It’s hard to overemphasize the enduring popularity ofThe Sopranos.Over the course of six seasons, fans were treated to a veritablecavalcade of mafia violence, death, and mayhem. Like any great movie or tv show, watchingThe Sopranoswith a keen eye often yields easily missable tidbits in the form of easter eggs and pop culture references.
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In fact, scattered throughout the show’s long tenure are a handful of video game callbacks that even keen-eyed viewers may have missed. These references, some a bit more subtle than others, will surely make longtime gamers smile. Besides, any excuse to rewatchThe Sopranosis usually a good one anyway.
7Mario Kart 64
In the first season episode “Meadowlands,” Tony Soprano struggles with keeping his psychiatry visits a secret from his fellow mobsters. In one of the more obvious video game references of the series, gamers will no doubt recognize a famousNintendotitle that Tony and AJ play together in the episode.
Father and son engage in some friendly competitionwhile playingMario Kart 64. Tony humorously struggles with the game’s mechanics as he continually runs into walls and drives in the wrong direction. It’s one of the more endearing scenes of the show’s early episodes, showing the mafioso bonding with his son.
6True Crime: New York City
InThe Sopranos, it’s clear that Christopher Moltisanti is enamored with the allure of Hollywood fame. In “Luxury Lounge,” Chris and Little Carmine try to convince Sir Ben Kingsley to star in their mob-themed slasher movie, “Cleaver.” The result is a series of comedic exchanges as the legendary actor tries in vain to brush off the wannabe movie producers.
In a scene where the three of them are browsing an expensive boutique, fans may spot a television screen withTrue Crime: New York Cityplaying in the background.The game features big-name Hollywood actorsamong its cast, including Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, and Laurence Fishburne.
5Pokémon Pinball
The episode “From Where to Eternity” revolves around Chris’s recuperation in the hospital after being nearly fatally shot. This episode also contains an easily overlooked video game reference that fans can spot if they pay close attention to what AJ is holding in his hands.
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While in the waiting room of the hospital, AJ is playing on aGame Boy Color. The title on the cartridge in his handheld console identifies the game itself asPokémon Pinball. Released in 1999, thispinball-themed arcade gameutilizes thePokémonsetting, characters, and aesthetics.
4Max Payne
In the Season 4 episode “Calling All Cars,” Tony’s sister Janice tries to ingratiate herself with the recently-widowed Bobby and his children. She accomplishes this task rather sneakily through the use of an instant messaging system that Bobby Jr. uses.
In a very brief shot during this episode, Bobby Jr. can be seen playingMax Payneon his PC. More specifically, it appears to be the game’s intro that’s playing on Bobby Jr.’s computer screen.Max Paynewas a huge hit in 2001, and was released at about the same time this episode would have been filmed.
3Blast Corps
Fans may notice that a lot of the show’s video game references revolve around AJ — which is unsurprising, considering his age and general personality. In the Season 1 episode “The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti,” AJ can be witnessed playing yet another popularNintendo 64game from the 90s right before the FBI shows up to search the Soprano home.
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The game in question isBlast Corps, a title developed byRare. Released in 1997, the object ofBlast Corpsis to destroy all objects in the path of an out-of-control nuclear missile. It was one of thefirst games developed by Rareto hit the Nintendo 64 console, and was met with much popular acclaim.
2Flag To Flag
Like most episodes ofThe Sopranos, “Bust Out” features quite a few pop culture references. Once again, eagle-eyed fans may catch a glimpse of AJ playing a rather obscure racing game on theSega Dreamcastbefore Tony orders him to go to bed.
AJ is playingFlag to Flag, a game published bySegain 1999. It’s an open-wheel racing game that includes various real-life racetracks from around the world.Flag to Flagwas one of the first games released alongside the Dreamcast console itself in September 1999.
1Halo
“The Blue Comet” is the penultimate episode ofThe Sopranos. It’s certainly one of the most thrilling episodes of the series, as the very survival of Tony Soprano and his crime family are at stake. It’s also the last episode to include a subtle video game reference buried beneath all the tension.
When Tony and Carmela are visiting AJ in the mental health ward of the hospital, the latter is in the midst of playing one of the games from theHalofranchise. The telltale sounds of the series' weaponry being fired in the background give it away, a detail that fans of the series will no doubt notice.
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