Sometimes, developers can go a little overboard when it comes to fan service, particularly if it's been a while since the last game in the series came out. Thankfully, this isn't too much of a problem in Return to Monkey Island, as although there are plenty of nods and Easter Eggs hidden throughout the game's five parts, none are really so intrusive as to alienate those who are new to the long-running video game series.
While some of the Easter Eggs in Return to Monkey Island are easy to find, others are incredibly subtle, ensuring that only hardcore fans of the series will spot them unless they already know where to look. It's clear that a lot of care and attention went into crafting Guybrush's latest adventure and these occasional nods to the series' humble beginnings serve as a nice little reward for those who've stuck with the mighty pirate for all these years.
Asking Cobb About Loom
The Monkey Island series has its fair share of long-running gags, with one of the more memorable ones relating to a character named Cobb. This grizzled old pirate can be encountered in the SCUMM Bar during the opening stages of the series' very first installment and responds to the vast majority of questions that are thrown at him with a simple "Aye." However, that all changes pretty quickly if players heed the advice on his badge and decide to ask him about Loom.
At this point, Cobb will begin to advertise the game, which was in development at LucasFilm Games at the same time as The Secret of Monkey Island. A skeleton can be found wearing the same "Ask Me About Loom" badge in The Curse of Monkey Island, while Cobb himself, who actually shares his name with a character from Loom, is back in the SCUMM Bar for Return to Monkey Island. This time, however, players will need to work pretty hard to convince him to talk about Loom, though will at least unlock the Fan Service achievement for doing so.
The Museum of Pirate Lore
Speaking of fan service, The Museum of Pirate Lore seems to have been implemented for no other reason. Those who've never played a Monkey Island game before probably won't bat an eyelid at the museum's decor, but anyone who has will see plenty of iconic Monkey Island items adorning the museum's walls. Among other things, the museum is home to the poster that Guybrush used to frame Captain Kate Capsize in Monkey Island 2, as well as the note that was pinned to the door of the church in the first Monkey Island game.
The game's collectible Trivia Cards also make reference to the events of previous Monkey Island games, including Curse, Escape, and Tales. This is interesting, as, according to the game's director Ron Gilbert, Return to Monkey Island serves as a sequel to the series' second installment, meaning that many of the events described by the Trivia Cards haven't actually happened yet. Of course, it could be argued that the cards simply break the fourth wall, but the same cannot be said of one of the game's other little references.
Carla's Cushy Government Job
Those who've played the first Monkey Island game will know that Carla, the current Governor of Melee Island, was once known as the Swordmaster and lived out in the woods in a cabin that has since become the aforementioned Museum of Pirate Lore. Return to Monkey Island doesn't go into too much detail about how she ended up replacing Guybrush's wife Elaine as Governor, though there is a hint of sorts in one of the dialog options that's presented to players.
Shortly after being reunited with Carla during Part 1 of Return to Monkey Island, Guybrush will have the option of mentioning a cushy government job that he helped Carla to get, which is actually a reference to the series' fourth entry, Escape from Monkey Island. Carla wasn't the only person to whom Guybrush gifted one of these jobs, though Otis squandered his opportunity and can instead be found locked up in the Melee Island jail, much like in many of the other Monkey Island games.
Neil Druckmann's Cameo
Back when Uncharted 4 was still in development, the game's director Neil Druckmann had the team slip in a few Monkey Island Easter Eggs. These came in the form of a painting of a pirate with a monkey sigil named Guy and the game's protagonist Nathan Drake making a joke about a cistern being the "second-biggest" that he'd ever seen: a clear reference to Guybrush's "second-biggest monkey head" line from The Secret of Monkey Island. Many years later, Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman decided to return the favor.
Druckmann was given a cameo in Return to Monkey Island, lending his voice to one of the prisoners in the ice quarry labor camp on Brrr Muda. He only has a few lines, but the Naughty Dog Co-President was thrilled to have been given the opportunity and even went as far as to change his Twitter profile picture to that of his in-game character. He also tweeted out a photograph of himself playing the game on Switch, describing it as "one of the best adventure games ever made" in the accompanying text.
Guybrush's Incredible Lung Capacity
During The Secret of Monkey Island, Guybrush brags about his ability to hold his breath for ten minutes; something that is later put to the test in one of the series' best and most memorable puzzles. His incredible lung capacity once again plays a part in Return to Monkey Island, though, this time, he's only able to hold his breath for eight minutes, a discrepancy that young Guybrush questions in one of the many cutaway scenes involving Guybrush and his son.
Although it may seem as though Guybrush's lungs have been given a downgrade, this isn't actually the case. If players allow Guybrush to run out of air while underwater, they'll be given another six minutes, and doing so again will grant them four more. With this in mind, it appears that Guybrush can now hold his breath for 18 minutes rather than ten, making his talents even more impressive than in the original game. Any longer, however, and Guybrush will end up drowning, providing players with what is easily the darkest ending in Return to Monkey Island.
Return to Monkey Island is available now on PC and Nintendo Switch.