5 easter eggs in Assassin's Creed Shadows that you might have missed

When it comes to easter eggs, Assassin's Creed Shadows' rendition of Feudal Japan is filled with them. The open-world action RPG title focuses on two protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe. Aside from using these two to progress through quests, players can also roam around to explore the open world and discover some references to pop culture, among other things.

This article lists five unique easter eggs in Assassin's Creed Shadows that players can miss out on.

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Exploring five easter eggs in Assassin's Creed Shadows

1) Dark Souls bonfire

This is one of the two Dark Souls easter eggs in Assassin's Creed Shadows (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

Players can find an interesting Dark Souls easter egg in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Many IPs have paid homage to the iconic bonfire of the Dark Souls franchise developed by FromSoftware, and that now includes the latest Ubisoft title. Two bonfires can be found on the game's map as of this writing.

But what connects them to FromSoftware? Well, these unique bonfires have a sword struck inside them, mirroring the iconic warming checkpoint beacon in the Dark Souls titles. One can be found in the Wakasa region Kofun Hidden Mound, while the other will be located beside the ocean in the Nakamichi Route in Kii, at the easternmost side of the water body's corner.

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2) Namazu Mount

The Namazu Mount (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

The Namazu Mount is not just a Legendary Horse mount; it features a scale-like pattern with a unique winged helmet. It is actually a reference to a catfish called Namazu that is found in the waters of Japan. It is said that the creature was responsible for the devastating Ansei Earthquake in 1855.

To get it, head to the westernmost corner of the Okishima island in Omi. At the cliff, stand between a burning woodpile and a cherry blossom tree and then dive into the water. Go underwater, and you'll find a cave entrance. Head inside and locate the Legendary Chest on the cave floor. Opening it will give you the said mount and one of the many easter eggs in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

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3) The Spartan Kick achievement

The Spartan Kick achievement (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

Among the numerous abilities you can unlock in the game, no doubt one of the best will be the War Kick for Yasuke. It is an incredible power move that allows Yasuke to break enemy guards and push them away. However, the devs realized its aesthetic value too and attached an achievement to the action.

If you fight an enemy on top of a high enough ledge and then Spartan Kick him off of it (consequently killing him), you'll unlock the "This is Japan, actually" achievement with the following description:

"Kick an enemy from a high place"

This, of course, is a reference to the prominent Zack Snyder movie "300", where Leonidas kicks the messenger of Xerxes into a bottomless pit with the phrase "This is Sparta!".

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4) A Tomb Raider reference

The Kofun Raider achievement (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

When it comes to the different side content you can experience in Assassin's Creed Shadows, the Kofuns will be a good chunk of them. These are dimly lit underground tombs that feature some complex puzzles. However, they also contain Legendary Chests, encouraging players to play through them.

When you complete your first Kofun, you'll unlock an achievement titled "Kofun Raider" with the below-given description:

"Complete your first Kofun"

Considering Kofuns are underground complex tombs, this achievement is a reference to the Lara Croft IP, alternatively titled Tomb Raider, which also sees the adventurer go off into unique locales and raid different tombs.

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5) The Split Boulder

Location of the Path of Secrets (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

This particular location in Shadows is one that is culturally motivated. Start off at the Gokenin Manor in Katsuragi, Yamato, and travel westward (or travel northeast from the Mizumi Pagoda viewpoint). Here, you'll come across the entrance to the Path of Secrets. It is a short parkour encounter that sees you follow a path painted by some ol' reliable yellow paint.

Use your tools to pass the challenge and reach the end. Here, aside from the lootable chest, you'll come across a boulder that is finely split in half. It is a reference to the Itto-Seki, a Japanese legend surrounding the legendary kendo warrior Yagyu Muneyoshi.

The Itto-Seki (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

That said, aside from Japanese culture, this rock is also a major part of pop culture, as it appeared in the famous shounen anime Demon Slayer. The location with the stone is extremely similar to the area where the series protagonist Tanjiro trained his water breathing technique.

This makes it one of the numerous easter eggs in Assassin's Creed Shadows that players need to see if they're a fan of pop culture or Japanese mythos.

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Check out our other guides on Shadows:

• AC Shadows vs AC Valhalla: Similarities and differences explored
• Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly getting AC Shadows
• 5 ways AC Shadows can make a major comeback
• What are Canon and Immersive modes in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
• Hideout in Assassin's Creed Shadows, explained
• All Kusarigama Skills for Naoe in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and how to unlock them
• All Katana Skills for Naoe in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and how to unlock them