Venture City Incognito is a Venture spinoff video game published by Nintendo and released for the Nintendo Switch in March 2019. It was later re-released for PlayStation 5, Windows via Steam, and Xbox Series X and S by PlayStation Studios in 2023.
History[]
The game was first mentioned in Venturecru 2015, where it was said "Venture City Stories will have no story, so it encourages the player to explore a wide variety of side stories and challenges."
Brendan had wanted to make a video game including a city for some time, but the accessible technology and the fact that most staff were working on Venture restricted his power to make such a game. Prototypes for what would become Venture City Incognito started in 2016 and lasted about a year. As Brendan did not have a fixed idea of what the game would be, the team started with creating a little environment with drivable vehicles and buildings. In 2017, Nintendo approached 1001 Spears and showed them the Nintendo Switch hardware, asking whether they would like to produce a game for it. Having already had a great experience with Nintendo with successful ports of their previous titles and loving the platform's specs, the team agreed to work with Nintendo. Developing a game not tied to Venture provided the team with a level of freedom unavailable beforehand, while also causing problems with many aspects including the plot, gameplay, and overall mechanics of the game. Due to the special compatibility between the team's concept and its planned hardware, ports to other consoles were not considered until a year after the game was released. 1001 Spears was also able to integrate Joy-Cons functions in the game, making them part of Incognito's world. Nintendo usually left the team to develop the game as they pleased, although Nintendo received daily updates on the project and 1001 was notified if their publisher saw anything as a problem. The earliest gameplay challenge was the combat, which had to fit in the context of the main character being a police officer. Instead of a simplistic brawling style, the team designed the fighting system to allow for defensive gameplay and not include a melee equivalent to deadly takedowns.
While inventing the setting, the team used elements from New York City, San Francisco, and London. As the game was being made for a Nintendo console, the team included various Nintendo Easter eggs for players to discover. The team had to build a new game engine as earlier ones were unable to cope with the size of the setting. Brendan also wanted the central character, Michael Sanders, to have depth as he knew adults would play the game. Incognito features full voice acting and motion-capture. For the voice casting, the team used voice casting and recording company Surface US. A sizable voice casting assembly was held, and many established comics were specifically asked to come in as the team wanted a great presentation of the humorous parts of the script. By the time the scriptwriter, stand-up comedian Bo Burnham was brought on board, an outline of the story had been made. Burnham's role was to fill in the holes and put in as much comedy as possible. Burnham was given freedom when it came to spoofs, although the team typically discussed the appropriateness of the material, and a script editor was assigned to review his work. Drawing on his job as a comedian, Burnham included a large number of jokes and banter intended for adults. Following the template of Family Guy, the game contains a large number of parodies, referencing movies such as The Shawshank Redemption and The Matrix, and TV series such as Stranger Things. The game's plot took a year to write, as the team wanted to make it deep.
Venture City Incognito was unveiled during Nintendo's press conference at E3 2017 on June 7, 2017, under the provisional title Venture City Stories. At Nintendo's press conference at E3 2018 on June 5, 2018, the game was revealed to have had a name change to Venture City Incognito. The game's debut trailer was presented during the event, unveiling game footage for the first time. During the September 2018 Nintendo Direct, new trailers revealing the story were shown, along with the announcement that a Michael Sanders amiibo would come with the game as a pre-order bonus in North America and Australia while supplies last, and would be included in the first copies of the game in Europe. A Hot Wheels playset was also released and has a code for extra in-game content. Nintendo published the game in Japan on July 25, 2019.
Reception[]
With a Metacritic score of 100 on the Nintendo Switch version, reviews were ubiquitously positive, praising the humor and design, but infrequently criticizing long loading times and a lack of online multiplayer, the latter of which is a staple in many 1001 Spears games. Official Nintendo Magazine awarded the game 100%, making it the magazine's highest-rated Nintendo Switch game at the time. IGN gave the game 10 out 10, praising its giant open world and above-average gameplay. Eurogamer gave the game a score of 10 out of 10, saying the game features "a blend of transcendent writing, bright level design and commendable values that make you never want to stop". GamesRadar gave the game 5 out of 5 stars, admiring the innovative use of alternate identities and satisfying puzzles but noting the lack of online multiplayer. GameTrailers gave the game a score of 10, calling it "the best game Venture has gotten [and] probably ever will get." Nintendo Insider awarded the game a score of 100%, stating that it "signals a striking new direction for 1001 Spears' creative juices."
Sales[]
According to NPD figures, the game sold over 200,000 units in the United States in its debut month, debuting in the top 10. In the UK, the game debuted at number 6 in the all-formats chart, however, it debuted at number 4 in the individual-format chart and at number 1 in the Nintendo Switch chart. In Japan, the game sold over 36,000 copies during its first week, entering all charts at number 5.
