Community:Fallout: New Vegas Easter Eggs

1984
In Old World Blues, the Book Chute will reference using a cage over your head and a bag of mole rats, a direct reference to how the protagonist of 1984 was tortured in both the book and the movie.

300
The Gun Runners' Arsenal challenge Even a God-King Can Bleed requires one to cripple Caesar's head with throwing spears. This is a reference to when Leonidas I of Sparta says that by the end of the battle he will prove that even a God-king can bleed, and does so by scoring a glancing blow across Xerxes's cheek with a thrown spear.

Aliens

 * If the Courier has the Wild Wasteland trait, NCR Emergency Radio chatter includes the phrases "Game over, man, game over!" and "They're coming out of walls, they're coming out of the goddamn walls!" These two phrases are direct quotes from the film Aliens.
 * The kill challenge, Nuke it From Orbit, is a reference to a catchphrase that spawned from the Aliens quote, "nuke the entire site from orbit - it’s the only way to be sure."

Anarchists Cookbook
The skill magazine, the Patriot's Cookbook is a reference to the Anarchist Cookbook, a controversial book containing instructions on building homemade explosives. The in-game picture of the Patriot's Cookbook shows a "BANNED MATERIAL Marked for burn" stamp on the front cover.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Mr. New Vegas will end a news segment by saying "Stay classy, New Vegas" if the player character has the Wild Wasteland perk. In Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Ron Burgundy's signoff is "You stay classy, San Diego."

Beast Wars: Transformers
The hairstyle "Terrorsaur," a short, rounded mohawk, is named as such because it has a similar shape to the crest on the head of the character Terrorsaur from Beast Wars.

Better Off Ted
The Powder Ganger Philip Lem is a reference to Phil and Lem, two scientists from the American sitcom Better Off Ted.

BioShock
A Slave Obeys, a Gun Runners' Arsenal challenge, is a reference to the death of BioShock's villain, Andrew Ryan. The challenge requires you to kill Mr. House with a golf club, which references the way the player eventually kills Ryan in the game. The title of the challenge is a reference to the phrase Ryan repeats before he is killed: "A man chooses, a slave obeys."

The Bible

 * The quest Render Unto Caesar is a reference to a famous phrase from Mark 12:17: "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God's."
 * All achievement/trophy names for Honest Hearts are references to the Book of Psalms.
 * Not only are the Honest Hearts achievement/trophy names references to the Bible but the location for the add-on itself is a reference to the Zion which was the city of Jerusalem in the Old Testament.
 * The Gomorrah casino is a reference to the Biblical sin-cities Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Black Orchid
The cover of ¡La Fantoma! is a flipped replica of Adventure Comics 428, by DC comics. It is the origin issue of the character the Black Orchid.

Blade Runner

 * That Gun is modeled on Deckard's gun from the film Blade Runner.
 * The Gun Runners challenge "Benefit Or a Hazard" references a line from the Blade Runner spoken by Harrison Ford, "Replicants are like any other machine - they're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit, it's not my problem."
 * The trait Built to Destroy's description contains a reference to the line delivered by Joe Turkel "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long." Eldon Tyrell (played by Joe) was quoting the Chinese philosopher Laozi.

Brewdog
Inside Brewer's Beer Bootlegging there is a sign for "Strategic Nuclear Moose" which is a reference to the real-life "Tactical Nuclear Penguin" imperial stout produced by Brewdog, a Scottish craft brewery.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer
When standing near Jerry the Punk you can hear him asking himself "what rhymes with indulgent? Effulgent, no wait. That's terrible" referencing the vampire Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who before he was turned was mocked for composing a poem with the word effulgent in it.

Cabazon Dinosaurs
Dinky the Dinosaur of Novac is a reference to Dinny the Dinosaur and Mr. Rex, the Cabazon Dinosaurs.

Carmen Sandiego
During the Courier's investigation of a traitor at Camp McCarran, the traitor may utter the words "You're getting too close, Shamus." This is a line from the Carmen Sandiego line of video games.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
The Gun Runners' Arsenal challenge "You Don't Belong In This World!" The player must kill 10 abominations with katanas, dynamite, machetes, throwing spears, throwing knives, and throwing hatchets. This is a reference to a quote made by Richter Belmont when confronting Dracula. And the weapons in the challenge are also used in the game to face the minions of Dracula. Another Gun Runners' Arsenal challenge, "The Same Could Be Said of All Religious Weapons," references this conversation as well.

