Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Best Callbacks, Secrets and References

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is rife with incredible details, from its animations to the suits getting damaged as a hero’s health depletes. It also has numerous secrets, references and callbacks to discover, some hiding in plain sight and others less so. Like the previous games, there are plenty of references to other iconic Marvel heroes and villains. Take a look at 15 of these references and their significance.

Wolverine and Film Suits

Would it be a Spider-Man game without suits based on other heroes or groups? The Best There Is suit is a dead ringer for Wolverine (which also has a Suit Style to give it an X-Force color). Of course, there are also suits based on films like Spider-Man: Far From Home and No Way Home, The Amazing Spider-Man, Into and Across the Spider-Verse, and much more.

Arach-Knight

Of course, there are some suits where the references aren’t so obvious. Take the Arach-Knight suit with its cape and Assassin’s Creed-style hood. It’s actually Peter Parker from Warp World, where Spider-Man combined with Moon Knight during Marvel Comics’ 2018 crossover event Infinity Wars. While he had the powers of a mystic spider, he also had alternate personalities or Alters like Marc Spector. That doesn’t carry over into the game, but the suit is still very cool.

Cindy Moon Cameo

When everything is said and done, Miles finally meets Albert Moon, which is a big moment for the family. However, he’s also introduced to Cindy, Albert’s daughter. While her face isn’t shown and she doesn’t speak, Marvel Comics fans will recognize her as Silk, a Spider-Woman who received her powers from the same radioactive spider as Peter Parker. What her origins are in the current story remains to be seen, but hopefully, the pheromones don’t make a return.

Spider-Man’s First Comic Appearance

While going through Peter’s bedroom, there’s a clipping for the Daily Bugle with the headline “Amazing new hero or violent vigilante?” It references the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15, which introduces Spider-Man. You can even find the comic book on the shelf in the same room.

Hank Pym

In the same room, you can also find the 2003 Pioneer Award which Peter earned for his Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry. It was at Pym Science Summer Camp, and who else should have signed it but Hank Pym, aka Ant-Man, Giant-Man and even the Wasp (it’s a long story). A cool nod to the other major genius in the Marvel universe.

G-Serum

After everything is resolved in the climactic final battle, Harry is in bad shape and comatose once more. His father, Norman Osborn, is not happy, and after smashing some nearby objects, he makes a call, asking for the G Serum to be ready ASAP. It’s the serum historically used to turn him into the Green Goblin, which could hint at him finally transforming into the iconic villain for the sequel.

Villain Rides in Coney Island

Coney Island is an amusement park where you can earn some neat prizes after completing mini-games (including a cowboy hat with a light-up brim). However, its rides are also references to classic Marvel villains. Big Wheel and Speed Demon reference, well, Big Wheel and Speed Demon; Hydro Bench combines Morris Bench and his villain name, Hydro-Man; and Cadenski’s Arcade is for A.R. Cadenski, aka Arcade.

The Pointing Meme

It’s common to run into Peter or Miles while playing as one or the other. After a battle is over, you can interact with them and maybe share a hug. However, they also point at each other in a fake surprised manner before casually laughing it off, referencing the legendary Spider-Man pointing meme.

Fantastic 4 Logo

While Spider-Man hasn’t interacted with the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Insomniac’s games, he has a pretty rich history with the group. So it’s no surprise to see the Baxter Building in the sequel, and if you go to the roof, you see their logo painted on it. It’s incomplete, but perhaps it’s hinting at their future arrival.

Backpacks

During the mission, “Roll Like We Used To”, Peter will come across a backpack, webbed up in some random corner. For those who played the first game, this refers to the various backpacks he left scattered throughout the city. He forgot about this one, and Peter remarks that he needs to better track them. Since this part takes place in the past, and the backpacks are nearly everywhere in the first game, we’re going to guess that didn’t happen, but at least he collected them all. You did collect them all, right?

Rick-Roll Reference

In the same mission, Harry and Peter do their best to avoid a security guard – and subsequently the police – in their old high school. At one point, Harry gets hold of the Public Access system and sings to distract them, giving Peter a chance to escape. What else should he be singing but Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up? It’s just enough that he doesn’t get a copyright strike.

Visions Academy

Visions Academy appears in-game, with Peter teaching there briefly and Miles attending. Those who watched the Spider-Verse movies will immediately recognize it as the same school its version of Miles attended. Equip the Spider-Verse suits for maximum immersion.

Suit Specific VFX and Film Style Animation

It’s not enough to have suits based on different properties – they also have different VFX. Like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Boy suits have stop motion-like animations similar to the film. The same applies to Peter’s Into the Spider-Verse suit, which is Spider-Man Noir. It looks incredibly sleek, and the best part is that Film Style Animation is an unlockable setting, allowing every outfit to have this effect.

Speed Nonagon

In Miles Morales, Genki mentions working on a game called Speed Nonagon, which sounds more than a little like Super Hexagon. It was a prototype, but in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Peter can find a copy of the game on his dining table, seemingly indicating that it became a game, with the logo even looking a bit similar to Super Hexagon.

Norman Osborn as Green Goblin

There are all kinds of murals in New York, particularly of different characters like Norman Osborn. One of these has Osborn with green horns and red mist coming out of his mouth. The former references Green Goblin, particularly the Ultimate Comics version with its horns. Perhaps this foreshadows how he’ll look if he becomes a villain in a future title. The mist is likely Devil’s Breath, which Oscorp created and Doctor Octopus used to cause a horrific viral attack in the first game.

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