These games do a great job of breaking the fourth wall by enjoying the player’s birthday in real time.
Everyone has their own way of celebrating their birthday, but it’s still an important day that shouldn’t be forgotten. Even though friends and family may have their own busy lives, everyone can rely on the comfort of video games to remember that special day and celebrate it in their own fun and unique way.
When players are asked to enter their birthday before starting a game, they can’t help but wonder, “Is there going to be a fun birthday bonus?” If any gamers were asking what series or games go out of their way to remember their birthday, this list will name a few great games that do so and tell them what kind of bonus they can expect on their special day.
Pokemon X & Y
- What To Expect : Unique cutscene, greeting
In Pokémon X and Y, as soon as the player walks into the Pokemon Center, they are praised. If they go to the Pokemon Center on their birthday, they will see that the lights are turned down. As soon as the lights come on, streamers, confetti, stars, hearts, and even happy Pikachu faces will dance across the screen. Then, the player’s favorite Nurse Joy will call out their name.
Nurse Joy will wish the player a happy birthday and give them a sweet message before sending them on their way to enjoy the rest of their special day.
Metal Gear Solid 2
- What To Expect : Unique greeting
The birthday Easter egg in Metal Gear Solid 2 is a little hard to find. At the beginning of the Plant chapter, when the player logs into the node as Raiden for the first time, they can enter some information about themselves, like their name, blood type, country, and birthday. This birthday greeting will only show up if the person is playing this part of the game on their birthday.
If the system’s internal clock shows that the player’s birthday is today, a small birthday message and a cake with lit candles will show up in the bottom right corner of the screen. But this welcome is for more than just the player. If the player looks at the dog tag of a soldier whose birth date is the same as the internal clock, a similar birthday message will show.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
- What To Expect : Special item
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team gives players unique gifts they can’t get anywhere else on their birthdays to make them feel special. There is a whole set of gear that players can use to celebrate their birthday.
There are Birthday Boots, a Birthday Hammer, Birthday Wear, and a Birthday Ring in the “Birthday Gear” line. Each of these one-of-a-kind things gives the person who uses it amazing buffs, like a 400% boost to their attack power. So that everyone gets the same benefits, the Birthday Gear only gives bonuses on the player’s birthday.
Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin
- What To Expect : Special purchasable item
Many gamers would be shocked to learn that Castlevania has a birthday Easter egg, since the series doesn’t seem like the type. Even though there is no official cutscene or gift (because the player is still supposed to buy the special item), the player can still have their cake and eat it too.
If the player goes to Vincent’s shop on their birthday, they will be able to buy a birthday cake, which is only offered on that one day. This thing isn’t just for looks, and you can buy more than one. It can heal 573 HP (“573” is a joke between Konami fans) and can be sold for $750! But you can’t really put a price on something so valuable.
Gran Turismo (Series)
- What To Expect : Unique greeting, special item
In all of the Gran Turismo games, players have had a reason to log in on their birthday. When a player logged into GT5, GT6, GT Sport, or GT7 on their birthday, they were given a prize car. The player usually gets a welcome and a prize car or a ticket that can be used to get a prize car for their special day.
In GT6, the player’s birthday car was made in the same year or the closest year to their birth year. But by GT Sport, the player’s birth year no longer influenced the birthday car. To honor their day, players were given a bigger range of cars.
Pokemon Sword & Shield
- What To Expect : Unique cutscene, greeting
When the player’s birthday comes up in Pokemon Sword & Shield, the party will start as soon as the player goes into a Pokémon Center. When the player walks in, they will see a lot of confetti, Pikachu-shaped balloons, and a custom birthday message. Not only that, but for the rest of the day, there will be a Pokeball-shaped cake with lit candles behind the nurse in the Pokémon Center.
On their special day, players can also check the memories of the Pokémon in their current party, which will say that they remember celebrating the player’s birthday with them. The last small surprise in the game is when you find a small candle lit on a dish that was cooked at camp during the day.
Death Stranding
- What To Expect : Unique cutscene
At the start of Death Stranding, players are asked to enter their birthday and told that it will affect a disease called DOOMS. In fact, the date doesn’t really change how the player plays DOOMS as a whole, but it does let the game do something special for the player on their special day. The BB and Lisa’s birthdays are both mentioned, so it makes sense that the player gets the same recognition.
