Ganbare Goemon (FC)

Console (NES): A Famicom controller can be found as a hidden bonus item. (Credit: Andrew Rae)
Status: Unverified

Programmers/Cross Series: The layout of some underground areas form names of Konami-related staff, and one of them is even a stylized "GRADIUS". (Credit: Andrew Rae)
Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): You can find Konami Man in the game as a hidden item. At the beginning of level 2, go right and hit the tree. (Credit: Arnold & Dire 51)
Status: TRUE: OPCFG confirms it.

Ganbare Goemon 2 (SFC)

Cross-Series (Various): (Simon) Belmondo, Sparxster, and the arcade XexeX game make cameo appearances. (Credit: Fenrir X)
Status: TRUE: Screenshots provided by Fenrir X confirm it: (Belmondo) (Sparkster) (XeXeX)

Programmers: Apparently Konami runs (or ran) a chain of arcade/entertainment facilities in Japan called Circo Porto. In Ganbare Goemon 2, in Karakuri World, the amusement park (where Belmondo, Sparkster, and the XexeX game are), the name Circo Porto appears on all of the buildings. (Credit: Fenrir X)
Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): I think this one is for the Famicom version, but I'm not sure. In one of the levels, there is a shop that sells Famicom cartridges and has a Konami flag symbol in the background. If you buy one of them, it changes various enemies into other characters. One of them turns into Konami Man, and two others will look like Pentarou the penguin from the Parodius series and Fuuma from Getsu Fuu Ma Den. It also changes the women you get money from into Konami Girl. (Credit: Arnold & Dire 51)
Status: TRUE: OPCFG confirms it.

Cross-Series (Twinbee/Snatcher): Ganbare Goemon 2 also has the pilot of Winbee from Konami's Twinbee series and Gillian Seed from Snatcher in it. (Credit: Fenrir X)
Status: TRUE: Pictures prove it: (Winbee Pilot) (Gillian Seed)

Gargoyle's Quest (GB)

Cross-Series (Ghouls n Ghosts): Firebrand is based on the Red Arima enemies from the Ghosts n Goblins/Ghouls n Ghosts games. (Credit: Hussein & Flying Omelette)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ghostbusters 2 (NES)

Music (Higher and Higher): The music in the level where you play as the animated Statue of Liberty is Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher", which was also used in that part of the movie. (Credit: Kairobi King)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Music (Cleaning Up the Town): The music in the levels where you drive the Ecto-1A is "Cleaning Up the Town" by the Busboys. This song was used in the first Ghostbusters movie. (Credit: Kairobi King)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Ghosts 'n Goblins (NES)

Cross-Series (Various): The Yashichi is an item that can also be found in Mega Man, Strider 2, UN Squadron, and Gun.Smoke. (Credit: Kairobi King)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Goal! 2 (NES)

Cross-Series (Various): When you or your opponent score, you'll see a player cheering his goal. In the background you'll see advertisement boards of the SNES games "Super Goal!" and "Rival Turf". (Credit: Ruudos)
Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it, although this one shows "Bases Loaded" instead of "Super Goal!".

Gokujou Parodius (Multiplatform)

Music (Various): There are a lot of famous songs in the game. Here are the ones that we've been able to confirm after looking them up:

Programmers: The first stage in Gokujou Parodius is a giant Circo Porto crane game/UFO catcher. Konami runs (or ran) a chain of arcade/entertainment facilities in Japan called Circo Porto. (Credit: Fenrir X)
Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from (KLOV.com) proves it.

