References to The House of the Dead in popular culture

"My God."

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As an iconic on-rails light gun series, The House of the Dead has been referenced in popular culture over the years. This includes animated cameos, Internet parodies, and appearances in other video game franchises.

Anime

• In the anime Citrus, characters are seen playing an arcade game titled The Hands of the Dead VI. The game references The House of the Dead 4 with its similar logo font, cabinet design, usage of machine guns, subtitles, and game over screen.

Film - Animated

Cyril's cameo in Wreck-It Ralph.

• Disney's 2012 animated film Wreck-It Ralph contains imagery referencing the original House of the Dead, though with visual alterations to be family-friendly.
  • Cyril, an axe-wielding creature, makes a cameo appearance. Referred by characters and the credits as a "zombie", he sports a less-gruesome design. In the film, he attends a support group session for video game villains and tells Ralph to love himself for who he is. He is voiced by Raymond S. Persi in English, and Hiroshi Iwasaki in Japanese.
  • The House of the Dead upright arcade cabinets appear in several scenes. The eyeless creature on the marquee was altered to be less grotesque.

Music

• The London-based instrumental rock band Suffer Like G Did is named verbatim after the line said by Zeal in the first chapter of The House of the Dead 2.

Print Media - Comics & Manga

• In a panel of Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie) Issue #98, the front-page of a newspaper features an article on Ken from The House of the Dead 2. It reads “Exclusive: Dead Zombie (Indiscernible Text)” above a close-up photo of him.
• An online-based, fan continuation of the UK’s Sonic the Comic features an original House of the Dead miniseries set a year before The House of the Dead III's events.

Web Original

• Vigiden, a satirical news show by video game website ScrewAttack, featured a news story of G being diagnosed with HIV, with Caleb Goldman and other citizens being interviewed about it. The skit lampoons The House of the Dead 2's infamous voice acting.
• In April 2018, video game news website Polygon uploaded a live-action reenactment of Goldman’s "life cycle" speech as part of their Video Game Theater series. Polygon staff lip-synced to the in-game dialogue.

Video Games

• The Maze of the Kings, a 2002 rail shooter by Sega Hitmaker, is titled similarly to The House of the Dead, according to producer Shinichi Ogasawara.
• Sega's Yakuza video game series contains several references to The House of the Dead.
  • In Yakuza 5, The House of the Dead 4 makes an unplayable appearance at an arcade. The cabinet is based on the Japanese model and features pistols instead of machine guns.
  • In Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Lost Judgment, House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn posters appear inside Club Sega locations.
  • In Judgment, a minigame inspired by House of the Dead, titled Kamuro of the Dead can be played. The minigame plays similarly to traditional House of the Dead games, and uses assets from 2011's Yakuza: Dead Souls.
    • It's sequel, Lost Judgment, also has a House of the Dead inspired minigame, titled Hama of the Dead. In addition, the game features an achievement named "Suffer Like G Did", awarded for collecting 50 item pickups.