Highlights
- Easter eggs have been part of the video game industry since the 1970s, and the Borderlands franchise is known for having some of the best.
- Borderlands games feature Easter eggs referencing popular media, such as Minecraft, Dark Souls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Super Mario Bros., and Lord of the Rings.
- Some of the Easter eggs, such as the Borderlands 2 Minecraft cave, are incredibly in-depth and will stick with players long after they have seen them for the first time.
Though their exact point of origin is still disputed, Easter eggs have been a common part of the video game industry since its very conception all the way back in the early 1970s. From the developer's name being hidden in the background of a stage to references to popular movies and TV shows to cameos from other video game IPs, Easter eggs come in countless different forms, and the Borderlands franchise is home to some of the very best around.
While Easter eggs can be found across just about every video game genre, the biggest and best are often found in open-world titles, where the player's exploration and curiosity are rewarded with little references. Being an open-world action-adventure series, Borderlands is naturally suited to housing its fair share of Easter eggs, and the franchise has routinely gone above and beyond in that department, delivering some of the best Easter eggs in gaming.
Borderlands 2's Minecraft Cave Easter Egg
Starting with not only the most iconic Borderlands Easter egg, but arguably the most popular Easter egg in all of gaming, Borderlands 2's Minecraft cave is still special all these years later. Located in a small crevice in the side of a cliff face in Caustic Caverns, players can find a wall made up of peculiar-looking blocks of sand. Fans of Minecraft will immediately recognize these low-res blocks, which can be smashed to reveal a hidden location underneath the cliff. This cave contains a handful of Minecraft Creepers, along with some Minecraft blocks that can be broken down for the chance to unlock some unique Minecraft weapon skins and character cosmetics.
Borderlands 2's Dark Souls Easter Egg
Another iconic Borderlands Easter egg can also be found elsewhere in Borderlands 2's Caustic Caverns. Just north of the giant Crystalisk Blue, players will be able to spot an island in the middle of the poisonous lake with a large tree on it. With high enough shields and health, players can make their way over to the island and find a little Dark Souls Easter egg. Along with a bonfire, players can find a knight named Solitaire, and the soul of a knight that keeps phasing in and out of existence.
Borderlands 2's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Easter Egg
Moving on to some of the more involved Borderlands Easter eggs, Borderlands 2's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles questline is still one of the most Easter egg quests in gaming. In a quest named "Splinter Group," players will be tasked with luring out a group of mutant rebels hiding in the sewer and eliminating them. To lure them out, players are given a freshly baked pizza. Upon placing the pizza down, Lee, Mick, Dan, and Ralph will all crawl out of the nearby sewage pipes, and killing them will lead players to Flinter, the leader of the group.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's Super Mario Bros. Easter Egg
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel may not have been the most beloved entry in the franchise, but its Easter eggs were easily on par with some of the series' best, and its Super Mario Bros. Easter egg is the perfect example of that. Toward the end of the game, players will find themselves in a room filled with rising platforms, one of which will take players up into a pipe where they'll be transported to a Mario Bros. level. After defeating a few waves of enemies that spawn out of some pipes, players will be rewarded with a few loot chests. What makes this Easter egg even better is that players can even jump their way up to the top of the level and find a hidden room filled with pipes, serving as a reference inside of a reference to Mario Bros.' hidden pipe rooms.
Borderlands 3's Lord of the Rings Easter Egg
One of the best Easter eggs from Borderlands 3 is its "Demon in the Dark" questline, which acts as a not-so-subtle reference to Lord of the Rings. During the quest, players will make their way through a location that looks eerily similar to the Mines of Moria, even being tasked with dropping a bucket down a well like Pippin does in Fellowship of the Ring. At the end of the mine, Borderlands players will face off against a fire-based foe clearly inspired by the Balrog.