Character Cameo: In the ocean stage, the "wreck" of the penguin boss of the ocean stage in Parodius Da! appears in the background. (Credit: Fenrir X)
Status: Unverified

Cross-Series: Twinbee and Vic Viper (from Gradius) are playable characters. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: Halfway through the grabber machine in level 1, the claws drop a big Konami sign on you. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Golden Axe (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series (Altered Beast): The Chicken Stinger is a creature you fight in the second stage of Altered Beast. This creature later showed up in Golden Axe as one of the Bizarrians that you can steal from the enemies in the game (it's now called a Chicken-Leg). The Chicken-Leg also showed up later in the arcade game Golden Axe: The Revenge Of Death Adder. I've included pics of its original Altered Beast appearance, of Gilius Thunderhead riding it in the first Golden Axe, and it hauling a prison wagon in GA: The Revenge Of Death Adder. (Credit: Dire 51)
Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Altered Beast Pic) (Golden Axe Pic) (Golden Axe 2 Pic)

Bizarre Coincidence? (Rambo: First Blood): Ok, you might not believe me, but it's kinda worth checking out for yourself. I've never seen or heard any word about this ANYWHERE else, ever, and it's weird. In Golden Axe (arcade version, not too sure about other versions), you know the sound effect when you kill a guy, like the ones in the first level, sounds like "oh god", only long and drawn out. Well, try watching Rambo: First Blood (the movie), and watch the part where Rambo has set all of the traps. The trap that is a bunch of stakes tied together stabs a guy through the leg. Listen to the sound that guy makes. I swear it's the EXACT same sound effect used in Golden Axe. I'd know that S.E. anywhere, as I played Golden Axe constantly when I was younger. Anyway, check it out, maybe you'll agree with me. (Credit: Mark Smith)
Status: Unverified

Goldeneye 007 (N64)

Cross-Series (Donkey Kong): One of the cheats is "DK Mode", which makes all characters have long arms and big heads like Donkey Kong.
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Cross-Series (Banjo-Kazooie): Statue Park has a structure that looks very similar to Gruntilda's head (from Banjo-Kazooie). True, BK did not yet exist when Goldeneye was made, but perhaps Rare had already come up with her character design for use in a future game. (Credit: Crawl and 1000)
Status: Bizarre Coincidence?: The resemblance of this structure to Gruntilda could be coincidence, but it's still interesting.

Miscellaneous: One of the items in this game, the CCVV Tape, has the Goldeneye movie poster on it. View it in your inventory to see it.
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Programmers: The Klobb weapon was named after Ken Lobb, who worked for Nintendo at the time this game was made.
Status: TRUE: Verified in Nintendo Power.

Golden Sun (GBA)

Cross-Series (DonPachi): There are characters named Donpa and Dodonpa, which I'm sure is a reference to Donpachi and Dodonpachi. Two of the people who did the music for Donpachi and Dodonpachi did the music for Golden Sun. (Credit: Magical Yard Gnome)
Status: Unverified

Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA)

Literature (Riki Tiki Tavi): The two boys who get lost are named Riki and Tavi, probably a reference to Riki Tiki Tavi. (Credit: ShadOtterdan)
Status: Unverified

Real Place (Ayer's Rock): Air's Rock is probably a take on Ayer's Rock, even down to the red sand and shape. (Credit: ShadOtterdan)
Status: Unverified

Literature (Orochi Legend): Golden Sun: The Lost Age replayed the entire Japanese Orochi (serpent) Legend in one certain subquest. This occurs on the islanad of Izumo, but the English translated version had the wine (that was used to put the dragon to sleep so the warrior could safely hack at it with the enchanted sword) conveniently disguised as "dragonsbane". You can even go back into the cave later and grab the Kusa-uh, Dragon Slayer sword. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken & VGMaster96)
Status: Unverified

Real Place (Lemuria): "Lemuria" is an actual name for an existing, real life, lost continent (yes, it's rather oxymoronic). It's supposedly the land bridge that connected Africa to South America, explaining the odd division of lemurs (hence its name) on both sides of the Atlantic. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken)
Status: Unverified

Real Place (Pangaea): The map of the Golden Land matches the map of the supercontinent Pangaea, also the only continent on the Earth until it was torn apart by plate tectonics. Note also that one of the lands on the world map is called "Gondowan", very close to "Gondowanaland", one of the continents that resulted from the first split (the other was Laurasia). For details, check your natural geography text. (Credit: Ultimate Chicken)
Status: Unverified

Golf (GB)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): Mario is the golfer in this game. He also appears on the U.S. boxart. (Credit: Mark Kelly)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO. Source: Nintendo Power.

