My Little Diablo: The Secret Level Is Magic

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
20,364
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My Little Diablo: The Secret Level Is Magic

Don't click here if you don't want Diablo III spoilers.

Back in the day, before questions of server crashes or permanent online requirements, the biggest controversy about Diablo III was its art style. Fans called it cartoonish "WoW gayness," and claimed that it didn't represent Diablo. The developers, of course, had a point [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/85539-Diablo-III-Art-Director-Quits].

Either way, Blizzard was never above poking fun at the controversy, whether in claims that there would be sparkle-farting unicorns as enemies, the double-rainbow (all the way!) that marked the end of the BlizzCon 2010 demo, or this magnificent T-shirt [http://us.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100001714] that is sadly sold out in my size. But if you're going to make fun of something, you should go all the way.

In this case, "all the way" means "making it a playable level in the final game."

Enter "Whimsyshire," the Diablo III version of Diablo II's infamous "Secret Cow Level." Like the Diablo II secret, Whimsyshire pits players up against hordes of four-hooved farm animals in search of loot. Unlike the Secret Cow Level, Whimsyshire's enemies come straight out of My Little Pony.

That's not an exaggeration, either - with names like "Rainbow Western," "Midnight Sparkle," "Nightmarity" and "Nightmare is Magic," it's more an explicit reference than anything else. Not that Blizzard is stranger [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ShoutOut/WorldOfWarcraft] to pop culture references in its games, of course.

How does one get to Whimsyshire, anyway? It involves the acquisition of otherwise useless-seeming items, for one. You can read more about it here [http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/4210101417?page=1#1], and I'm sure there are walkthroughs all around the internet, but part of the fun is figuring it out on your own, right?

All I know is that Whimsyshire is the best ending to the silly "art controversy" that anyone could have ever imagined. Well played.

Source: Battle.net [http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/4210101417?page=1#1]

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John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
20,364
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Reminds me a bit of the "Notched" pick-axe you find in Skyrim. I love a good in-game joke. Borderlands is good for that, too.
 

Amnestic

High Priest of Haruhi
Aug 22, 2008
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OMFG BLIZZ Y U NO GRIMDARK? Y U RAINBOW? WHAT'S NEXT BLIZZ? BUFF DOUBLE RAINBOWS? AND THEN TRIPLE RAINBOWS?!??? OMFG BLIZZARD Y U NO TAKE DIABLO SRS!? NO JOKES NEEDED. THIS IS SERIOUS GAME, I AM SERIOUS GAMER.

*cough*

All done. I've found the whole MLP pony thing kinda weird, but I'm more than accepting of it if it means poking copious amounts of fun at all the guys crying over the rainbow thing. I have a few friends in my guild who'll be more than overjoyed to see this.

[sub]One of them read a letter to Princess Celestia over Mumble after we got him his Dragonwrath. It was nerdy and adorable.[/sub]

 

Lunar Templar

New member
Sep 20, 2009
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well, I'm sure the pony haters will love this.

i'm just having a hard time getting the joke. shock value at the radically different tones, i guess. ether way i see it as kinda dumb
 

Fappy

\[T]/
Jan 4, 2010
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The music choice made it all the more awesome.
 

Waaghpowa

Needs more Dakka
Apr 13, 2010
3,073
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Nasrin said:
Reminds me a bit of the "Notched" pick-axe you find in Skyrim. I love a good in-game joke. Borderlands is good for that, too.
I was under the impression that it was a big coincidence.

Since we're talking about in game jokes/references, there's a Psycho reference early in Diablo. Hitchcock's Psycho that is.
 

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
20,364
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Waaghpowa said:
Nasrin said:
Reminds me a bit of the "Notched" pick-axe you find in Skyrim. I love a good in-game joke. Borderlands is good for that, too.
I was under the impression that it was a big coincidence.

