The Weirdest Joke Levels In Gaming

Video games are full of hidden gems and surprises for those intrepid players who are adventurous enough to search every nook and cranny. These rewards can range from secret items and quirky Easter eggs to entire joke levels that add an unexpected twist to the game.

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Joke levels in video games can easily catch you off-guard, especially if the tone or art style of the level drastically differs from the main story. By using these levels, developers showcase their creative freedom, highlight their sense of humor, and invite players to not take things too seriously.

9

Out Of This Dimension

Star Fox

Systems

Released

February 21, 1993

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Out of this Dimension is an unsettling level hidden within the original Star Fox game, offering a surreal alternate ending. This secret area exists outside known space, appearing as a pocket dimension that you can access through a hidden warp inside Corneria’s Asteroid Belt. Once inside, escape is impossible.

The dark, distorted space is scattered with smiling moons and cartoon-like stars, adding an oddly whimsical yet creepy atmosphere to the level.

The only enemy here is a harmless-looking paper plane that gradually swarms in larger numbers, presenting a growing threat. The final challenge is to defeat the Slot Machine, the artificial intelligence that governs the dimension. After its defeat, the level doesn’t end. Instead, the credits roll as you continue to play through the level in a never-ending loop.

8

Katz Korner

Tales Of Graces F

Katz are an iconic race of anthropomorphic, cat-like creatures that appear throughout the Tales of series, known for their frequent use of cat puns. Throughout the series, you can find various versions of Katz Korner, the home of Katz. In Tales of Graces f, Katz Korner takes the form of a charming theme park that serves as a relaxation spot for the Katz and one enthusiastic old man.

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To unlock this area, players must embark on a quest to feed and interact with every cat scattered throughout Ephinea. Once all cats have been found and fed, players can use any cat to teleport directly to Katz Korner. Once there, you can access a variety of special inn requests.

Additionally, for players who have completed the game, the area offers an extensive collection of bonus content, such as animated cutscenes, skits, voice files, and music from the game.

7

Wolf Pac In Die, Führer, Die!

Wolfenstein 3D

Wolfenstein 3D, one of the pioneers of first-person shooters on DOS, threw players into intense combat against the Nazis, setting the stage for FPS games to come. The fast-paced action and gritty setting made every level a challenge. So, when you find yourself in a Pac-Man-style maze mid-game, it’s an experience that feels completely out of place but utterly unforgettable.

In Episode Three, after reaching Floor Seven, you gain access to a secret level that transports you straight into a first-person experience of Pac-Man’s iconic maze. The twist? Instead of collecting dots and fruit, you’re after trophies and extra lives. And to up the stakes, Pac-Man’s signature ghosts, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde, roam the maze, but with one crucial difference: they’re invincible.

Meanwhile, Nazis continue to patrol the maze, forcing you to juggle dodging ghosts and shooting soldiers.

6

Insomniac Museum

Ratchet And Clank 2: Going Commando

Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando

Third-Person Shooter

Platformer

Systems

Released

November 11, 2003

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

The Insomniac Museum is a hidden level in the Ratchet and Clank series, first introduced in the second game, Going Commando. The museum, located on Planet Burbank, acts as an interactive behind-the-scenes showcase, offering you a glimpse into the game’s development process.

It features unused models, incomplete levels, and developer tools, allowing you to explore content that didn’t make it into the final game.

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In Going Commando, the Insomniac Museum can be accessed through a teleporter in Silver City on the planet Boldan, or by unlocking all weapons with their mods. The museum contains content from both the first and second Ratchet and Clank games, including the testing area where developers fine-tuned Ratchet’s movements, providing an immersive look at how the game’s mechanics were created and refined.

5

Another Day

The World Ends With You

Systems

Another Day is an extra chapter set outside the main events of the main story in The World Ends With You. This bonus chapter becomes accessible after you complete the game’s main storyline and unlock the Chapter Select menu. Unlike the main plot, Another Day takes place in the parallel world that the Composer fled to during the second week of the story.

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The chapter revolves around Neku combating his inner emo urges with the light of his life: Tin Pin Slammer. He participates in round after round of Tin Pin battles, facing off against various opponents and combating various conspiracies that plague the world. The quest even features characters from the main universe interacting with characters from the parallel universe, suggesting that the events of Another Day are happening concurrently with the main story.

4

Happy Zephyr

Warframe

Happy Zephyr is a hidden side-scrolling minigame that is a parody of Flappy Bird. In the game, you control Zephyr, the wind-themed Warframe, as she flies across obstacles in an attempt to reach the finish line. The goal is simple but challenging: achieve a high score by avoiding obstacles and staying in the air.

If you manage to score 50 points or more, you’ll be rewarded with a Happy Zephyr Poster, which you can use to decorate your Orbiter.

Accessing Happy Zephyr involves purchasing a Ludoplex from Cephalon Simaris, which acts as a hub for arcade-style games within Warframe. After placing the Ludoplex as a decoration in your Orbiter, you can then buy Happy Zephyr using in-game currency to start playing.

However, if you’re looking for shortcuts, there are a couple of alternatives. One is typing “Flappy” as the email address on the Warframe login screen and leaving the password field blank. Another method is to equip Zephyr and select the “Z” loadout under Appearance, which will also unlock the mini-game.

3

Deadpool Maxed Out The Budget

Deadpool

Deadpool, with his signature wit and ability to break the fourth wall, is the kind of character who thrives on chaos, humor, and meta-commentary. The video game adaptation captured this perfectly, bringing the character’s irreverent spirit to life through gameplay, dialogue, and, of course, absurd scenarios.

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After completely blowing the in-game budget on his over-the-top antics, the Merc with a Mouth finds himself dropped into a retro-esque secret level, complete with 8-bit graphics. True to form, however, Deadpool’s fully rendered, high-definition character model remains intact while facing 8-bit skeletons, octopuses, unicorns, and more.

2

Heart Of Dankness: Dankest Timeline

Guacamelee! 2

Guacamelee! 2 is a metroidvania platforming adventure. After saving the life of El Presidente’s Daughter, Lupita, luchador Juan marries Lupita and the two settle into a peaceful life. But when the Mexiverse is in danger, Juan is pulled out of retirement to save the world.

Most of the gameplay is centered around platforming levels, where Juan must contend with both enemies and puzzles to progress through the game. However, one level is a little different from the rest: The Heart of Dankness.

The Heart of Dankness is a hidden cave. As you enter the cave, you are met with a row of signs warning you to turn around for your own sanity. If you choose to disregard the warnings, you’ll find a series of characters whose dialogue pokes fun at criticism of the first game’s use of memes.

1

Duff’s Dream Concert

Dave The Diver

Dave the Diver is an action-adventure and resource management game, where you dive into the mysterious Blue Hole to explore its depths and gather the freshest ingredients for your sushi restaurant. During the day, you can make several dives, encountering marine life, discovering hidden treasures, and facing various underwater dangers.

Once evening hits, it’s time to switch roles and run the sushi bar: preparing dishes, handling customer orders, creating new recipes, and upgrading your restaurant.

Amid this ocean-centered gameplay, there’s a wonderfully bizarre moment that comes out of left field: Duff’s Dream Concert during Chapter Three. When Duff goes to sleep, players are thrown into an unexpected rhythm game at a pop concert, complete with anime-style animation. The performance features characters from Stra Stella performing the song Shooting Star.

It’s a wild and creative break from the usual gameplay, where players must nail the rhythm to deliver the perfect concert experience.

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