The Power Rangers franchise is more than 30 years old, so every new season and adaptation of the show is bound to have Easter eggs and references to its history at some point.Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewindis no exception because it takes fans and newcomers to the beginning of it all, so many will recognize characters, locations, and references from the first seasons of theSuper Sentai adaptation.
On top of that, developerDigital Eclipseis known for researching and digging through many franchises to give players the best possible experience, so the title is full of Easter eggs. Let’s look at the best ones.
10Robo Rita Returns
If you’re a fan of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and don’t know where Robo Rita comes from, you’re not alone. This version of the villain was introduced in the Netflix special Power Rangers: Once and Always (2023) and is described as Rita Repulsa’s pure evil, stripped of any redeeming qualities that made her turn into Mystic Mother years later.
So, we can assume Rita’s Rewind is a direct sequel to that story starring David Yost (Billy), Walter Jones (Zack), Steve Cardenas (Rocky), Catherine Sutherland (Kat), and more returning cast members.
9The Beginning Of It All
While the story is a bit rushed, the idea of Rita’s Rewind is to go through some of the most iconic moments in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. On that note, the game starts with an episode called “Yesterday of the Dumpster.” This is a direct reference to “Day of the Dumpster,” the pilot for the original series that kickstarted the franchise.
Like in the original episode, the Rangers get used to their new powers and Zords to eventually defeat Goldar and accept their fate as protectors of the Earth.
8Zack’s Style Is Undefeated
All characters get to shine in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind, but you’ll have most of the fun thanks to Zack. Many stages have boom boxes spread around, referencing the show’s opening where he fights Putties with dance moves.
What’s more, on the subway stage, two enemies with a very particular dress code will come at you. While Kimberly isn’t amused, Zack will say their outfit is a classic because he wore very similar clothes on the show and is always the most colorful of the gang.
7To The Rescue
As you fight hordes of Putties and defeat giant bosses with the Megazord, you can also rescue four innocent civilians during your adventure. All these characters are featured in the original TV show. Once you rescue them, you can talk to each one at the juice bar to get a memento.
Ms. Appleby and Mr. Caplan are recurring characters featured in MMPR, but Zeo, Turbo, Willy, and Marge only appear once in the whole show. This means Digital Eclipse conducted thorough research for Rita’s Rewind.
6Missed In Memoriam
After the credits for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind roll, Digital Eclipse included homages to Thuy Trang and Jason David Frank (Trini Kwan and Tommy Oliver), the original Yellow and Green Rangers, respectively. It’s a heartfelt tribute to two of the most important characters in the whole franchise.
However, fans noticed that Ernie, the owner of Angel Grove’s juice bar, and Zordon’s actors, also passed away, and although their characters are featured in the game with many lines, they were not mentioned in the credits.
5The Megaputty
As you advance through Rita’s Rewind’s story, you’ll face different versions of the Putty Patrollers a.k.a. Putties, Rita’s foot soldiers. Some will throw stuff at you, others will morph their arms to attack you with boulders or spikes, and others will summon bombs to hurt you.
There’s also a huge three-headed Putty, and you might not know it’s part of the official canon. While it’s never been featured on the TV show, the Megaputty is part of the BOOM! Go Go Power Rangers! comics with a single appearance in issue #13.
4White Ranger Incoming?
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers protagonists are good at martial arts, so most of their school life revolves around school tournaments and activities. However, Angel Grove also has a football team called Angel Grove Tigers.
It’s not featured anywhere except in the 2017 movie adaptation, but you can see a banner in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind during the Angel Grove Park stage. The fun fact about this is that the mascot for the team references the White Ranger.
3Easter Eggs Galore
Rita’s Rewind has a couple of secrets hidden on each stage, and we could fill another list with all of the episodes these mementos reference. Since you don’t exactly go through the whole plot of the original show, these collectibles are a great way to remember some iconic moments from the series.
From the Punk Potion that turns Kimberly and Billy into evil versions of themselves, to the iconic Green Candle, or even the Genie Lamp from the episode “Switching Places.”
2Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Origins
Episode 2 is titled Feathered Friends and begins at the Industrial Waste Site stage. Here, you’ll rescue one of the characters, find many secrets, and face the Tenga Warriors for the first time. In the middle of the many fights you’ll face, you may see four little turtles drinking from puddles of industrial waste, clearly referencing the origins of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
While it sounds odd, don’t forget that Power Rangers In Space featured a crossover with TMNT and a comic book merged the franchises again in 2019.
1Lord Zedd Is Coming
The credits roll while you see nothing but space in the background. However, once the credits end, Robo Rita’s head appears floating among planets and asteroids. After a short while, the head is surrounded by what appears to be the hatch of a spaceship. Moments later, the camera pans out a bit to show what seems to be a huge Z.
This is a clear reference to Lord Zedd, the main villain of the second season of MMPR and one of the best-looking bad guys ever. Is Digital Eclipse working on a sequel?
