From the famous boulder chase in Raiders of the Lost Ark, to the frequently censored heart-rip in Temple of Doom, to the oft-quoted Holy Grail Knight scene in The Last Crusade, the Indiana Jones franchise has no shortage of iconic movie moments. Of course, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle can’t be expected to reference all of the franchise’s best moments, but it’s bound to have plenty of Easter eggs in store for eagle-eyed fans.
From the trailers released so far, and the recent round of gameplay previews, it seems safe to say that developer MachineGames is trying to make Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as authentic to the source material as possible. Fans can likely expect to hear plenty of familiar musical themes, Troy Baker is doing his very best Harrison Ford impression, and at least one franchise cameo is already confirmed. But even with all of that, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle might feel incomplete with a reference to one very specific movie moment.
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has a deep well of fan service to draw from, and it shouldn’t neglect doing so in its music and imagery.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Needs One Specific Reference To Feel Authentic
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Needs The Indy Hat Roll
The Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s entire opening sequence is undoubtedly one of the most iconic action set pieces in cinema history. Indy dropping sand in front of the Golden Idol, avoiding the spike traps that kill a young Alfred Molina, the boulder chase, and the ensuing confrontation and getaway from Belloq are all noteworthy moments in their own right.
But there’s one more moment in this sequence that’s spawned a fully-fledged action movie trope. After pulling himself up from a pit of impending doom, Indy manages to scramble under a closing door at the very last moment, snatching his whip away from the door’s frame just as the stone block hits the ground.
This moment is repeated in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, when Indy, Willie Scott, and Short Round find themselves in a room with a falling ceiling and a slowly closing door. Again, Indy manages to squeeze through the door at the last second, but rather than fetch his whip, he takes a moment to rescue his iconic hat, which had fallen in his attempted escape. This little humorous flair quickly became one of the franchise’s defining moments, and it’s now colloquially known as the “Indy Hat Roll.”
The Indy Hat Roll has appeared in countless movies over the years, with the likes of Shrek 2, Tangled, Back to the Future Part 2, and even Paddington all paying homage to the legendary moment. With so many movies and other pieces of media having referenced the Indy Hat Roll, it’d be a bit odd if Indiana Jones and the Great Circle didn’t feature a similar moment.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s ‘Lucky Hat’ Ability Is a Great Sign
In the recent round of gameplay previews, many outlets confirmed that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will feature an unlockable ability called “Lucky Hat.” This ability lets players revive themselves by crawling toward Indy’s hat when downed. This sounds like a really great way to capture the spirit of Indiana Jones while also providing players with a genuinely useful in-game ability, and it’s a great sign that The Great Circle will be packed with winks and nods to the rest of the franchise.
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