David Caruso
During the Courier's investigation of the White Glove Society, they might encounter an investigator by the name of Crusoe who is possibly a reference to David Caruso, who has played investigator roles on NYPD: Blue and CSI: Miami. This becomes more apparent with the Wild Wasteland trait enabled, as the investigator has Caruso's red hair and sunglasses.

Dean Martin

 * Ain't That a Kick in the Head is the title of a song, popularly sung by Dean Martin. The song itself also appears on Radio New Vegas.
 * Mr. New Vegas says "You're nobody 'till somebody loves you and that somebody is me." as one of his random opening statements. "You're Nobody 'Till Somebody Loves You" was a song recorded by Dean Martin, among others.
 * The quest Volare! references the popular title of an Italian song best known in English through a translated version sung by Dean Martin. The original full title of the song is "Nel blu dipinto di blu" ("In the blue, painted blue").

Doctor Who

 * An NCR Emergency Radio broadcast references The Doctor, and the BBC, the network that Doctor Who is broadcast on. ("Bravo Bravo Charlie the Doctor is coming")
 * In combat, the Securitrons may yell "EXTERMINATE," the signature line of the Daleks.
 * Written on a pillar in a wine cellar in Dead Money is "I am not your mummy!" This is a reference to the two part episode "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances," in which the zombie-like enemies with gas-mask faces (who bear a remarkable resemblance to the ghost people in the add-on) ask everyone "Are you my mummy?"
 * With Wild Wasteland enabled, the trauma override harnesses will say "Hey, who turned out the lights?", a reference to the Doctor Who episode Silence in the Library. In the episode, alien particles control a spacesuit containing a skeleton which repeats the dead wearer's last words over and over.
 * The sonic emitter from Old World Blues is a reference to the Doctor's companion Jack Harkness, who on his first appearance in the episode "The Empty Child" wielded a sonic blaster which shares a very similar design.

Don Rickles
The Ghoul comedian Hadrian, first seen at the Atomic Wrangler, is a reference to comedy legend and Las Vegas icon Don Rickles. Hadrian's comedic style of one-liner insults to guests in the audience mirror's that of Don Rickles. A more direct reference is seen when Hadrian is performing in the Aces Theatre at The Tops. There he makes the comment "Swank is here, ladies and gentlemen, make yourself at home, Swank - hit somebody!". This is a direct reference to a joke Don Rickles once made to Frank Sinatra, where he said "Make yourself at home, Frank - hit somebody!".

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog
Veronica Santangelo frequently has sporks in her inventory. This is a nod to another character played by actress Felicia Day, Penny from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog in which her character frequently uses sporks to eat frozen yogurt.

Dr. Strangelove

 * The achievement Love the Bomb is a reference to the film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
 * In a heavily trapped house in Nipton, just across the road from the General Store with a sandbag wall protecting the door, there is a note about "vital essence", in which the writer rants about "vital essence" in a paranoid tone very similar to General Jack D. Ripper's obsession with "precious bodily fluids" in the film "Dr. Strangelove."
 * The logo for the Atomic Wrangler is a reference to the famous scene in which Major T. J. "King" Kong rides a falling nuclear bomb like a rodeo cowboy.

Duck and Cover
The skill book Duck and Cover! is named after the practice taught to American school children to avoid harm if a nuclear war were to break out, namely to duck under a table or desk and cover their heads.

Dwight Eisenhower
The "I Hate Nate" and "I Hate Kate" election posters in Vault 11 are a reference to U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1952 campaign slogan, "I Like Ike."

Eastman Kodak Company
A functioning camera, the Codac R9000 is given to the player by Michael Angelo during the side quest Classic Inspiration. The camera's appearance is almost identical to that of the Hawkeye Brownie, which was produced by Kodak.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
In Freeside, some street-lights are stamped with TES-04, referencing another game made by Bethesda called "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion." You can also find a utility pole with the reference when you enter Primm.

Elmer Fudd
If the player has Cass as a companion, when sneaking she occasionally says, "Be very, very quiet; we're huntin' shit heads." This is a direct reference to Elmer Fudd's famous quote, "Be vewy, vewy quiet; I'm huntin' wabbits."

Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley is frequently referenced in quest names, but licensing his songs for the soundtrack proved too costly for the developers.
 * The quests Nothin' But a Hound Dog, Return to Sender, and I Forgot to Remember to Forget reference names of songs by Elvis Presley.
 * G.I. Blues and Viva Las Vegas are titles of films starring Elvis Presley and the names of the title songs.
 * One of the Radio New Vegas news stories mentions the titles of Elvis songs in the broadcast, namely Devil In Disguise, In The Ghetto, and Return To Sender.
 * The Freeside gang the Kings are rife with references to Elvis. The King's dialogue frequently uses song titles as turns of phrase. In addition, most members of the Kings talk in a style that resembles how the American youth - influenced by the Rock & Roll era - talked in 1950's movies.
 * On the chalkboard in the classroom on the top floor of King's School of Impersonation, one can see some references to Elvis, among which are his favorite food peanut butter and banana sandwich and gyrating hips.