Synopsis[]
Michael Sanders returns to Venture City after accidentally revealing private information about June Romanoff live on national television after June provided evidence that assisted in the arrest of Adolf Anger. Mike is brought back by the mayor, Sharla Callum, to investigate a crime wave she believes Adolf Anger is behind, as he is a criminal mastermind and had escaped from Yellowleg Penitentiary. Mike is brought to the police station, where he meets Jamal Raven and an old foe, Henry Duchy, who had become the chief.
Michael‘s first assignment back at Venture City is stopping a theft. After going through the city, he arrives at Sakura Bank at the scene of the burglary as a gang of Joker Thieves burst out attack the cops, one of them throwing confetti at a constable, knocking him over; another one tricks a lawman into smelling a flower on his jacket, only to spray water into the policeman's nose, and another tricks an inspector into shaking his hand while holding a joy buzzer, zapping the police officer into a crisp, with the last of the Joker Thieves escaping in an armored truck, only to have Michael Sanders chase him, knock down the car, and jail him.
After Mike apprehends the Joker Thief, Rachel Turner tells him to go to Crimson Coffee Shop. He then goes there, gets on the roof, and looks for a Joker Thief that had escaped from the cops after the bank robbery, but he cannot find any of the Joker Thieves. As such, Rachel gives him the Red Scan ability, which he uses to hunt down the Joker Thief to a garden hut across the street from the coffee shop. There is a fence in between Mike and the lean-to, so he climbs over the fence, gets into the garden, and opens the lean-to, only to have the Joker Thief escape through a window in the roof of the outhouse onto higher ground that Michael cannot get up to, prompting him to uses the blocks that are in the chamber to build a toadstool so he can ricochet up to the next part of the garden. The Joker Thief then runs off and climbs up a towering sunflower onto the highest part of the garden, then kills it. Mike then uses his Gumshoe Scan to follow hidden footprints that lead him to a valve wheel, which he then connects to a water pump that has a hose attached, and begins to turn it, only to find out there are objects preventing the water from going all the way through the hose. Mike then goes and smashes all the objects preventing the water from going through the hose, causing the hose to spray water all over a wall, making moss grow and allowing Mike to climb it to the highest part of the garden, where he finds the Joker Thief hiding in a dog kennel, which the absconder breaks out of, shatters a fence into the front garden of the house, then runs onto the streets of Venture City where he is then chased and arrested by Sanders.
After the mission, Mike bumps into June Romanoff, who divulges that she had to change her name to hide from Adolf Anger and threatens to report him for her personal safety.
Later, Mike takes on a gang of burglars on the radio tower and finds out from the leader that they were working for Adolf Anger. Mike decides to go to Yellowleg Penitentiary to find verification that Adolf was behind the act, where he meets Yellow Yelling, who informs Sanders about Adolf. After exploring his bombed cell, Mike discovers that Adolf was broken out after a missile hit the penitentiary, leading to a mission to the Gallancroft Gold Mine to find more evidence. Mike encounters Adolf in the mine, who knocks him unconscious and flees. Looking for advice to protect himself from Adolf, Mike goes to Mordekai Jay, who teaches him karate. Mike decides to covertly work with Adolf's associates, unbeknownst to the police. Sanders starts with Xing Dong, a mob boss who owns a chop shop. Sanders joins the mob and starts stealing cars for Dong. Sanders, inventing a new identity, goes on to dispatch (lethally or otherwise) a member of Claudio the Enforcer's gang, and takes on their identity. Claudio sends Mike to steal a giant jade stone. Duchy informs Mike of Xing Dong's gang, not knowing of Michael's involvement with them. Xing Dong sends him to photograph the gangsters causing chaos in the city. Xing calls Mike shortly after and sends him to steal a lunar buggy.
Mike is called again by Chief Duchy, who sends him on a mission to rescue Forrest Dump, who has been kidnapped by ANGER Army. Afterward, Claudio sends Mike on a robbery to steal an Argentinasaurus skeleton for Adolf Anger. After that, Mike heads to Raven Hotel, where he heard that Adolf Anger and Claudio were meeting, and learns that Claudio and Adolf had a quarrel and disassociated with one another. He teams up with Claudio to go into Dump Estate to steal from his personal bank, where Alfonso tells him about an incident where Forrest planned to build a flat and plaza in Gallancroft Gardens, but had to cancel the project due to the garden housing an endangered chipmunk, infuriating Forrest. When Mike gets to the tower, he breaks into the bank but is ambushed by guards, including Agent Will. He dispatches them, steals gold ingots and money bags, before blowing through a wall with TNT, and escaping on a helicopter flown by Claudio's gangsters.
