Batman: Arkham City makes good use of the heritage of Batman’s iconic universe to provide players with many satisfying and nostalgic Easter eggs.
Be it to set up the next Arkham game by clever foreshadowing, pay homage to its critically applauded movies, or reference other personalities of the DC universe, here are our picks for the best Easter eggs you need to absolutely find while completing the main storyline.
Secret Coded Messages
Throughout the game, Scarecrow broadcasts encrypted messages to different radio frequencies that give off random numbers followed by a chime. Players need to use their Cryptographic Sequencer to crack them; once cracked they reveal very sinister threats which are sure to send a shiver down player’s spines.
Decode these numbers with a simple cipher by matching them to letters in the alphabet. (A=1, B=2, C=3)
Radio Station 700.00/500.00
9 23 9 12 12 18 5 20 21 18 14 2 1 20 13 1 14 *chime*
Decoded as: “I will return, batman”
The 2nd message requires players to decode the message using the Caesarian Shift, in which Z=1, Y=2, X=3, etc.
Radio Station 500.00/900.00
5 15 9 7 21 18 18 14 3 5 24 15 12 7 22 3 10 5 15 9 22 3 8 25 26 15 16 25 10 15 17 25 *chime* repeats. Decoded as: “You will pay for what you have done to me”
Radio Station 200.00/500.00
3 20 26 18 26 16 24 1 11 4 24 9 3 8 5 2 12 18 6 16 7 11 3 10 17 5 13 4 21 8 *chime*
Decoded as: ’Fear will tear Gotham to shreds.’’
Harley Quinn’s pregnancy
Travel to Joker’s Steel Mill and go inside the Manager’s Office. Right next to Harley Quinn’s costume, you will find a pregnancy test. This test shows positive; meaning that Harley Quinn might be pregnant with Joker’s child.
However, in the DLC “ Harley Quinn’s Revenge,” we find many other pregnancy tests that read “negative” or “false positive”, adding to the hazed uncertain narrative that surrounds Joker and his allies.
Secret Ending
If you choose to escape Arkham City with your loot in the Catwoman DLC Episode 3 by going right, Catwoman’s alternate ending will play.
In this ending, you find out that Batman and Commissioner Gordon are dead through a distress signal from Oracle, Gotham has been overrun by Joker and his goons, and Wayne Manor has been destroyed. Don’t worry though, the game recalls after this, enabling you to make the right choice.
Scarecrow’s hidden lair
The second chilling Scarecrow Easter Egg is located inside the barge that is in front of the neon North Gotham Dock sign of Batman: Arkham City. Players need to use the Cryptographic Sequencer to enter this, the password is “ City of Terror”.
As soon as you enter the barge, the game shifts into first-person perspective; you see yourself in eerie, haunted surroundings with wooden boxes, cockroaches, and a hostage tied on a chair with his head slumped.
As you approach the hostage, a jumpscreen is triggered where the man twitches and screams before dying. Invoices on the right of the corpse indicate that the whole setup was Scarecrow’s creation to test his toxins; an ominous insight into his plans for Arkham.
Scarecrow’s old mask
You can find Scarecrow’s old mask on top of the bridge in Amusement Mile in the middle of the straw piles. You will often see birds pecking on this mask, an ironic and twisted nod to the name scarecrow, scanning the mask also completes a riddle.
Ra’s al Ghul does not die
We know that Ra’s al Ghul falls off of the Wonder Tower, and his sword pierces through his chest, killing him. However, once the game is completed, his dead body disappears, but the sword can still be seen.
Killer Croc
Killer Croc can be found in the game, but only once. Do not follow your objective after your first fight with Ra’s Al Ghul. Instead, travel to the easternmost section of the Subway Maintenance Entrance.
Hit the button on the opposite side of a tiny hole in the bars, using a Remote Control Batarang. After you hit this button, Killer Croc will burst through the wall and try to intimidate Batman; however, he doesn’t fight and just goes back to the murk after he’s done with the threatening.
Joker or Clayface?
If you use Detective Vision while fighting the ‘healed’ Joker, right before Protocol 10, you will notice that Joker does not have a skeleton; meaning that you are, in reality, fighting Clayface.
Joker’s Doppelganger?
After the fight with Mr Hammer on your first visit to the Steel Mill, walk under the room where Harley shuts herself in. You will overhear a dialogue between Harley and the Joker which hints at the Joker’s inevitable tactic to poison Batman.
Harley: “You look perfect baby, it’s like a miracle.. oh wait, that’s not you is it?
Joker: “Be quiet, Harley!!”
The Villains
When Bruce Wayne enters Arkham City, he is welcomed by many familiar faces. The first is Black Mask, who is seen by looking to the west of the entrance.
The next villain is Deadshot, who blocks your path once you enter Line A and mutters that Wayne is ‘on his list’. He then mimics a gun motion with his hand and chuckles.
Then, you can see Azrael on a rooftop while the inmates are in a state of hysteria. The last face you might recognize is Hush; he will be seen to the left of the Church, on a stretcher. He will have his face covered with bandages.
Thomas and Martha Wayne
You can find the exact location where Bruce’s parents were murdered one alley behind the Monarch Theatre. You can also listen to a tape left by Dr. Strange and pay your respects. This is one of those Easter eggs that every player needs to experience while playing Batman: Arkham City.
Joker’s Secret Message
When the game recalls during the Catwoman DLC, Episode 3, you can hear a very faint voice. If you reverse this audio, you can hear a secret message from Joker saying, ‘’Thank you for the entertainment, Bats’’.
Rocksteady developers arrested
In the GCPD building, you can find a flyer naming the following people: David Tyndale, Jigar Patel, Joshua Dahdrai, David Higgins, Johnny Armstrong, and Noel Chamberlain, as criminals arrested recently. All of these people are Rocksteady developers and the makers of Arkham City and Asylum.
Mr. Freeze’s hilarious keyboard
Return to the GCPD building when Mr. Freeze has emptied the building after completing the side mission, “Heart of Ice”. Access Mr. Freeze’s computer inside the forensics lab and zoom in on his keyboard. Instead of letters, each key is replaced by an emoji which ranges from silly to happy expressions.
Calendar Man’s Message
If you change the date of your device to 13th December 2004 (Rocksteady Studios was founded on that day) and go to Calendar Man, some unique dialogue will play.
The message is “Do you remember my early work? Flawed, but it showed promise. The end of days is coming. I was there at your beginning, and I will be there at your end.”
Black Canary
You can find a neon green sign for Black Canary in multiple locations in Arkham City, one of DC comic’s most famous heroines.
DC Universe
When you go to the elevator to capture Hugo Strange, for the second time, Strange and Talia al Ghul will be heard uttering the names of Keystone and Metropolis.
Keystone is the city of the Flash, while Metropolis is the city of Superman.
Morgan Freeman??!
Right before you go to do the “Tea Party” mission in which you rescue Vicky Vale, Lucius Fox is name-dropped.
Batman Begins
A train can be seen dropping from the rails, during the Demon Trials. This is a direct reference to the final scene in Batman Begins, and a rather fun Easter egg to discover in Batman: Arkham City.
Joker Sings ‘Only You’
A missed call from Joker plays, once the game has been completed. In this call, he will be singing The Platter’s song, ‘Only You’.