Army of Darkness
With the Wild Wasteland perk, when Dean Domino kills his first ghost person he will say "He's not dead... it's a trick. Get an axe." This is a reference to the 1992 horror comedy film Army of Darkness wherein the hero Ashley "Ash" Williams, using these same words, cautions a knight against touching a seemingly deceased Deadite, who, true to his warning, proves to be merely faking.

Euclid
Euclid's C-Finder is a reference to the Greek mathematician Euclid, regarded as the "father of geometry."

Fallout
The title of the publication Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor is a reference to Fallout. Specifically the unmarked quest Blackmail Iguana Bob. The quest starts with Doc Morbid in Junktown, goes through Iguana Bob Frazier in the Hub, and ends with the aforementioned blackmail back in Junktown. Wherein the Vault Dweller discovered that Doc Morbid had been supplying pieces of human meat that were being sold as iguana bits.

Forrest Gump

 * The quest title "Run Goodsprings Run" is a reference to an iconic line "Run, Forrest, Run!" from the film Forrest Gump.
 * Private Jeremy Watson, the soldier who is to receive a medal from President Kimball during his visit to Hoover Dam, bears many similarities to Forrest Gump: they are both in the army, share the same haircut, are less than intelligent and Watson saved a platoon of soldiers in Forlorn Hope as Forrest Gump saved a group of soldiers in Vietnam. As a further reference, Watson claims he will meet the president personally and receive a medal for his duties. Like Gump, he is unwittingly humble for his achievements.

Frank Sinatra
When the Courier wins 4,500 caps at Gomorrah the floor manager says "Looks like you're on a roll! Luck be a lady tonight!" This is a line from the song "Luck Be A Lady," written by Frank Loesser for Guys and Dolls, the Broadway musical about gamblers and their girls. Mr. New Vegas also mentions "lady-like luck" on the radio. Frank Sinatra played Nathan Detroit in the film version, but the song was actually sung by Marlon Brando(!) in that movie. Sinatra later made it one of his standards.

One of Hadrian's insults hurled at Swank is "Make yourself at home Swank, hit somebody!", a reference to a joke directed at Sinatra by Don Rickles

The quests My Kind of Town, One for My Baby, Come Fly With Me, Ring-a-Ding-Ding!, You'll Know It When It Happens, I Could Make You Care and Don't Make a Beggar of Me are references to songs sung and made famous by Frank Sinatra.

Futurama
Inside the Cave of the Abaddon, there is a fossilized dog named Seymour. This is a reference to the Futurama episode "Jurassic Bark," in which Fry finds his dog Seymour fossilized. You can only find Seymour if you have the Wild Wasteland trait.

Grapes of Wrath
Rose of Sharon Cassidy, a potential follower for the courier, is named after the character of the same name in John Steinbeck's novel, Grapes of Wrath. She describes the book as "some Old World book about dirt pilgrims."

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
In Old World Blues, in the X-8 research center after splicing together a Mister Orderly and lobotomite, the created robobrain's ensuing speech mimics that of the sperm whale as it fell from the sky in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'.

Also in Old World Blues, there is an X-42 research center. In the Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy, 42 is the answer given by a computer to the question: 'what is the answer to life, the universe and everything?'

Homestar Runner
In the GECK, the object effect for the flare gun is named "Burninate All the Peoples," a line from Strong Bad's Trogdor song.

Howard Hughes
Mr. House is in most aspects based on the famous recluse Howard Hughes. Many aspects of House's personality, lifestyle and backstory are modeled on Hughes: his reclusive nature, his terror of bacteria, his fixation on Las Vegas, his insistence on working only through trusted lieutenants, his appearance, and his relationships with pre-War film stars. A portrait of House standing in front of a large robot is based on an iconic photograph of Hughes standing in front of a Boeing Army Pursuit Plane in the 1940s.

The Hustler
The guest terminal in Vault 21 advertises pool sets in the gift shop with the line "Hustle it like Minnesota Fats!" This is a reference to the novel The Hustler by Walter Tevis and its 1961 film adaptation, starring Jackie Gleason as Fats.