Mike is brought back to the volcano to meet up with Claudio, only for them to find him shot dead by the ANGER Army, who are defeated by Mike and the gangsters. Mike breaks into Adolf's base, hidden in Gallancroft Gardens, only to find Albert Romanoff, June's father, who reveals that Forrest Dump is behind the crime wave and that Adolf Anger is but one of his pawns, enhanced by a robotic exoskeleton. Albert gives Mike a blueprint made by Dump to build a moon colony, which Albert was forced to help make a force field for. Upon discovering that Dump Tower is actually a nuclear-fueled ship that Forrest plans on using to get to the moon, Mike sets up stasis fields around the tower to prevent the rocket's ignition from killing everyone within the city limits. Donning his incognito mask for one final time, Mike breaks into a space shuttle on Sputnik Island, which is launched to the moon colony. Forrest's ship lands on the Moon, with Forrest claims he wishes to build the flat and hotel on the moon instead, still livid about the cancellation of his construction project at Gallancroft Gardens. After Mike tears apart Adolf Anger, using an exoskeleton-enhanced Argentinasaurus skeleton, Forrest explodes the tower, entering an escape pod with June Romanoff. Mike free-falls through the debris via the colony's artificial gravity and enters through the escape pod before it blasts off. Mike gets in a final battle with Dump, which ends with Mike shooting him through the eye. Mike reroutes the escape pod back to Earth. Mike is praised for saving the city, and an operation to retrieve the exoskeletons from the space colony begins.
Near the end of the game, when the player is in free roam, there are two bonus missions found at the police station that depict a police pursuit from two points of view. One mission allows the player to take a car from the station and drive it to a criminal lair. The other is an identical situation, only the player controls an officer who chases the criminal and ultimately captures him.
Gameplay[]
Taking place in the gigantic Venture City, players control one of two police officers; Michael or Nicole Sanders. They go on a hunt for criminals, with various moves at their disposal, such as swinging across streetlamps and jumping across walls. They can gain outfits that give them additional abilities, such as a Kleptomaniac disguise that lets him crack locks. Mike can also use cars and helicopters, as well as use loose materials to build various objects. Other characters are playable once unlocked, but they' will still talk with either Mike or Nicole's voice (except in cut-scenes where Mike can still be seen). Custom characters are also playable. The Joy-Cons are used as communicators and scanners to locate criminals.
Venture City Incognito's gameplay borrows heavily from the Grand Theft Auto series, as well as the custom Roblox game Jailbreak. However, the game is role-reversed, with the player taking on the role of a cop enforcing the law, rather than a criminal committing a crime, although the player is required to commit criminal acts on certain occasions in order to instill trust in criminal organizations.
Cast[]
- Lucien Dodge as Michael Sanders
- Nick Cannon as Jamal Raven
- Billie Lourd as Rachel Turner
- Dakota Fanning as June Romanoff
- Fred Tatasciore as Adolf Anger
- James Patrick Stuart as Henry Duchy
- Pendleton Ward as Forrest Dump
- Young Maylay as Mordekai Jung
- Luca Ward as Claudio the Enforcer
- Cole Sanchez as Arnold Weissburger
- Priyanshu Chatterjee as Billy Bob Turner
Characters/Forms[]
Base Game[]
| Name | Image | Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Sanders (Police) |  |
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| Micheal Sanders (Cosmonaut) |   |
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| Michael Sanders (Freelance) |   |
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| Incognito Mike (Police) |   |
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| Michael Sanders (Repairman) |   |
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| Michael Sanders (Firefighter) |   |
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| Michael Sanders (Farmer) |  |
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| Michael Sanders (Miner) |   |
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| Michael Sanders (Kleptomaniac) |   |
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| Michael Sanders (Pimp) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Nicole Sanders (Police) |  |
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| Nicole Sanders (Casual) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Nicole Sanders (Robber) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Nicole Sanders (Miner) |  |
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| Nicole Sanders (Astronaut) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Nicole Sanders (Dress) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Nicole Sanders (Farmer) |  |
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| Nicole Sanders (Firewoman) |  |
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| Nicole Sanders (Construction Worker) |  |
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| Rachel Turner |  |
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| June Romanoff |   |
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| Adolf Anger |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Adolf Anger (Shirt) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Club Chav |   |
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| Mordekai |   |
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| Captain Beardy |   |
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| Xing Dong |   |
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| Claudio the Enforcer |   |
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| Claudio the Enforcer (Clown) |  |
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| Claudio the Enforcer (Tracksuit) |  |
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| Forrest Dump |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Forrest Dump (Tuxedo) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Forrest Dump (Casual) |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Arnold Weissburger |  |
