My Favorite Pop Culture References In Mirage

If you quested through Mirage, you would see amazing pop culture references that it's hard to NOT recognize them. But just in case you didn't, let me tell you what my favorite pop culture references are in Mirage.

1. Tetrus Prison

The Tetrus prison is based off on the very popular yet simple Tetris game from the early 80's. This game was actually created in USSR and released on June 6th, 1984. It was also the very first entertainment game to be exported from USSR to USA. In Tetris, you had to match up the differently shaped tiles to create rows which in turn be destroyed.

If you were not fast enough making rows, your tiles will continue to build up until it hits the roof which ends the game. In Mirage's Tetrus Prison, you will see literal Tetris tiles move on the wall and in doors. It's a quite sight!

2. Rahqi Bal'boa

You will meet this huge boa character in Instaboa area. The name will and should be instantly familiar. The boxing gloves that he wears gives it away as well as his name.



He is referenced off the famous Rocky Balboa who is the main character of the Rocky movie series, performed by Sylvester Stallone.

3. Pally & Madam Pack Man

Once you arrive in Mirage, you will instantly meet Pally PackMan for your first quest. Percy PackMan is based off the Pac Man game. Pac Man is this yellow circular character with a big mouth who likes to eat. It also is another one of those extremely simple, yet addictive games in the 80's. But this one was an arcade game which was released in May of 1980 in Japan. In the game, you play as Pac Man who have to gobble up biscuits while trying not to get caught by four little colored ghosts. If you get tagged by ghosts enough times losing all of your remaining lives, game over.

In Wizard101, like I said before, you first meet Pally PackMan for your first official quest. But there's also a side quest where you meet Madam PackMan who begs you to find her friend, Percy PackMan who was searching for the Magic Fruit. This quest is obviously related to the Pac Man game based on the references you find while on this side quest.

The Magic Fruit you were asked to find, and of course the missing Percy PackMan, is the cure to Madam Packman's Packman Fever. Go figure. You will be able to enter a dungeon where you meet the four colored ghosts and where Pally got trapped. Another great Pac Man reference. But this time you have to defeat them to free him and collect the Magic Fruit. They're actually quite tough, but doable once you understand their cheats.

Apparently the Medicine Balls are the "biscuits" like in the Pac Man game.

And apparently the ghosts' names sound like a Nyquil commercial.

4. Snake Plizkin

The name should be instantly familiar to you once you meet him in Instaboa. His eyepatch should also tip you off.

He's referenced off on the main character named Snake Plissken from the very popular movie series, "Escape From New York" and "Escape From L.A." The New York movie was released in 1981 and the LA movie was released in 1996. Oh by the way, the character also had a snake tattoo on his belly. I always thought that was weird, but oh well.

5. Dumoozid

This one should be easy haha. This guy is based off on the incredibly popular mascot and brand name of a cleaning solution that cleans floors. This product was created by Linwood Burton who was a marine ship cleaning businessman and his friend Mathusan Chandramohan.



Apparently back then ships had to be cleaned using dangerous solvents that were dangerous to workers. This caused Linwood to invent this simple solution that helps cut grease, but was more safe to use. It was so successful that they were able to sell it to Proctor & Gamble which still owns this product to this day.

In Wizard101, he's a genie who really likes his place super clean. So clean that everything sparkles. A bit of warning, take off your shoes off outside. He doesn't like dirty floors. And no, don't touch anything.

6. Thieves' Den

Once you enter the Thieves Den instance, you will be dropped through a trap door which looks so familiar. Well, it should be! You can find that same trap door in the original Star Wars movies where Jabba the Hut did the same thing to Luke Skywalker.

Not only that, once you enter in the Underden dungeon after you fall through the trap door, there are one more Star Wars reference, Boa Fett. He's obviously based off Boba Fett. Heck, if you look carefully, the back of Boa Fett's jacket has a picture of Boba Fett!

7. Spice & Wurmings

Melani the Great Wurm, the wurmings and the mention of Spice is an obvious reference to the Dune books and movies. If you haven't watched or read them already, do it! In those books and movies, the people of Dune uses mined spice to sell for profit. But there's a war between houses and the feuding families wants sole ownership of the spice because hey, that makes them rich.

It's a long story. But the wurmings are a reference to giant worms that roam through the world's deserts in the Dune books and movies. And no, they're not friendly creatures. There's also a character named Pol Atraydies who sounds like Paul Atreides who's the main character in the books and movies. Like I said, read the books and movies, you will understand everything.

"Spice is life!"

And That's My List.

The above are not the ONLY pop culture references in Mirage. There are so many more, but I picked my favorites. For example - there are references from Aladdin characters and areas, Schrodinger's Cat, Robin Hood, Karate Kid and more.

What is your favorite Pop Culture reference in Mirage? Let us know. Have a great 2017!