Indiana Jones

 * The Wild Wasteland trait adds an encounter with a refrigerator containing a fedora and skeleton. This is a reference to the scene in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" where Indiana Jones saves himself from an atomic bomb explosion by taking cover in a lead-lined fridge.
 * An email outbox on a computer terminal in the Sunset Sarsaparilla headquarters includes a message addressed to "Marcus Brody, VP of Technology."

Infinity
All of the Think tank doctors' names are references to an infinite loop: Dr. Klein and the Klein bottle, Dr. Mobius and the Möbius strip, Dr. Borous and the ouroborus, Dr. Dala and the mandala as well as 8|Dr. 8 and Doctor 0.

John Mellencamp
In the Red Rock Drug Lab, you find a couple named Jack and Diane. Jack is a dark haired male and Diane is a younger blonde woman. They are likely referencing the John Mellencamp song "Jack and Diane" from 1982, in which the music video has a dark haired male and blonde woman.

Kate Beaton
The unique Tesla cannon, the Tesla-Beaton prototype, is named after Kate Beaton, a Canadian webcomic artist known, among other things, for several comic strips about Nikola Tesla.

La Longue Carabine
Corporal Sterling, a member of First Recon at Camp McCarran will, if asked about his gun, state that it is known as "La Longue Carabine." This is a reference from the book Last of the Mohicans, in which La Longue Carabine is one of the nicknames for both Natty Bumppo and his rifle.

Lassie
With the Wild Wasteland trait, the player character can talk to Rex, and receive a map marker indicating the location of somebody (named Jimmy) who fell into a well.

Less Than Jake
In the Goodsprings Cemetery, there is a grave marked Jay Frenzal. This is a reference to the song of the same name from the album B Is for B-sides by an American ska-punk band Less Than Jake. The song, in turn, is a reference to Jason Whalley of Frenzal Rhomb, who has one line on the track.

Loch Ness Monster
After raising the B-29 from Lake Mead during the quest Volare!, Mr. New Vegas will talk about sightings of something rising out of lake mead that locals have dubbed the "Lake Mead Monster" and how all the photos of it so far are grainy and underexposed. This is a reference to the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, of Scottish folklore, and how most photographs of the monster are of infamously low quality.

Lost
A broadcast from the NCR Emergency Radio references the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 which is part of the mysterious and significant chain of numbers in the aforementioned TV show.

Logan's Run
In Old World Blues, the trait Logan's Loophole is a reference to the 1976 science fiction film Logan's Run based on the 1967 novel of the same name.

Mad Max

 * The achievements Blast Mastery and You Run Barter Town are both references to Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Blast Mastery refers to the character of Masterblaster, and Bartertown was the location around which Beyond Thunderdome was set.
 * The leather armor, reinforced, as well as the lightweight leather armor also bear a strong resemblance to the armor worn by Max in the series.
 * Lupe at the Grub and Gulp can say: "a little fallout never killed anybody" when talking about Dirty Water, a reference to a water salesman when Max enters Bartertown.
 * The Gun Runners' Arsenal challenge White Line Nightmare is a direct quote from the opening monologue of Mad Max 2. The challenge involves killing raiders using weapons seen throughout the film, such as Max's Sawed Off Shotgun, or Lord Humongous' .44 Magnum.

Michelangelo Buonarroti
The name of the character and artist Michael Angelo is a reference to the 16th-century Italian sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Mister Las Vegas
Wayne Newton is known as Mr. Las Vegas. He voices the radio personality Mr. New Vegas.

Monty Python

 * At Cottonwood Cove, spray-painted on one of the buildings is "ROMANES EUNT DOMUS" (Romans go home), which is a reference to Monty Python's The Life of Brian. This only appears with the Wild Wasteland trait.
 * Inside one of the church basements at Camp Searchlight are three Holy Frag Grenades, a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. These also only appear with the Wild Wasteland trait.
 * Another Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference appears during the quest They Went That-a-Way. When you first talk to Jessup, he will express shock at your survival. One of the possible responses to this is "I got better." This phrase used in this context is one of the many running jokes of the aforementioned film.
 * With the Wild Wasteland trait, one will be confronted by Maud's Muggers, a gang of elderly hoodlums, outside of Cerulean Robotics. This is a reference to the skit, "Hell's Grannies" from "Monty Python's Flying Circus."
 * The food item squirrel on a stick is likely a reference to the food item "rat on a stick" in "The Meaning of Life."
 * During the second battle for Hoover Dam, the playable character can see graffiti on one of the dam's towers; the graffiti says "Legion go home," which is possibly a reference to Monty Python's The Life of Brian. This is what Brian's "ROMANES EUNT DOMUS" was supposed to say, but instead, it said, "People called Romanes, they go, the house."