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| Yellow Yellings |   |
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| Dirty Harry |   | |
| Sterling Arch |  |
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| Jamal Raven |   |
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| Jamal Raven (Swimming) |  |
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| Henry Duchy |  | |
| Mayor Sharla Callum |   | |
| Billy Bob Turner |  Image created on charactercreator.org | |
| Billy Bob Turner (Hatless) |  Image created on charactercreator.org | |
| Starsky |   | |
| Hutch |   | |
| Tubbs |   | |
| Crockett |   | |
| Jimbo Whales |  Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Chief Fordson |  Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Cagney and Lacey |   | |
| Columbo |   | |
| Sherlock Holmes |   | |
| Doctor Watson |   | |
| Horatio Caine |  | |
| Finn Clancy |  Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Daria Clancy |   Image credits to Character Creator | |
| Desire Edwards |  | |
| Aethelbert Hill |   | |
| San Quentin |  | |
| Hank Frankson |  | |
| Ranger Barbara |   | |
| Ranger Homer |   | |
| Agent Will |   Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Agent Bill |  | |
| Gregory Svensson |  | |
| Heywood |  | |
| Gennedy Heffley |  | |
| Rodrick Clancy |  | |
| Warden Mohammed |  | |
| Tony Lincoln |  | |
| Jakob De Vivo |  | |
| Steve "Stinky" Peterson |  | |
| Banakin Skywanker |  | |
| Veku Gokita |  | |
| Duck Norris |  Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Ronald Luxford |  Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Jason Momoa |  | |
| Mr. Mackey |   | |
| Security Inspector |  | |
| Cheerleader (American) |   |
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| Joker Thieves |  |
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| Crouchy McGoo |   | |
| Islander (Polynesian) |  |
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| Magician |   |
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| Skillz (American) |   |
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| Beach Lady (Californian) |   |
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| Beach Man (Californian) |   |
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| Cook |   |
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| Hostess |   |
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| Satoru Iwata |   |
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| Jimmy Don Ike |   |
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| Prison Guard Abraham |  |
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| Ray Nathan |  | |
| Antonio Roland |  | |
| Phineas Payne |  | |
| Walter Brown |  | |
| Mack Babak |   | |
| Foreman Fergus |  | |
| Alfredo Sanchez |  | |
| Press Photographer |  |
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| Dick Grimshaw |  | |
| Construction Worker 1 |   |
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| Rodney Stanley |   |
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| Karate Apprentice 1 |   |
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| Karate Apprentice 2 |   |
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| Milos Oak |   |
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| Albert Romanoff | ||
| Alexia Scientia |   |
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| Artemis Savant | ||
| Amélie Chapélain |   Image credits to Rinmaru Games Anime Character Creator. |
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| Gérard LaRue |   Image credits to Rinmaru Games Anime Character Creator. |
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| Journalist |
Gangsters[]
| Reginald Malik |  |
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| Nick "No Cigar" Hail |  |
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| Long Qigang |  |
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| Deng Dong |  |
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| Alfonso De Mansio |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Criminal 1 |  |
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| Criminal 2 |  |
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| Criminal 3 |   |
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| Criminal 4 |   |
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| Criminal 5 |   |
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| Criminal 6 |   |
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| Criminal 7 |   |
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| Criminal 8 |   |
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| Joseph "Heavy Nutz" Hail |   |
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| Amara Sanchez |   |
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| Jalil Brown |   |
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| Ben Sapiro |   | |
| Chris "Twice Shot" Mutton |  |
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| Mae Emu |   |
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| Dong Zhong |   |
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| Ding Yong |   | |
| Ding Zhong |   Image credits to charactercreator.org | |
| Fang Qiang |  | |
| Lin Long |  | |
| Caveman |   |
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| Dummy |  |
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| Mummy (Egypt) |   |
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| Pharaoh (Egypt) |   |
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| American Indian (North American) |  |
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| Lucha Libre (Mexican) |   |
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| Bandit |   |
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| Spartacus |   |
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| Bubba Blue |  Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Tyrece Jerome |  |
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| Timmy Roberts |  |
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| Deandre Xavier |   Image credits to charactercreator.org |
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| Wayne Tamar |  |
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| Frederick Percy Venkman |  |