Golf (NES)

Cross-Series (Super Mario Bros.): The golfer is modeled after Mario. (Credit: Yoichi)
Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) proves it.

Golvellius: Valley of Doom (SMS)

Cross-Series (Zanac): The Blue Landers from Zanac and The Guardian Legend sell you items in this game. They even have the same theme music as they did in TGL, it's just a little slower. (Credit: Dire 51)
Status: Unverified

Goonies, The (FC)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World/Twinbee): Konami Man and Twinbee appear in Level 3. (Credit: Arnold & Dire 51)
Status: TRUE: OPCFG confirms it.

Goonies 2, The (NES)

Cross-Series (Wai Wai World): Konami Man appears in The Goonies 2 as himself. He is from the Konami Wai Wai World games for the Famicom. (Credit: Shadow Villgust)
Status: TRUE: OPCFG confirms it.

Gotcha Force (GCN)

Cross-Series (Strider): There's a Ninja toy you get very early in the game ("Regular Ninja" or something like that) that looks an awful lot like a Strider. Its biography even mentions something about belonging to an assassination group. (Credit: Codie Martin)
Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Mega Man Legends): In Gotcha Force, there are 2 borgs that share the same cameo, called Magnet Robot (+) and Magnet Robot (-). They both have magnets for arms and on the blue and red parts of the magnets are two letters, one on each color. They are an S and an N. In Mega Man Legends there is a boss that has the same magnet! To see the magnet, go here: (Screenshot.) (Credit: Taylor Ackerson)
Status: Unverified

Gradius 2 (Multiplatform)

Cross-Series/Movie (Contra/Alien): Level 2 has those pods and scorpions from the Contra games, which in turn, were inspired by the eggs and facehuggers from the Alien movies. (Credit: Crawl and 1000)
Status: TRUE: (Screenshot) from (The Gradius Base) proves it.

Grandia (PS1/Saturn)

Cross-Series (Magic Knight Rayearth): At the first dungeon of the game, you'll meet Nana, Saki and Mio (the three sargeants from Garlyde forces). Look at them and youŽll notice that the three girls are a mock of Magic Knight Rayearth (Umi, Hikaru and Fuu). Maybe it's because Game Arts was planning Magic Knight Rayearth for Sega Saturn before Grandia was released. (Credit: Emerson)
Status: TRUE: (Picture) seems to prove it.

Grandia 2 (Multiplatform)

Character Cameo: Near the beginning of the game, when Elena is being escorted by the other Sisters of Granas to the Garmia Tower, the three other Sisters with speaking roles appear to be based somewhat loosely on Nana, Saki, and Mio from Grandia I. (Credit: Devin de Gruyl)
Status: Unverified

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2/PC)

Character Cameo: Since Vice City takes place before Grand Theft Auto 3, several GTA3 characters show up in Vice City, including Kent Paul, Phil Cassidy, and Donald Love. (Credit: SlyDante)
Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Steven Spielberg): Porn director Steve Scott is described as having "an unnatural obsession with sharks and mountains of mashed potatoes." Both of those are references to the movies Jaws and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (respectively), which were both directed by Steven Spielberg. Add that fact to the name, and it seems very damn obvious that Steve Scott is a parody of Steven Spielberg. They even kinda look alike. (Credit: SlyDante)
Status: Unverified

Real Place (Miami, Florida): In case you haven't figured it out by now, Vice City itself is inspired by real-life city, Miami. (Credit: SlyDante)
Status: Unverified