Obsidian Entertainment

 * The Basincreek Building is an inside joke referencing Obsidian Entertainment's former office building. It contains several things which at one point happened at Obsidian's old office building, such as a car crashing into the building, the bathroom flooding several times, having an ant infestation, a rat dying behind a wall causing the entire building to smell, and someone punching a hole in the men's bathroom.
 * In the South Vegas Ruins, there is a small building called Zapp's Neon Signs. Inside, on a terminal at the bottom of the building, there is a neon sign order from Scott Evert, a reference to Scott Everts.
 * The evil gnome has a formid of Scottegnome.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Marcus might say when attacking: "one fist, two fist, red fist, blue fist". This is a reference to the Dr. Seuss book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

Patton
The unique Mister Gutsy Ironbelly's line, "There's nothing I like better than making some other poor bastard die for his country!" is a version of a line from the 1970 movie Patton: "Now, I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Period songs
See also the entries for other famous singers: Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, and Wayne Newton.


 * The main quest Ace in the Hole is named for a 1941 song composed by Cole Porter recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, among others.
 * The quest Aba Daba Honeymoon is named for a song written in 1914 and repopularized by Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter in the 1950 film Two Weeks with Love.
 * The quest Ant Misbehavin' is named for the song "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Fats Waller.
 * The quest Anywhere I Wander is named for a song written by Frank Loesser and popularized by Danny Kaye.
 * The quest Arizona Killer is named for a song written by Katie Lee and adapted from "The Tennessee Killer." Lee's song was popularized in the 2007 film, 3:10 to Yuma.
 * The quest Back in the Saddle is named for the song "Back in the Saddle Again" by Gene Autry.
 * The quest Back in Your Own Backyard is named for the song "Back in Your Own Backyard" by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer and popularized by Ruth Etting.
 * The quest Bear Necessities is a reference to the Disney song, "The Bare Necessities" performed in the 1967 film The Jungle Book.
 * The quest Beyond the Beef is a play on words of the 1948 song "Beyond the Reef," recorded by Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley, among others.
 * The quest Bitter Springs Infirmary Blues is named for the song "St. James Infirmary Blues," popularized by Louis Armstrong.
 * The quest Booted is named for the 1952 song by Roscoe Gordon.
 * The quest Bye Bye Love is the title of a song by The Everly Brothers.
 * The quest By a Campfire on the Trail is the title of a song by the Sons of the Pioneers.
 * The quest Can You Find it in Your Heart? is named for the 1956 song recorded by Tony Bennett.
 * The quest Climb Ev'ry Mountain is named for the show tune from The Sound of Music.
 * The quest Cold, Cold Heart is named for the 1951 song by Hank Williams.
 * The quest Crazy, Crazy, Crazy is named for 1953 song written and recorded by the The "5" Royales.
 * The quest Cry Me a River is named for the 1953 song written by Arthur Hamilton.
 * The quest ED-E My Love references the song "Eddie My Love," first recorded by The Teen Queens in 1956.
 * The quest Eyesight to the Blind is named for a 1951 song written by Sonny Boy Williamson II.
 * The quest For Auld Lang Syne is named for the traditional holiday song "Auld Lang Syne".
 * The quest Guess Who I Saw Today is named for the 1952 jazz standard.
 * The quest Hard Luck Blues is a song written and recorded by Roy Brown.
 * The quest Heartache by the Number is named for the song from the soundtrack "Heartaches by the Number."
 * The quest How Little We Know is similar to two different song titles: "How Little We Know" written by Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer for the 1944 film To Have and Have Not and "(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know" written by Carolyn Leigh and Phil Springer and sung by Frank Sinatra in 1956.
 * The quest I Could Make You Care is a song written by Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin and recorded by the Ink Spots and Frank Sinatra, among others.
 * The quest I Don't Hurt Anymore is named for a song by Hank Snow.
 * The quest I Fought the Law is a reference to the 1960 song of the same name by Sonny Curtis and more famously covered by the Bobby Fuller Four in 1965 and The Clash in 1979.
 * The quest I Hear You Knocking is a reference to the 1955 song written by Dave Bartholomew and Earl King.
 * The quest I Put a Spell on You is named for the song by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
 * The quest Keep Your Eyes on the Prize is named for the folk song that became popular during the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s.
 * The quest Left My Heart is a reference to the 1962 Tony Bennett song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".
 * The quest No, Not Much is a reference to the 1955 song written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman made famous by The Four Lads.
 * The quest Oh My Papa is a reference to a German song with revised lyrics made famous by Eddie Fisher in 1954.
 * The quest Pistol Packing is a reference to the 1943 song written by Al Dexter, "Pistol Packin' Mama."
 * The quest Someone to Watch Over Me is a reference to the song composed by George and Ira Gershwin in 1926.
 * The quest Still in the Dark is a reference to one of Big Joe Turner's first recordings made in 1950.
 * The quest Tend to Your Business is a reference to a hit song recorded by James Wayne in 1951.
 * The quest That Lucky Old Sun is a reference to a 1949 song by Beasley Smith and Haven Gillespie, made famous by Frankie Laine.
 * The quest The Finger of Suspicion is a reference to "The Finger of Suspicion (Points at You)" written by Paul Mann and Al Lewis in 1954.
 * The quest The Moon Comes Over the Tower is a play on words for "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain" written in 1931.
 * The quest There Stands the Grass is a play on words for "There Stands the Glass", made famous by Webb Pierce in 1953.
 * The quest Unfriendly Persuasion is a play on words for the 1956 song "Friendly Persuasion".
 * The quest You Can Depend on Me is a reference to the 1931 song You Can Depend on Me made famous by Brenda Lee in 1961.
 * The quest We Will All Go Together is named for a song by Tom Lehrer, which humorously refers to the total destruction of life through nuclear war.
 * The quest Wang Dang Atomic Tango is a play on words for the 1959 song "The Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango."
 * The quest You Make Me Feel Like a Woman is a play on words for the 1967 song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" made famous by Aretha Franklin.
 * The perk Mister Sandman is a reference to the song of the same name by The Chordettes.
 * The perk and challenge Day Tripper is the title of a 1965 Beatles song.
 * Mr. New Vegas' "new album," Nuclear Winter Wonderland, is a reference to the song "Winter Wonderland."