Since we're talking about in game jokes/references, there's a Psycho reference early in Diablo. Hitchcock's Psycho that is.
I'm sure some are coincidence and some are intentional. Regardless, still fun and funny :)
 

Mr. Omega

ANTI-LIFE JUSTIFIES MY HATE!
Jul 1, 2010
3,902
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I had several conflicting responses to this. Rather than just pick one, I will post them all.

This goes against the entire tone of the rest of the game and contradicts what we loyal fans are expecting! Retake Diablo! Change the secret level! HOLD THA LIIIINE!(/sarcasm)

EES SO ADOWABLE! :3

A nice little treat, Blizzard. Shame nobody can actually play your game to get to it.

Gotta love a good sense of humor.

My god... the Herd is spreading... TAKE SHELTER!
 

Scarim Coral

Jumped the ship
Legacy
Oct 29, 2010
18,157
2
3
Country
UK
If that link guide is correct then I am in the right direction so far at the moment (I have picked out two black murshoon among my five characters).
While it is funny but it does make a refreshing change (why does it got to be nighttime all the time? And yes I'm new to the game series before you asked).
 

jdogtwodolla

phbbhbbhpbhphbhpbttttt......
Feb 12, 2009
732
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I wonder what would happen if a Hasbro employee was caught playing this at work.
 
Jan 27, 2011
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Th-those clouds....those ":D" clouds....THOSE GRINNING CLOUDS!!!

I WANT ONE! They look hilarious and awesome! XD

Magnificently done, Blizzard. I was laughing and applauding the whole way through the video. Totally awesome counter-troll. XD

Captcha: Oh yes.

Wow. Even Captcha agrees!
 

antipunt

New member
Jan 3, 2009
3,035
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0
Amnestic said:
OMFG BLIZZ Y U NO GRIMDARK? Y U RAINBOW? WHAT'S NEXT BLIZZ? BUFF DOUBLE RAINBOWS? AND THEN TRIPLE RAINBOWS?!??? OMFG BLIZZARD Y U NO TAKE DIABLO SRS!? NO JOKES NEEDED. THIS IS SERIOUS GAME, I AM SERIOUS GAMER.

*cough*

All done. I've found the whole MLP pony thing kinda weird, but I'm more than accepting of it if it means poking copious amounts of fun at all the guys crying over the rainbow thing. I have a few friends in my guild who'll be more than overjoyed to see this.

[sub]One of them read a letter to Princess Celestia over Mumble after we got him his Dragonwrath. It was nerdy and adorable.[/sub]

Oh god, dat pic o_O

*adds to lulz folder for future use*

No but seriously, this is all sorts of awesome
 

LilithSlave

New member
Sep 1, 2011
2,462
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Amnestic said:
Make this an optional, collector's edition cover art for the game, please?

That would be amazing.

In other news, WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO. Pony meme train doesn't die. I'm loving the infectious nature of this meme and how it is infecting other things. A candy coloured countercurrent to a lot of what's popular and seen as popular in the gaming industry today. If I'm not mistaken, World of Warcraft also has a reference to Nazrin from Touhou. Life always needs to be cuter and more candy coloured.

I'd like to see Blizzard make a My Little Pony game, I'd buy it.
 

Andronicus

Terror Australis
Mar 25, 2009
1,846
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I followed the link to the Diablo III forum post for this, and read a few of the comments. Some people actually really do think this ruins the game, somehow o_O

Honestly, some people just have no sense of humour...
 

Eric the Orange

Gone Gonzo
Apr 29, 2008
3,245
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Andronicus said:
I followed the link to the Diablo III forum post for this, and read a few of the comments. Some people actually really do think this ruins the game, somehow o_O

Honestly, some people just have no sense of humour...
I've noted that on the blizzard forums any news will have at least a few people complaining.
 

LilithSlave

New member
Sep 1, 2011
2,462
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Buretsu said:
Sure. Any game where you can murder ponies is okay in my book.
I worry about your mental stability.

I know that video games are often about violence. But there's just something about celebrating animal cruelty, even fictional animal cruelty so...