. While on a mission tracking someone you think is one of Kraven’s targets, a voice recording makes comments as you investigate different objects in the apartment. If you interact with the piano, the voice claims you’ll surely recognize this refrain, as Beethoven's “Moonlight Sonata” begins to play. This same piece of music was used during the prologue of 2008’s “Web of Shadows,” which also focused on a symbiote invasion in New York, just like the final third of this game.

The Sanctum Sanctorum

We’ve seen evidence that many heroes exist in Spider-Man’s adventures, even if they themselves don’t actually appear. Another important hero linked to New York is the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange. In “Ultimate Spider-Man,” you can find his Sanctum Sanctorum, with its recognizable window making it stand out amongst the other buildings. Unfortunately, you can’t go inside to check out Strange’s curiosities. Neither can you in “Marvel’s Spider-Man,” where the Sanctorum also appears as an Easter Egg. However, Strange’s home does play an important role in the sequel, during a mission where Miles helps out Black Cat.

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, [SB:“Gee, I wonder who those pumpkin bombs belong to?”]

Future Arch-Nemesis

“Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018)

Insomniac’s opening title had a neat reference to Norman Osborn’s future villainy. During Mary Jane’s stealth section inside his 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. Venom and Kraven the Hunter took up the main villain spots in the sequel. But we have a pretty good feeling we’ll see Osborn’s turn to villainy whenever we inevitably get “Marvel’s Spider-Man 3.”

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: [SB]. 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 [SB “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.”

Do you know of any other cool Easter Eggs across Spider-Man’s video games? Share them with everyone in the comments, and we’ll see you next time!