Other songs

 * The quest Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger is named for 2001 song by Daft Punk.
 * The quest High Times is named for a 1970 song by The Grateful Dead.
 * The quest Why Can't We Be Friends? is named from the 1975 song by War.
 * The challenge VR the Champions is named after the 1977 song "We are the Champions" by Queen.

The Physicists

 * The Physicists is a German novel written by the Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt. In the book, scientists Dr. Möbius, Einstein, and Newton are all inmates in an asylum. Dr. Mobius in the add-on Old World Blues is portrayed as being mentally unstable.

Planet of the Apes
If the player character has the Wild Wasteland trait, and nukes both sides at the end of Lonesome Road, the ending slide will quote Charlton Heston and show a picture representing the ending scene from the original Planet of the Apes.

Portal
When a Robobrain loses track of the Courier, they may say "Are you still there?", a phrase noted to be a direct homage to the 2007 video game Portal, where the phrase is used by the turrets in the game.

The Princess Bride

 * With the Wild Wasteland trait, rodents of unusual size can be encountered in various places. The protagonist of the film, Wesley, states that he doesn't believe that rodents of unusual size exist, before promptly getting attacked by one.
 * The challenge I Am Not Left Handed is a reference to Inigo Montoya's line from the sword fight with The Man in Black in The Princess Bride.

(Léon) The Professional
The perk The Professional is a reference to the 1994 film Léon released in the US as The Professional and directed by Luc Besson. The correlating in-game picture features a stylized Vault Boy with a coat, stubble, and round glasses similar to the main character of the film, played by French actor Jean Reno. The picture also features a potted plant that plays a significant role in the film.

Professional Wrestling
During the quest G.I. Blues when heading over to the Old Mormon Fort in Freeside, there are three men in one tent named Roy, Wayne, and Farris. The three names put together are a reference to Roy Wayne Farris, a professional wrestler who wrestled for WWF and WCW during the 1980s and 1990s as "The Honky Tonk Man."

Return of the Living Dead
Red-haired, death-obsessed woman named Trash, whom the player finds dead in a shack beside the old nuclear test site, is a reference to the character Trash in Return of the Living Dead.

Revolting Cocks
As soon as you enter the second section of the Strip (where the monorail, The Tops, and The Ultra-Luxe are), immediately to the left, there is a Lucky 38 sign advertising the features the casino has to offer. One of the advertisements is for the "Revolving Cocktail Lounge". The second V of "revolving" has been vandalized over with a T, making it "Revolting Cocktail Lounge". There was a band formed in the 1980s called the Revolting Cocks. One of the songs off their 1986 debut album Big Sexy Land is called 38. This is synonymous with the Lucky 38. This makes it a possible reference to the band Revolting Cocks and their song 38.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

 * The name of the challenge ...And Not a drop to Drink is part of a commonly misquoted couplet from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The actual lines are "Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink."
 * The name of add-on Lonesome Road might come from Rime of the Ancient Mariner Part VI, stanza 11, which reads, "Like one that on a lonesome road / Doth walk in fear and dread, / And having once turned round walks on, / And turns no more his head; / Because he knows a frightful fiend / Doth close behind him tread." Ulysses plays the part of the "frightful fiend," the Courier's secret past with the Divide corresponds with "and having once turned round walks on," and the Lonesome Road itself is homonymous.

