Running Jokes in Video Gaming

[ChaoofNee]

Doncha just love picking up a sequal and seeing references to past games? Hell, I do. My personal favorites: Shtoltenheim Reinbach III from Suikoden and all the Dopefish references in random PC games ( http://www.dopefish.com ).
Any other favorites?

[johnk_]

madden, and the probability that EA will still use his name long after he's dead.

*not really on topic, i know.. but there you have it.

[Jeremy]

Duke Nukem Forever- enough said
The constant rehashing of SF games back in the early 90s.

[Cheebs]

The Konami code could almost be considered a running joke, especially once Konami started "booby trapping" it in later Gradius games.

Running around in your boxers in ghosts n' goblins games....taken to a new level in Maximo.

The wonderful win quotes in SNK fighters....You crazy funster!

Dan of SF fame....

[epmode]

it's a toss up between the space quest and monkey island series, though quest for glory comes close.

[voltz]

*typical conversation in monkey island*

guybrush: how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a wood chuck chuck wood?
carpenter: a woodchuck could chuck no wood since a wood chuck cant chuck wood.
guybrush : but if a woodchuck could chuck wood and if a woodchuck would chuck wood what amount of wood would a woodchuck chuck?
carpenter: if a woodchuck could chuck wood and if a woodchuck could chuck wood should a woodchuck chuck wood?
guybrush: a woodchuck should chuck wood as long as a woodchuck could chuck wood and as long as a woodchuck would chuck wood.
carpenter: ok,shut up!

[Tain]

Daikatana.

[Mzo]

MS: "Guybrush? Har har har! What kind of name is that?"
Guybrush: "Yeah, well what's your name?"
MS: "Mancomb. Mancomb Seepgood."

But a good running gag in the Monkey Island series is "How appropriate, you fight like a cow."

[FuryFox]

Elbereth.

[Zerodash]

The traditional "funny talk" in the Warcraft/Starcraft games...