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| Ace Spades |  |
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| Hermit and Kermit |   |
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| Spiller Spiro |   |
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| Evan Burrough |  | |
| Ander Wier |  | |
| Gunder Pont |  | |
| Mafioso |  |
Shōnen Jump DLC[]
| Name | Image | Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Son Goku |   |
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| Vegeta |   |
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| Nappa |   |
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| Jotaro Kujo |   |
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| Yugi Moto |   |
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| Naruto Uzumaki |   |
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| Sasuke Uchicha |   |
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| Tsuyu Asui |   |
SWAT DLC Pack[]
| Name | Image | Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Sanders (Special Forces) |   |
|
Anniversary DLC[]
| Name | Image | Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Izuku Midoriya |   |
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| Shouto Todoroki |   |
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| Toru Hagakure |  |
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| Mio Honda |   Image credits to https://cinderella.pro/card/300235/SSR-Honda-Mio-Wonder-Entertainer/ |
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| Charlie |   |
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| Spinel |   |
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| The Mask |   |
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| Vector |   |
Missions[]
| Name | Unlocked Forms | Enemies | Location(s) | Boss(es) | Task(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter 1: Newbies and Oldies |
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None |
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| Chapter 2: Robber Jacob |
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| Special Task: On the Run |
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| Chapter 3: Checking out on the Prison Bus |
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| Special Task: A Dangerous Thing |
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| Special Task: Mine the Gap |
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| Chapter 4: Taken Down to Chinatown |
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| Chapter 5: Incognito |
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| Chapter 6: Shanghaied |
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| Special Task: Bank Koch |
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| Chapter 7: Space Jelly |
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| Special Task: Spacey Kevin |
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| Chapter 8: Betrayal |
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| Special Task: Dong Dock |
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| Chapter 9: Pigs in a Blanket |
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| Chapter 10: Back in Black |
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| Special Task: Night at the Museum |
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| Special Task: Hot Topics |
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| Chapter 11: Council of Gang War |
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| Special Task: Took a Dump |
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| Special Task: ANGER Invasion |
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| Chapter 12: Builder's Bum |
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| Special Task: Constructive Criticism |
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| Chapter 13: Confidential |
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| Special Task: Anger Management |
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| Special Task: Ass Blasters |
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| Chapter 14: Nuketown |
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| Chapter 15: Blastoff |
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| Special Task: Moon Tonight |
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Weapons[]
Pistols[]
- P229R Pistol
- M45 Pistol
- MK23 Pistol
- HK45 Pistol
Assault Rifles[]
- M16 Rifle
- M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle
- FN SCAR
- Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle
- M14 Rifle
Shotguns[]
- Mossberg 500 Shotgun
- M4 Super 90 Shotgun
- Kel-Tec KSG
Rocket Launchers[]
| Name | Image | Statistics |
|---|---|---|
| AT4 |   |
|
- M72 LAW Rocket Launcher
- M202 FLASH Rocket Launcher
- Mk 153 Rocket Launcher
- M141 Rocket Launcher
- Carl Gustaf Rocket Launcher
- AT4 Rocket Launcher
Fragmentation Grenades[]
| Name | Image | Statistics |
|---|---|---|
| F1 Grenade |   |
|
- ET-MP Grenade
- M26 Grenade
- M67 Grenade
Machine Guns[]
| Name | Image | Statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Gatling Gun |   |
|
- M2 Browning
- M249 Light Machine Gun
- M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle
- M240 Machine Gun
- M60 Machine Gun
- Mark 48 Machine Gun
B = Requires SWAT/Anger Army DLC
Items[]
- Identification Card
- Electroshock Gun
- Bullet Shield
- Doughnut
- Strawberry-Frosted Doughnut
- Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut
- Jelly Doughnut
- Marble-Frosted Doughnut
- Apple-Crumb Doughnut
- Blueberry Doughnut
- Chocolate-Kreme Filled Dougnut
- Bavarian Kreme-Filled Doughnut
- Boston Kreme Pie Doughnut
- Coconut Doughnut
- Chocolate-Frosted Doughnut
- Old-Fashioned Doughnut
- Powered Sugar Doughnut
- Sour Cream Doughnut
- Cruller
- Glazed Doughnut
- Chocolate-Glazed Cake Doughnut
- Flashlight
- Binoculars
- Handcuffs
- Glider
B = Requires SWAT DLC.
Vehicles[]
Automobiles[]
- Police Car
- Repair Truck
- Police Motorcycle
- 2019 Volkswagen Beatle
- Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Ambulance (Type 1)
- Ambulance (Type 2)
- 2018 Audi A4
- 2019 BMW X5
- 2019 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2019 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2019 Chevrolet Corvette