RoboCop
The name of the Gun Runners' Arsenal challenge Ne Ne Ne Ne... is a reference to the film RoboCop; it's the sound Clarence Boddicker makes when he blows off Alex Murphy's right hand with a shotgun.

With the Wild Wasteland trait, A Securitron will also say while you are in the Lucky 38. This was a line used in Robocop.

Likewise, if the Courier chooses to frame Heck Gunderson for his son's murder during the Beyond the Beef quest, the Securitron will say before shooting him dead.

Sammy Davis, Jr.
Tommy Torini bears striking resemblance to Sammy Davis, Jr. the only African-American member of the entertainment group, the "Rat Pack," even down to the missing eye, which Sammy Davis, Jr. lost in an auto collision.

Saving Private Ryan
Saving (or Savaging) Sergeant Teddy is a reference to the movie Saving Private Ryan.

Sesame Street
You may hear Dog saying "OM NOM NOM" while devouring an enemy, if you have the Wild Wasteland trait. This is most likely a reference to the Cookie Monster.

Six String Samurai
The name and icon for the New Vegas Samurai achievement is a reference to the Palm Pictures film Six-String Samurai. The guitar, stubble, and glasses are all references to the film's main character, Buddy.

Sneakers
The two passwords for the Eastern and the Western reflector control terminals are text encoded in hex and can be found in the notes. The decoded Eastern password is Too many secrets and the Western decoded password is My voice is my passport. - both are notable passphrases in Sneakers.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
In the add-on Old World Blues with Wild Wasteland on near by the Construction site the player will be able to find seven garden gnomes stood facing the red stones, with a number of pickaxes on the ground. This is a reference to the children's story Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs about a girl who escapes her evil stepmother and lives with a small group of dwarven miners.

Something Awful

 * The YCS/186 Gauss rifle is named for the "Your Console Sucks" forum that has the forum ID number 186.
 * The abbreviated console command for disabling Hardcore mode is "Babby," a reference to a meme that originated on the Something Awful website. In addition, the word "Babby" is often used as a pejorative in various Something Awful subforums.
 * A Wild Wasteland encounter found near Goodsprings consists of a man in glasses named Johnny found dead at the edge of a cliff. Johnny is surrounded by various objects including five ace cards and four orange balls. This is a reference to Zybourne Clock, a failed amateur game project that originated on Something Awful.

Soylent Green
Salient Green is a reference to the 1973 film Soylent Green.

Star Trek

 * The perk Set Lasers for Fun is a reference to the phrase "Set phasers to stun" from Star Trek.
 * The damage challenge "Beam (Weapon) Me Up" is a reference to the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty." It comes from the oft-quoted, but never used in the show, order that Captain Kirk gives his chief engineer, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, when he needs to be transported back to the Starship Enterprise.
 * After updating House's Securitrons to Mark II, they may say "Obedience Brings Victory." This was one of the main catch phrases used by the Jem'Hadar in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. This may be a further reference to the voice of Mr. House, René Auberjonois, who played Odo on Deep Space Nine.
 * During combat, if Marcus is hit by an enemy weapon, he may occasionally cry out, "I am NOT a merry Mutant!" This is a reference to Michael Dorn's role as Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation, specifically the episode "Qpid," in which Worf protested to being given the role of a "merry man" in Q's Robin Hood recreation. This is also a reference to Fallout 2, as Marcus says the same line as the Chosen One's companion.
 * When dealing with The Kings in Freeside for Ambassador Crocker if you have the Wild Wasteland trait, Ambassador Crocker will tell you "Damn it, I'm an ambassador, not a doctor!" It's a clear reference to the "I'm a doctor, not a {type of profession}" line of quotes from Leonard "Bones" McCoy in Star Trek.
 * Some of the ICBMs derelict or otherwise that you encounter during the Lonesome Road expansion, including the one you end up launching, are Titan Vs.