When leaving a safe house, the player has a chance to see a unique story, as well as eat a tasty cake that gets eaten slowly over time. Cliff talking to the BB in cutscenes is nothing new, but on the player’s birthday, Cliff will break the fourth wall to wish the player a happy birthday and give them a beautiful bunch of flowers.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
- What To Expect : Unique cutscene(s)
Boss ran back to Mother Base because of an emergency that came up out of the blue. When he got there, the place was totally empty. As Boss gets out of the chopper, he pulls his gun when he hears what he thinks are gunshots but are actually fireworks set off to celebrate the man himself.
Kaz, Ocelot, and a few other Diamond Dog soldiers suddenly come out with a cute Diamond Dog-branded cake to sing happy birthday to Boss. Even better, Ocelot gives Boss a fancy cigar to replace his Phantom Cigar, but Kaz won’t let him smoke until he blows out the candle on the cake first.
If Quiet is at Mother Base, she will also meet Boss in her own unique way. This time, it will be a bit more dangerous, but it will be very Quiet. In a cutscene where Boss is casually walking around the base, Quiet sends him a big barrage of bullets that make “HBD” on a big wooden crate full of cigars. Before she leaves, Quiet gives Boss one last gift while she takes a shot and lights the end of his cigar.
Wii Fit/ Wii Fit Plus
- What To Expect : Unique greeting
Wii Fit was a great way to stay healthy, work out, and have fun at the same time. It was like a blast from the past. When making a profile at the start of Drift Boss game, the game asks for a lot of information that helps it figure out each player’s state and current goals. The player’s birthday is one of the things the game needs to know.
When the player logs in for the day’s workout, the cute mascot, the Wii Fit Board itself, will be wearing a tiny party hat and jumping for joy to welcome them on their special day! Not only will it welcome the player, but it will also say something positive about how age shouldn’t stop you from being fit and how regular exercise is the key to good health.
Fire Emblem (Series)
- What To Expect : Unique greetings, letters, bonus items
A few of the Fire Emblem games give the player something extra on their birthday. In Fire Emblem Three Houses, Byleth gets some letters from friends to enjoy his/her special day. Each character will write a unique birthday message and send a gift with the letter. These gifts will also be different based on whether the player’s birthday comes before or after the time jump.
In other games, the player’s birthday comes with other small perks. For example, in Fire Emblem Fates, the player can go around and talk to their teammates to hear a nice voice greeting from their best friends.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- What To Expect : Special items, unique cutscene, mini-game, and performance
In every Animal Crossing game, players get a special gift on their birthday, but the one in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the best one so far. In ACNH, as soon as the player leaves their house, a villager is there to meet them. Then, they’ll be led to the villager’s house, where a small party will be waiting for them. Not only is there cake, flowers, and great music, but the player can also play a fun mini-game with a piata.
From here, the player will get a gift from all the villagers at the party, which is usually a unique piece of furniture or clothing with a birthday theme. They will also be able to give the birthday cupcakes they got from the piata to other villagers around town. K.K. Slider, a well-known musician, will also make a special show and play a birthday song for the player.
Last but not least, the player’s mother will send a homemade cake for the player to show off. It was lucky that it didn’t get broken on the way!
Tomodachi Life
- What To Expect : Special item, unique cutscene
On the player’s birthday, a Mii that looks like them will call them on their cell phone and tell them to come with her to a treat. When the player goes to the Mii’s apartment, a few of their favorite Miis will circle them and sing to them, and the first-ranked “Pampered” Mii on the island will be holding a tasty birthday cake.
After their little birthday song, the Miis will bring out some fun party poppers and set them off while saying their own little welcome. After everyone has wished the player a happy birthday, the player gets a birthday cake and a special birthday message on the Tomodachi Life Mii News.
But if the player wants to be sneaky, they can use the microphone on the Nintendo 3DS to blow out the candles before the Miis finish their song.
Genshin Impact
- What To Expect : Special item, unique dialogue/greeting
When it’s their own birthday, all of the possible characters in the game usually send the Traveler a present. But on the Traveler’s birthday, things are different.
On the Traveler’s birthday, the player can check their mailbox to find a beautifully decorated cake, which is a fun treat. In addition to this sweet treat, the player can also check the sound lines of their party to hear how each person wishes them a happy birthday.
Each Genshin Impact character has their own way of having a birthday and greeting the player, but they all make sure to show how thankful they are for the Traveler and their presence in their lives.