- 2019 Chevrolet Equinox
- 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
- 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
- 2019 Chevrolet Volt
- 2019 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2019 Honda CR-V
- 2019 Honda Ridgeline
- 2019 INFINITI Q50
- 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 2019 Kia Sorento
- 2019 Lexus RX
- Pickup Truck
- 2018 Tesla Model 3
- 2018 Tesla Model S
- 2018 Tesla Model X
- 2019 Toyota RAV4
- 2019 Toyota Highlander
- 2019 Toyota Tacoma
- 2019 Toyota Tundra
- 2019 MINI Cooper
- 2019 MINI Cooper Countryman
- 2019 MINI Cooper Clubman
- 2019 MINI E Country Man
- 2019 Nissan Rogue
- Eagle Roofnest
- FirsTime RV Camper Full-Size High Density Foam Mattress
- Ford Econoline Express Ram Van
- 2019 Ford Edge
- 2019 Ford Escape
- 2019 Ford Explorer
- 2019 Ford F-150
- 2019 Ford Fusion
- 2019 Ford Mustang
- Dune Buggy
- 2019 Porsche 911
- 2019 Porsche Cayenne
- 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman
- 2018 Porsche Panamera
- 2018 Porsche Macan
- 2019 RAM 1500
- 2018 RAM 2500
- 2018 RAM 3500
- 2016 Renegade XL4534RF
- 2019 Subaru Legacy
- 2018 Subaru Legacy
- 2019 Subaru Impreza
- Westfalia Camper Van
- 2017 Lamborghini Aventador
- 2018 Lamborghini Huracan
- 2018 Lamborghini Avetnado
- 2018 Ferrari 488 GTB
- 2017 Ferrari F12berlinetta
- 2018 Ferrari California
- 2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso
- 2017 Ferrari 488 Spider
- Bugatti Chiron W16
- Bugatti Divo
- Monster Truck
- SWAT Van
- Dirtbike
- Light Cycle
- 2018 McLaren 570S
- 2018 McLaren 570GT
- 2019 Nissan Frontier
- Quad Bike
- Classic Car
- Gun Truck
- Fire Engine
- Rocket Engine Snowplow
- Prisoner Transport
- Lawnmower
- Tractor
- Cable Ferry
- Tow Truck
- Limousine
Aircraft[]
- Helicopter
- Alien Spaceship
- Attack Helicopter
Level-Specific[]
- Crane
- Cruise Ship
B = Requires SWAT DLC Pack
I = Requires Anger Army DLC Pack
Locations[]
Yellowleg Islet[]
- Yellowleg Penitentiary
- Yellowleg Station House
- Hologram Room
- Dock
- Mess Hall
- Galley
- Phone Room
- Security Office
- Visitors' Building
- Courtyard
- Sewers
- Storage Room
- Yellowleg Station House
- Radio Tower
- Guard Towers
Sputnik Island[]
- Launch Bay
- Operations Room
- Shuttle Bay
- Islet
- Water Tower
- Space Center
- Garage
- Hangar
- Docks
- Vertical Loops
Auburn Bay[]
- Apartments
- Gun Store
- Radio Telescope
- Windmills
Great Auburn Bridge[]
Dump Bridge[]
Gallancroft Gardens[]
- Forest
Universe Square Mall[]
Sakura Hills[]
- Venture City Station House
- Bakery
- Garage
- Service Station
- Sakura Train Station
- Train Tunnel
- Venture City Bank
- Jacob Manor
- Cliffside Residence
- Researchers’ Estate
- Incredible Mansion
- Sakura Park
- Radio Tower
- Crimson Coffee Shop
- Sakura Pier
- Tennis Court
Hatnear Grounds[]
Metro Station[]
Downtown Venturia[]
- Garage
- Automan Dealerships
- Downtown Bank
- Train Tunnel
- Service Station
Uptown Venturia[]
- Uptown Train Station
- Train Tunnel
- Gun Store
- Glider Store
Cardstall[]
- Apartments
- Claudio the Enforcer's Lair
- Main Room
- Hologram Room
- Garage
- Jewelry Store
Crystal Bridge[]
Cobalt Rill Canal[]
- Asteroid
- Ditch
Queens' Cross[]
- Apartments
Liberty Island[]
- The Statue of Liberals
Shanjing[]
- Xing Dong's Loading Dock
- Xing Dong's Limousine Dealership
- Momofuku
- Garage
- Apartments
- Chinatown Square
- Pagoda
Kearline Point[]
- Apartments
- Water Tower
- Dunes
Robberies and Heists[]
Heists are the most common criminal activity in Venture City Incognito. Robberies are also quite frequent, the difference being that robberies involve one criminal, while heists involve multiple. Locations that robberies may occur at include:
- Service Station
- Bakery
Locations that heists may occur at include:
- Venture City Bank
- Train
- Jewelry Store
- Museum
ATMS & Codes[]
ATMs are locations in the game that can be interacted with to redeem codes for construction materials, gasoline and/or money. You can find ATMs inside the Venture City Bank, Gas Stations, Police Stations and Train Stations. ATMs are also where amiibo are registered.
Press Statement[]
The Pursuit is On!
For the first time, Venture City from the hit cartoon Venturian Battle comes to life in Venture City: Incognito, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch console. Players assume the identity of Michael Sanders, a covert gumshoe armed with clever disguises. They are on an adventure to put a stop to the wicked Adolf Anger and end his crime wave in Venture City. As players run, drive and even fly through the city, they will use the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons as new police devices.
Features[]
The Joy-Cons are woven seamlessly into the experience. Players use them to scan for hidden clues and criminals via the IR Camera, receive task updates, and place way-points on an overhead city map that displays their position in real time.
Experience Venture City like never before. Encounter familiar locations from the show come to life as players explore the colossal city, looking for clues to bring Adolf Anger to justice.
Players can go clandestine with a variety of disguises including a fireman, a builder, and even a thief and use their unique abilities to solve puzzles and access new areas of the city. Once you have earned these disguises you will want to take a break from the story to enjoy good old fashioned "off the clock" fun. As seen in the shows, you can't always be the good cop. There's a lot more outside of the story. As a burglar you can steal cars and outrun the authorities, take part in time trials, be a limo chauffeur, catch rebellious extraterrestrials, save cats, retard fires... the list goes on and on."
There are hundreds of vehicles for players to purchase and use to explore the city, including convertibles, motorcycles, and even airplanes.
Players can expect professionally voiced characters and pastiche to deliver the game’s story-line.
Parents Guide[]
Sex & Nudity[]
- Fertility idols with visible breasts are depicted, some in the childbirth process.
- June Romanoff wears a shirt that reveals a moderate amount of cleavage.
Violence & Gore[]
- Firearms are used by criminals and, if fired at Mike for long enough, causes him to fall to the ground, dead.
