The video game Among Us has become something of a cultural phenomenon with seemingly everyone playing. Part of this is because of how approachable the game is for all ages, but it could also be how deeply ingrained it is in internet culture.
In fact, seemingly every inch of this game is crawling with references, callbacks, and easter eggs to various cultural elements. Even if the average player has noticed a few of the easter eggs there are some that might have flown under the radar.
10 Simsong Monitor
On the Polus map is a device that allows players to check the vitals of everyone in the round. This is a great way to see who’s alive, dead, or may have been disconnected from the game. It can also be used to see who’s an imposter as their heartrate will change when performing kills.
What many players may not have noticed is the brand of the monitor they’re using. At the bottom of the screen in gray letters is Simsong. It’s a clear reference to Samsung and a fun little easter egg hiding in plain sight.
9 Brain Slug Key Chain
At the beginning of the Polus map players are tasked with inserting keys before entering the rest of the facility. Most players will quickly turn the key and run off to complete tasks or murder each other. After all it’s a very common location for Imposters to do stack kills.
But in that panic some players may have overlooked the small keychain bauble. It’s a Brain Slug from the Futurama tv show. In that universe these are parasitic creatures that attach to a person’s brain, hijacks control of their body, and gets them engaged in politics. It’s an appropriate easter egg given the true nature of the Imposters.
8 Terminator Thumbs Up
A major component to the game is voting out players who seem suspicious. It’s the primary method of winning for Crewmates and as such a lot of players will be thrown to the proverbial wolves every round. On Polus players will drop the chosen player into a pool of lava.
Most of the time the player’s body will quickly sink into the magma. But every once in a while they’ll give a thumbs up as they sink. It’s a nod to the ending of Terminator 2 when the T-800 kills itself by lowering itself in lava.
7 Henry Stickmin Diamond
Another task players perform is to empty the garbage shoot. Normally the chute is full of meaningless scraps of junk, but every now and then a large blue diamond can be seen amongst the leaves. For most players it’s probably odd that the Crewmates would throw away a valuable diamond, but it’s a subtle reference.
The developers of the game, InnerSloth, are also known for another online gaming franchise, the Henry Stickmin series. In one of the episodes of this comedic choose your own adventure series players were tasked with stealing a large blue diamond.
6 Don Dew
One of the tasks in Cafeteria is to order an item from the vending machine. It’s a potentially risky task as the vending machine takes up most of the screen and selecting the correct item can take a second. As a result most players will probably glance over the items without really paying attention to what they are.
Among the various items is a familiar green bottle of soda labeled Don Dew. It’s clearly a reference to perhaps the most meme’d drink on the internet, Mountain Dew. It’s also a nod to the Don Dew that appears in the Henry Stickmin series.
5 Fresh QR Code
In Polus one of the tasks players must perform is scanning their Boarding Pass. The player needs to bring up their boarding pass, which can have a comedic picture, and swipe it across the scanner. For most players it’s an amusing task that can be frustrating if it doesn’t scan properly.
But scanning the QR Code with a separate device will reveal a hidden message “Yo holmes, smell you later.” It’s a phrase that likely means more to the players who grew up during the nineties watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and recognize the reference.
4 Water The Korok
In MIRA HQ, players will receive the task to water the plants in storage. After fetching the watering can from Storage they can go to the Greenhouse and water the four plants. While the plants bear little resemblance to any real plants, the third one on the left stands out.
Some players will recognize it as an homage to the Koroks in The Legend of Zelda series. In fact, some players probably saw a lot of these if they hunted down all 900 Korok Seeds in Breath of the Wild.
3 Henry Stickman Posters
Another reference to InnerSloth’s other works are posters scattered throughout the facilities. These posters shows various stick figures who might seem unimportant to average players. In reality they are the characters from the Henry Stickmin series.
Henry Stickmin makes multiple appearances along with Ellie Rose, Charles Calvin, and others. These little photos and posters are scattered everywhere in each of the maps.
2 Elmer’s Hat
One of the skins players can acquire is a strange looking hunter’s hat. At first glance many players may not have recognized it, but the hat actually belongs to Elmer Fudd the iconic Loony Tunes character.
What’s entertaining about this easter egg is that it’s appropriate for players who struggle at the game. Often times running around as a Crewmate trying to catch an Imposter in the act can feel like Elmer Fudd trying to catch that “wascawwy wabbit”.
1 Reginald Copperbottom Hats
Another choice in skins players can have are the two top hats stacked on top of each other. For the average players it’s a quirky hat among the multiple options in the game. In reality it’s another reference to the Henry Stikmin series.
One of the primary antagonists or ally depending on the player’s choices in the games is Reginald Copperbottom. Reginald is the leader of the Toppat Clan a wealthy crime syndicate. The bottom hat is his and the top top hat belongs to the former leader of the Clan.
NEXT: Among Us: 5 Ways It’s The Bests Imposter Game Ever (& 5 Imposter Games That Are Better)