10 Video Game Secret Screens Only Hardcore Fans Will Understand
Woah!
One of the many great things about video games over other forms of media is the sheer depth of exploration they encourage, and as a result, developers have a tendency to hide devious secrets for players to seek out.
And so, these 10 video games are among the hundreds which feature secret hidden screens and Easter eggs which can only be accessed through either great skill, sheer luck, or a little help from the community.
But even if you discover these barmy secrets on your own, actually understanding them is a whole other task, given how they're basically nonsensical to all but the most committed, hardcore fans.
These hidden gags and in-jokes generally feature callbacks to prior games and nods to ongoing franchise memes that only card-carrying members of the series' community are ever likely to recognise or appreciate, while most everyone else will simply be left scratching their heads.
So if you accidentally stumbled across these secret references and had no idea what the hell was going on, don't feel at all bad about it...
10. Whimsyshire - Diablo III
Diablo III features a secret level called "Whimsyshire," an ultra-colourful and spritely land teeming with ferocious enemies such as...flowers, unicorns, and teddy bears.
After going through a frankly ridiculous number of steps, you'll be able to find a rainbow-coloured portal which will transport you to the land, which to the uninitiated must seem like the most randomly silly Easter egg level ever made.
Except, this is an in-joke for long-time fans of the series, and effectively a parody of Diablo II's infamous Secret Cow Level, a hidden level containing a fleet of murderous bipedal cows.
The Secret Cow Level was itself also an in-joke after rumours spread that the original Diablo had a secret bovine level, and though it sadly wasn't true, developers Blizzard decided to reward players for their ingenuity in the sequel.
And so by the time Diablo III dished up Whimsyshire, which was also said to be a clapback at fans who felt the game looked too clean and colourful, you'd need to be fully invested in the series' meta to have any idea of what the hell was going on.