Console Cameos

We track down the real-world systems that hide in your virtual playground

Words: on February 20, 2008

Most of us play games to escape reality. For a few brief moments, the trials of the material world trickle away and your only concern is how many goddamn gold coins you can collect in an hour. Then, out of nowhere, a friggin' Xbox 360 console shows up in the actual game and all your suspended disbelief goes right out the window. And it happens more often than you'd think. So often, in fact, that we had little trouble in amassing a large collection of these sneaky console cameos. Here are the best examples, from zombie-blasting Dreamcasts to a DS floating in space.

Game: Typing of the Dead

Console cameo: Dreamcast

Zombies have infested an entire city. Decaying bodies are lying in every nook and cranny. What's the weapon of choice to combat the undying legions of hell? A Dreamcast/keyboard combo strapped to your torso!

And look, all your friends thought ahead and brought theirs too. Well, this situation's totally in hand now. Type away, fellas!

Game: Shenmue

Console cameo: Saturn

With the taste of Saturn's death still in our mouths in 2000, it's weird that Sega didn't opt to put a Dreamcast in this slow-burning adventure. Instead, there's a Saturn neatly tucked away in a forgotten drawer under the TV. Wow, no love even in Sega's own universe.

Game: No More Heroes

Console cameo: Nintendo 64

Given the state of his cluttered room, you can tell Travis Touchdown is a massive nerd. Robot models, posters of anime moe witches... yeah, that qualifies. Hidden on a shelf by the fridge lies an out of use N64, facing the wall in what appears to be eternal shame for ending Nintendo's reign of console supremacy. We can't even see what game's in there!

Game: Mario Kart DS

Console Cameo: Nintendo DS

Always ready to push multiplayer boundaries, Mario Kart dares to be different with a level consisting of a DS in deep space. You haven't tossed a banana peel until you've done it while peeling out on a 50-foot touch screen... IN SPACE.

The cameos don't stop with a giant DS though - we've even got ROB the robot in a pre-Brawl appearance. Strange how that thing went from Nintendo's Trojan horse to garage sale standby to misty-eyed memory of our youth. The reality? That robot sucked as a controller. Hard.

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Platforms:

Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, GameCube

17 Comments
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  • Ricochet3438

    Ricochet3438  - 1 year ago  - Report

    There's also a pictochat level in super smash bros brawl. Not reallly a console cameo but it's still there.
  • Ricochet3438

    Ricochet3438  - 1 year ago  - Report

    Also in deadrising two right after chuck and katey make it to the bunker and go into the security office, chuck asks that one chick if she'll take care of his daughter while he's out getting the zomberex. Katey pulls out a pink psp, and starts playing it.
  • RainbowStalin

    RainbowStalin  - 1 year, 9 months ago  - Report

    Brett, what is it with you and the name perch?
  • Menelin

    Menelin  - 2 years, 1 month ago  - Report

    In Geist, when you possess the doctor, there's a Gamecube in one of the lockers in the women's locker room as well as Samus' helmet.
  • camelfro

    camelfro  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    kul article shin megami tensei ds had a ds as the main plot device
  • faceofmonkey

    faceofmonkey  - 2 years, 4 months ago  - Report

    In the beginning of Rachet and Clack 3, Rachet is playing a Jak&Daxter, Rachet and Clank, and Rachet and Clank 2 on a PS2
  • Xplosive59

    Xplosive59  - 3 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    MGS4 has a ps3 on the table, sunny plays a PSP and snake controles the mk2/mk3 with a playstation controller
  • Scoob1.0

    Scoob1.0  - 3 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    and lets not forget the Nintendo 64 in the lady's house where u save your game in Donkey Kong Country 3 I believe it was... shes even playing the system during some saves.
  • Burn

    Burn  - 3 years, 3 months ago  - Report

    Hmm... Not a big deal, but Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow features a SNES in your room. Oh and in the file select screen for Banjo Kazooie - Banjo is playing a GameBoy. Yippee...
  • KirbyCupcake

    KirbyCupcake  - 3 years, 3 months ago  - Report

    Oh sorry, didn't see you already mentioned it..*blush*
  • KirbyCupcake

    KirbyCupcake  - 3 years, 3 months ago  - Report

    ^ Adding on to the comment, in Pokemon Diamond (suppose in Pearl too) you have a Wii in your room, and so does your friend.:D
  • BarryNomad

    BarryNomad  - 2 years, 5 months ago  - Report

    Here are some more:

    Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram: Dreamcast and Xbox 360 versions have Dreamcast's attached to the mech's backs.

    Sonic Adventure: The boss E-105 Zeta has a body made up of Dreamcasts

    Rent a Hero no. 1: The hero's computer is the SECA CREAMCAST, looks like a creamy white Dreamcast.

    SEGAGAGA: Every SEGA console cameos numerous times including in the final battle.
  • CruzDude

    CruzDude  - 2 years, 6 months ago  - Report

    If you turn the language to Japanese in Melee, there will be a virtual boy in the collection
  • MoChilla

    MoChilla  - 2 years, 12 months ago  - Report

    They Replace the PSP in Home with a PDA.
  • jokerdog

    jokerdog  - 2 years, 6 months ago  - Report

    Don't forget the three gamecubes in REmake used to free Chris/Jill from the chamber.
  • rezapoc

    rezapoc  - 2 years, 6 months ago  - Report

    Dont forget the dreamcasts mounted on the back of the robots in virtual on: ot.
  • CH3BURASHKA

    CH3BURASHKA  - 2 years, 6 months ago  - Report

    Grand Theft Auto needs some console cameos - perhaps a mission around stealing the new thing from Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo R&D labs.
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