- Players can fire at criminals, although no blood appears. Should the criminal be lethally injured (unless they're a murderer), the mission must be restarted.
- Realistic vehicular collisions are depicted in the game (no injuries are shown).
- Realistic explosions.
- When going incognito, you can kill literally anyone.
- The only characters who die no matter what are:
- Claudio the Enforcer (shot offscreen).
- Forrest Dump's astronauts (shot/killed in the rocket's explosion).
- Adolf Anger (dismembered, although he's a cyborg, so no gore is depicted).
- Forrest Dump (shot).
Profanity[]
- Michael Sanders almost says "shit" in one cutscene, but is cut off at "sh".
Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking[]
- One character is named "No Cigar".
- The player can order beers at their apartment but can't consume them..
Frightening/Intense Scenes[]
- Some gunfights get intense.
ESRB Rating[]
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
- Rating Category: Teen
- Content Descriptors: Mature Humor, Violence
- Rating Summary: This is an open-world adventure game in which players assume the role of police officer Michael Sanders as he goes incognito to arrest a criminal. Players explore Venture City's open-world environment, investigate crimes, and apprehend criminals to complete objectives. Players use an assortment of firearms (i.e. pistols, assault rifles, shotguns) to attack enemies; players can also beat enemies in hand-to-hand combat. In some driving sequences, players can crash into fleeing vehicles. Combat is accompanied by realistic gunfire and large explosions. Players can also kill unarmed civilians, although this negatively affects progress. A few sequences depict bathroom and adult-style humor: characters defecating offscreen; human waste splattering on a character's head; a character getting stabbed in the crotch.
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
Screenshots[]
Maps and Other[]
![Image credits to [1]](/wiki/File:Vehicle_Selection.png "Vehicle Selection.png (723 KB)")
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Behind the Scenes[]
- Brendan’s idea of police or city-themed games predates that of Venture, but the original concept was very different; the game would’ve been a child-centric Tetris entry that involved a story progressing as players completed various levels that used the typical gameplay. The game was aimed at an E-rating due to Brendan not knowing how a police-based game could be rated T. Five years later, Brendan had to tone down various elements of Venture City Incognito to avoid an M rating.
- The game was first revealed when a Venturian Battle Headquarters Wiki page for it was made in December of 2016.
Tropes[]
- Awesome Moments:
- Halfway through the game, you need to take a robot dinosaur from a museum. You leave expecting another police chase around the city with a vehicle that only has 1 health. Except the dinosaur is immortal and unstoppable, crushing everything in its way. So you stomp around, roar, tail-smash, and otherwise destroy everything and everyone in your path, watching your material count rise as you obliterate every police car that pursues you.
- The freefalls in the Diamond Mines and Mount Rushmore.
- The final level: Michael pursues Dump through space from his own ship, creeping through Dump's moon colony and ultimately his spaceship. Controlling a Powerloader from Aliens, Michael resets the coordinates of the ship and launches the rocket for a return to Earth, before fighting Adolf Anger, who is controlling the mechanical dinosaur you stole for him. However, the dinosaur has been upgraded with a hard exoskeleton in Anger's red color scheme. After destroying the robot by throwing it at the rocket's fuel tanks (also annihilating those in the process), Dump tricks Anger and abandons him by cutting the command module from the main craft, sending him and Michael flying on a quickly decaying part of the ship. Michael then has his ultimate confrontation with Anger in a Moon Lord mech, after which Dump completely destroys the ground that the battle is taking place on by smashing his escape pod against it. With the Command Module freefalling to Earth and its occupants (including June) unable to reach the parachutes, Michael base jumps through the wreckage of Dump's spacecraft as it explodes in Earth's atmosphere in a struggle to catch up with the module before it smashes against the city and kills everyone. This is backed up by significant symphonic music and sinister Latin chanting, further made remarkable by a landscape and shipwreck that shoves the Switch and PS5 to their limits. Holy shit.
- Awesome Music:
- The loading screen music.
- The music that plays during the last mission. A symphony and grand chorus aren't what would be expected from this kind of game, but are fitting and wonderful nonetheless.
- For a different kind of excellent, the music that plays in Gallancroft Gardens or when you ride a hog is classic, folksy, sweet, and strangely sentimental. That, and it's one hell of an earworm.
- "I Got a Woman," which plays in the opening. Sure, it's a preexisting song, but it complements the game's feel of a 50's cop show.
- Best Level Ever: The concluding mission. You infiltrate Forrest Dump's moonbase and then get two boss battles against Adolf Anger (the first time in a mecha while Anger is riding a huge robot dinosaur, the second has him in a monstrous mech flying through the vacuum of space), and ending it all by skydiving to Earth through Dump's exploding spaceship as it crumbles apart around you. The icing on the cake is the best track in the entire game playing through this last segment.
- Ensemble Dark Horse: Claudio the Enforcer. He is the most entertaining character in the game and an Affably Evil man who hates Adolf Anger (Even Evil has Standards).
