Nuketown is one of the best knownCall of Dutymaps, a chaotic playground of close-quarters combat and nostalgia. However, one of its most memorable features is the mannequin Easter eggs. From the originalBlack Opsto its later iterations, these inanimate figures have become a canvas for developers to give fast players a reward.
Still, some Nuketown mannequin Easter eggs are better than others. There are definitely some we wish we could see again, but others felt like a waste of time.The mannequin Easter egg is generally triggered by shooting the head off of each mannequin found around the map, not including those that can be seen inside the school bus, though there is some variation game to game.
6Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
The Worst Of The Worst
TheCall of DutyBlack Ops Cold WarNuketown Easter egggives players an interesting way to play the game, but it is not fun or very creative. The game gives players a synth view, where the world is black with green outlines and shading to show their surroundings. Players unlock variations of the synth view by dismembering mannequins: green by removing the heads and blue by removing the arms, too.
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This Easter egg, unfortunately, comes across as lazy and unimaginative. Players spend time taking out the mannequin limbs, anticipating a rewarding Easter egg. The payoff, however, isa visual filter that makes it harder to see. This view is interesting for a few seconds and then gets really annoying. It’s really hard to play in this view, and it’s almost like the game is punishing players for discovering an Easter egg they’ve come to love.
It’s even worse when compared to other versions of this same Easter egg. Sure, this must have taken the team some time to put together, but it’s not a reward. It’s a change in screen. It would be better if players could activate this feature on other maps or try to play this way in a full multiplayer match from the start, but instead,it’s just a tease at what could have been an amazing Easter egg.
5Call Of Duty: Black Ops
The Original Mannequin Easter Egg
The originalCall of Duty: Black Opsrewarded players with a song, “Sympathy for the Devil"by The Rolling Stones. This is a great song, andthis was a really creative way to reward players who were curious or maybe just wanted to do some destruction. This seemingly small reward sparked a trend of Easter eggs that continues in multipleCall of Dutygames. It’s small, but many players will remember the first time they knocked off the heads of mannequins in the original games.
It’s true that the previous entry gave an in-game change, but listening to an awesome song while you play a game is great. The Rolling Stones is a great band, and the song adds a more intense atmosphere to the game. Many players use headphones to get the same experience. It’s like a theme song for players to listen to while they play the game.
Getting a song after the mannequin is a lot more rewarding than the previous entry. Throwing color on the screen feels like it’s getting in the way more than it’s giving players something to have while playing. There were many issues withBlack Ops Cold War, butthe mannequin easter egg is a great example of how a more interesting version of an experience doesn’t always make it better. So, while a song is simple, it at least gives players a better experience.
4Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6
The Most Recent Nuketown Easter Egg
TheCall of Duty:Black Ops 6Nukeotwn Easter eggis basically multiple in one. Players have one minute and thirty seconds to knock the heads off the mannequins; if successful, their screen will display a “Signal lost, stand by” message. Then,mannequin zombies will start coming from the ground and other areas to attack the player. There will also be a live audience of mannequins just outside the boundary of the map watching players.
This is much easier to do with friends in a private match, and much more fun to play in a group.
The mannequin Easter egg wasn’t introduced until a bit after the release ofBlack Ops 6’s Season 1 update. The game was released without the Nuketown map at all, but then a few weeks in, the map came, and then an Easter egg later.The Easter egg doesn’t feel very imaginative; it’s just an addition of an audience and then regular zombies.
No one expected the developers to add a bunch of new stuff just for an Easter egg, but by this point, most players know that something will happen when the heads are shot off, so something bigger would have been appreciated. There are plenty of better Easter eggs in otherCall of Duty: Black Opsgames, so this is near the bottom.
3Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4
It’s Raining Zombies
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4requires players to knock the heads off of the mannequins within one minute and thirty seconds. Once done, a nuke will come out of the ground and launch up into the sky. It explodes in the sky, andwhat looks like an aether portal opens. Then, mannequins fall for the player to destroy. It’s an interesting twist on the Easter eggs.
It’s an amazing twist on a well-known Easter egg, and it’s great that the mannequins are endlessly falling from the sky until the player dies or the game ends. It’s like starting a whole new mode that should have been brought back in other installments.There was so much potential here, but the developers never brought it back, which is sad. This was incredibly creative and probably took a lot of effort to implement.
This, among others, should have been brought back inBlack Ops 6. This would have been a great way for the game to honor all the previous Easter eggs. Even still, maybe it will appear in futureCall of Dutyinstallments.Black Ops 4’s version of the Easter egg scores some points for sheer surprise; a portal dropping mannequins from the sky is a great twist for players already expecting something.
2Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2
A Blast From The Past
InCall of Duty: Black Ops 2, players need to knock the heads off the mannequins within a minute and thirty seconds. This one is pretty awesome because instead of limiting the Easter egg to the game,the Nuketown sign becomes an arcade that plays old-school Activision games. Players can cycle through and playPitfall,H.E.R.O.,River Raid, andKaboom. This should be something every publisher does every once in a while, because playing older games is always a lot of fun.
It’s a really refreshing experience, even if you expect it. Even though it’s part of an olderCall of Dutygame, this Easter egg makes the game a lot easier to go back to. Even players who are too young to remember these games can appreciate them because they are being introduced to gaming history and get to see how games developed over time.
Pitfallhas a famous 1982 commercial starring a very young Jack Black.
This takes the number two spot because it takes the players out of theCall of Dutyexperience. Technically, this isn’t aBlack OpsEaster egg but an Activision one. So, to be fair, the Easter egg that gives players more reason to stick toBlack Opsshould be the one that takes home the win. However, this Easter egg is a very close second on this list and worth trying if anyone hasn’t done so.
1Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3
Weeping Angels And Zombies
To get the Nuketown Easter egg inCall of Duty: Black Ops 3, players need to knock the heads off of the mannequins in under two minutes. This is a lot longer than other games in the series and was preferable because that one-minute thirty-second-time limit is too fast. It’s a lot smoother and makes sure that everyone gets a chance to enjoy the Easter egg. If the player only takes out the heads, they get zombies, butif the arms are taken off instead, they get weeping angels.
The phrase “weeping angels” comes from a monster in the longrunningDoctor Whoseries.
This was the first mannequin Easter egg to feature mannequins as zombies and weeping angels. It is also arguably the most memorable. It’s well-known in the community and is the favorite of most players. So it’s hard not to make this the number one pick.
There are few Easter eggs as powerful as the Nuketown Easter egg, and every time this map comes to a game, players will inevitably try and shoot the heads of the mannequins in a short period of time. Overall, the Easter eggs provide a fun change to each map and give players something new to do that isn’t just taking out enemies. While onlyBlack Opsgives the reward, it’s become synonymous withCall of Dutyas a franchise.
Sources:JGOD/YouTube,Ali-A/YouTube,MrDalekJD/YouTube
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a popular first-person shooter franchise known for its fast-paced action, immersive war settings, and engaging multiplayer modes. Spanning World War II, modern combat, and futuristic warfare, it features both single-player campaigns and competitive online play, evolving with innovative gameplay mechanics and blockbuster storytelling since its 2003 debut.