Star Wars

 * The Wild Wasteland trait adds an encounter in the town of Nipton. If you follow the road from city hall east, you will find a burning house with the skeletal remains of Owen and Beru, Luke Skywalker's uncle and aunt who were burned by stormtroopers in A New Hope.
 * The challenge "...And Know Disintegrations" is a play on Darth Vader's line in The Empire Strikes Back.
 * During the quest You'll Know It When It Happens, Ranger Grant asks you to report what has happened at the top of the guard post when you kill a Legion assassin, one of the dialog options when responding to him is to say "Everything's fine up here, thank you. How are you?." This is a reference to A New Hope, when Han Solo says the same thing while he and Luke Skywalker rescue Princess Leia from the Death Star.

Team Fortress 2
There is a Vault 19 terminal with a message about a “spy" among them, stated that "one of the Reds pretending to be a Blue," a possible reference to the Spy from Team Fortress 2.

Terminator 2
In one of the ending slides (Missile Launch: NCR ending slide, image 2b) for Lonesome Road, a skeleton is seen clinging to a chain-link fence facing the blast. This is a reference to the nightmare Sarah Connor has after falling asleep in Terminator 2.

The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
The Courier Who Broke the Bank is a reference to Joseph Jagger (1830–1892), a British engineer who was widely known as The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo.

The Rat Pack
The group of actors/singers of the 1960s, the Rat Pack, made up of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, is poked fun at by the Rad Pack Revue, the group of entertainers working at The Aces theatre in The Tops. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin both performed songs used in Fallout: New Vegas.

See also the entries for Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr.

The Simpsons
The Radiation King company is the manufacturer of the Simpsons' television on the cartoon of the same name.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The theme, location, climate, and design of Sierra Madre is loosely based on the 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The film is about prospectors hunting for gold in the Sierra Madre, threatened by bandits, elements, and worst of all, personal greed.

The Wizard of Oz

 * In Boulder City when Victor meets up with the player, if the player responds with "I don't like being followed." Victor will say "Now now, it's not my fault that Dorothy and the Tin Man happened to be on the same yellow-striped road, is it?"
 * In Old World Blues Dr. Mobius refers to a group of murderers who were looking for a heart, a brain, and courage, or a spine which they had all along.

Their Eyes Were Watching God
The character Jeannie May Crawford is a reference to Janie Mae Crawford, the main character of the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston.

This is Spinal Tap
During the quest Ant Misbehavin', when asked by Loyal about what frequency a sonic emitter would need to have to kill mutated ants, with insufficient Science skill, the player can suggest to "turn it up to eleven." This is an idiom, coined in one scene from This is Spinal Tap, referring to the act of exploiting something to its utmost abilities. The idiom itself is a reference to the volume setting on a guitar amplifier, the maximum of which is usually 10, and by "turning it up to eleven," one goes beyond the maximum.

Tootsie Roll Pops

 * The quest The Legend of the Star is a reference to a decades-old rumor regarding Tootsie Roll Pop wrappers that dates back to the 1930s. Some Tootsie Roll Pops come packaged in wrappers that depict a boy dressed like a "wild west Indian," shooting an arrow at a star. Ever since the wrappers were found, rumors have circulated that there is some kind of secret prize attached to sending in wrappers. In the 1980s the Tootsie Roll company began replying to queries about the wrappers with a short story entitled "The Legend of the Indian Wrapper" that forms the basis for the story Festus tells the player upon the completion of The Legend of the Star.
 * The terminal entries found in Sunset Sarsaparilla headquarters depict the Sunset Sarsaparilla company capitalizing on a similar rumor about star caps.

United States nuclear weapons program
The weapons mod Fat Man Little Boy kit references the code names of the atom bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The reasons for the names were that Fat Man was an implosion-style device with a spherical core, while Little Boy had a longer and slenderer gun-type mechanism. This reference caused the names to be changed for the Japanese release.

Vegas Vic
Victor's name as well as the image used for his face is based on Vegas Vic.

Wasteland
The word Cochise can be the possible solution to unlock a terminal. This appears to be a reference to Base Cochise, the final stronghold in the game Wasteland.

The Securitrons bears some resemblance to Wasteland's Threshing Crawlers. Also, the Robo-scorpion appears to be based on Wasteland's Scorpitron.

Watchmen
The graffiti found at Hoover Dam and occasional loading screens say "spirit of 2277" which is a reference towards the spirit of '77 in Watchmen Chapter 8: Old Ghosts.

W.B. Yeats
In the underpass near the Nipton Road reststop there is a piece of graffiti which states "The centre cannot hold," a quote from the Irish poet W.B. Yeats's poem "The Second Coming."

World War I and II propaganda
The NCR propaganda posters are similar to propaganda from the WW1 and WW2 eras.

X-Men
Adamantium Skeleton is a reference to Wolverine. This perk was carried over from Fallout 3.