- Hilarious in Hindsight:
- The final boss is a moon-based character who appears as half of a giant human. Hmm... (Terraria)
- Moral Event Horizon: Forrest Dump launching his nuke-powered spacecraft, which would have surely killed the whole city had Michael not put up a stasis field around the exhaust.
- Name's the Same: No, Michael Sanders is NOT related to Bernie Sanders or Michael DeSanta.
- Nightmare Fuel: Forrest Dump's Evil Laugh during his facetime with Adolf Anger. It never stops...
- The Bill Blaster on the castle. One second, you're minding your own business, and another, the f*cker fires at you continuously, with Bullet Bills that chase you no matter where you go! It doesn't help that the Bullet Bills have a Darker and Edgier redesign in this.
- The Super Mario Bros. references in the Nintendo Switch version of the game have become this after the Super Mario Mashup Map came to Venture.
- Spiritual Adaptation: While the plots are only related at surface level, gameplay-wise this is effectively a PG-13 version of Rockstar Games' L.A. Noire.
Trivia[]
- Despite the title having "Venture City" in it, it is unrelated to Venture: Breathtaking Fear's Venture City.
- A Special Forces Michael Sanders amiibo is included with Preorder copies.
Image credits to their respective owner(s)
- The game features several references to Mario, Shawshank Redemption, CSI: Miami, and other media.
- A Super Star from Mario can be seen as a balloon at the float festival, as well as Red from Angry Birds. The Super Star is replaced by the Sandvich from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version and a generic star in the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions.
- A vehicle with a dancing clown on it can also be found in the parade, a reference to the Joker from Batman (1989).
- Green Warp Pipes from the Mario games are used in Mine the Gap and certain areas of the open-world (including the Statue of Liberals). The Warp Pipes were replaced by Velociporters from LittleBigPlanet in the PlayStation 5 version, from Halo in the Xbox Series X version, and teleporters from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version.
- There are dozens of references to Shawshank Redemption in the level A Dangerous Thing.
- In the fight scene with Mordekai Jung, when Michael Sanders is stabbed, red letters that say "Fatality'' appear, referencing Mortal Kombat. In addition, the classic Legend of Zelda fanfare is heard in the background before the fight begins (Nintendo versions only).
- Some puzzles involve destroying metal-framed glass domes using explosives, including Bob-ombs and heat-seeking Bullet Bills. These are replaced by Impact Explosives and Missiles from LittleBigPlanet in the PlayStation 5 version, HEAT Missiles from Halo in the Xbox Series X version, and the Demoman's grenades and Soldier's rockets from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version.
- Dice designed around the "?-Blocks" from Mario are found in many locations of the open-world, and emit currency when struck, before breaking apart. The dice are based on Wumpa Fruit Crates from Crash Bandicoot in the PlayStation 5 version, UNSC Crates from Halo in the Xbox Series X version, and Mann Co. Supply Crates from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version.
- A dinosaur skeleton based on Dry Bones can be assembled in Night at the Museum. The skeleton is replaced by Frida the Bride from LittleBigPlanet in the PlayStation 5 version, the skeleton of an oversized Sangheili from Halo in the Xbox Series X version, and a giant skeleton from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version.
- A Venus Fire Trap from Mario is encountered in the open-world and is used to solve a puzzle. The Venus Fire Trap is replaced by a Bouncer from LittleBigPlanet in the PlayStation 5 version, an automatic version of an M7057 Flamethrower from Halo in the Xbox Series X version, and a giant, stationary Pyro from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version.
- One of the towers on a fortress has the Goal Pole from Mario, and an ANGER Trophy is unlocked by climbing up the pole, which replaces the Bowser flag with Mario's and causes fireworks to shoot out of the castle. The flag is a sticker panel from LittleBigPlanet in the PlayStation 5 version (a sticker is added when the player climbs to the top of it), a flag with the Covenant insignia from Halo in the Xbox Series X version (it becomes the UNSC flag when touched), and a BLU flag from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version (it becomes RED when touched).
- Cheep Cheeps appear in the aquarium and under the sea.
- Upon 100% completing the game, the player unlocks Mario's hat, which can be worn by any character. In the non-Nintendo versions of the game, the hat is replaced by a mode that makes the player's character gigantic.
- A Super Star from Mario can be seen as a balloon at the float festival, as well as Red from Angry Birds. The Super Star is replaced by the Sandvich from Team Fortress 2 in the Steam version and a generic star in the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions.
- This is one of the few 1001 Spears games to lack online multiplayer. However, the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Steam version have online multiplayer for up to four players.
- For four years, Venture City Incognito was the only 1001 Spears game exclusive to Nintendo Switch, as Morphers Rush was ported to other consoles before it. However, ports to the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Steam, and an upcoming Nintendo console came out on April 4, 2023.
- According to Brendan, the game's exclusivity to the Switch was due to it making use of the Joy-Cons' various functions, which "can't be replicated [easily] on other consoles".