TV Shows (Miami Vice): As if it was a tribute of sorts, Philip Michael Thomas, one of the stars of the former TV show "Miami Vice", voices the character Lance Vance, who's your sidekick of sorts. Several celebrities also provide voiceovers, but that's pretty common nowadays in video games. (Credit: SlyDante)
Status: Unverified

Cross-Series (Various): All of your assassination targets in the "Autocide" mission appear to be named after the main characters of GTA clones! Here's who they are:

Guardian Heroes (Saturn)

Cross-Series (Gunstar Heroes): Golden Silver, the final boss of Gunstar Heroes, makes an appearance in the game somewhere. (Credit: Dire 51)
Status: Unverified

Guardian Legend, The (NES)

Cross-Series (Zanac): The Blue and Red Lander characters were originally 1-Up items in Zanac.
Status: TRUE: Screenshots prove it: (Zanac Blue Lander) (Guardian Legend Blue Lander)

Guerrilla War (NES)

Famous Person (Fidel Castro/Che Guevara): According to the Japanese version of this game, the two characters you control are Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. (Credit: MJB817)
Status: Unverified

Guilty Gear (PS1)

Famous Person (Megumi): The manual says that Axl Low is dating the Japanese model Megumi. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Movie (Battleship Potemkin): Potemkin most likely got his name from the film "Battleship Potemkin" In the film, The Potemkin is (as you may have guessed) a battleship. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unproven

Guilty Gear Isuka (Multiplatform)

Famous Person (ABBA/Paracelsus): ABA's name is based on that of the Swedish band ABBA. Her key is named Paracelsus, after a 15th century alchemist. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: TRUE: Verified by FO.

Guilty Gear X (Multiplatform)

Famous Person (Axl Rose): Axl Low is based on Axl Rose of Guns 'n Roses. (Credit: Codie Martin)
Status: TRUE: Pictures prove it: (Axl Low) (Axl Rose)

Famous Person (Queen): The manual of the PS2 version says Sol likes to listen to Queen. (Credit: Codie Martin)
Status: Unverified

Music (Ride the Lightning): Ky's Overdrive attack is called "Ride the Lightning" which is the name of a Metallica song. (Credit: Codie Martin)
Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Freddie Mercury): Sol Badguy's real name is Frederick, which is a reference to Freddie Mercury of Queen. (Credit: cuttersDCut)
Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Napalm Death): Sol also has a one hit kill called "Napalm Death" which was a band from the 80's. (Credit: cuttersDCut)
Status: Unverified

Music/Famous Person (Various): Site reader LVK138 sent me a list of all the Guilty Gear X references that he was aware of that were not previously posted. This is very long:

Literature (Roses Are Red): In the manual for Guilty Gear X, it says that Zato-1ONE is the person who wrote the poem "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you". (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Famous Person (Slash): Rather than crying "Knock Out" at the end of each round, the game announcer cries "SLASH!", which is more than likely a reference to the lead guitarist ofh Guns n Roses. Normally I wouldn't mention it, but given their tendencies to make obscure references like this... (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Movie (Zorro): One of Johnny's moves (Johnny Special), sees him carving a large J in midair, much like Zorro, only with a J, not Z. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Movie (The Ring): When Testament walks forward, it mimics the way Sadako walks in the ring (hunched over, trudging, hair covering his face). (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Anime (Dragon Ball Z): One of Chipp Zanuff's costumes sees him dressing up as Vegeta from Dragonball Z. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Anime (Rurouni Kenshin): Not only is Baiken Seishino's character design based on design Kenshin Himura (from the Anime Rurouni Kenshin), but he appears in the background of her stage, watching the fight. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Miscellaneous (Microsoft): When you beat Robo-Ky he shouts "ERROR! ERROR! BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!", referring to the colloquial name for the Microsoft error. (Credit: Andy Thorley)
Status: Unverified

Guilty Gear X2/XX (Multiplatform)

Famous Person/Music/Movie (Various): More from LVK138: