Summary
When it comes to recreating one of cinema’s most beloved franchises in the gaming space, MachineGames and Bethesda’sIndiana Jones and the Great Circlehas an enormous whip to crack. With the enormous task ahead of it of not only staying true to the feel and tone of the films while also appealing to newcomers who might not be too familiar withIndiana Jones, MachineGames has gone to great lengths to ensureIndiana Jones and the Great Circleis just that. WhileTroy Baker nails his Harrison Ford impressionand the world and story feel authentic, another great way any adaptation can increase its authenticity is by including Easter eggs for longtime, eagle-eyed fans to discover as they witness the story unfold.
InIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, there are countless Easter eggs for fans to discover as they play through the game. However, one rather minor Easter egg in the game’s first chapter is not only missable, but it’s so obscure that even longtime fans of the franchise might not pick up on it. The Easter egg in question is about a certain apple that players can find on Indy’s desk at Marshall College inIndiana Jones and the Great Circle.
An Apple in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Pays Homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark
Players Can Find an Apple on Indy’s Desk at the Beginning of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Story
Once they’ve completedIndiana Jones and the Great Circle’s prologueand witnessed the scene at Marshall College, players will get a chance to explore the college after completing a small task with Marcus. Should they find their way over to Indy’s classroom during their time exploring, they will find a lone apple lying on his desk there. The apple can be collected and even eaten later on, but it isn’t just an ordinary apple. This particular apple has special significance, as it acts as a tie betweenIndiana Jones and the Great CircleandRaiders of the Lost Ark— a tie that is initiated upon collecting the fruit from the desk.
Indy’s Comment About the Apple Is a Reference to a Scene From Raiders of the Lost Ark
Should players collect the apple from the desk atMarshall College, Indy will comment, “This kid with his apples…save that for later.” The “kid” Indy refers to here is a student briefly shown inRaiders of the Lost Ark. Interestingly enough, this particular side character is often overshadowed in the scene by a certain eccentric female student who has the words “Love You” written on her eyelids, so that every time she blinked, Indy would see the message. Actually, a fairly common mistake is to assume the apple was left there by said student. However, it was an entirely different student that left the apple there, and he is shown on screen doing so for a quick two seconds.
When the bell rings during the classroomscene inRaiders of the Lost Ark, Indy concludes his session with the students and dismisses them. The students then crowd through the door, before one final student is shown, dressed in a white dress shirt, a black bow tie, and a colorful vest. As he rushes out the door looking down as if trying to avoid eye contact with Indy, he leaves a solitary green apple on the corner of Indy’s desk. Of course, the apple inIndiana Jones and the Great Circleis both red and green, but it is sitting in the exact same spot on Indy’s desk where the student placed it inRaiders of the Lost Ark.
While there are plenty of otherEaster eggs inIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, it is subtle references like this apple that go to show just how authentic MachineGames wanted this experience to be. This minor detail, easy to overlook yet so satisfying to uncover, perfectly encapsulates what makesIndiana Jones and the Great Circlesuch a worthwhile adaptation.
