History Funny / PlagueInc

** One of the Combos you can get in the Scenario is mixing the themes of "adult" and "family" together. Not only does the game give you [[https://i.imgur.com/sUpr2Kv.png this pop-up]] where it [[WhatTheHellPlayer knocks on you]] for your very [[JustForPun questionable decisions]], but it straight up kills the hype (the scenario's version of infectivity) and sets it to ''zero'' for the rest of the game. As your reward, you are given the ''appropriately'' fitting [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/plagueinc/images/7/72/Awkward.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180809084937 "Awkward!"]] achievement.

** This scenario is also a [[TakeThat "pull no punches"]] satire of media and their influence, especially towards certain subjects. For instance, the "Racists" icon is depicted by a pile of excrement, "Politicians" are represented by the Necroa Virus zombie icon, and both "Fascists" and "Communists" are depicted by the follower icons from the Shadow Plague.

** This scenario is also a [[TakeThat "pull no punches"]] satire of media and their influence, especially towards certain subjects. For instance, the "Racists" icon is depicted by a pile of excrement and both "Fascists" and "Communists" is depicted by the follower icons from the Shadow Plague.

** Neurax Worm uses Adoration by making itself adored so much that people won't touch their iCure devices.
** Simian Flu requires Ape Rampage. This causes apes to block the markets, preventing people from getting to buy iCures. Although considering that the Simian Flu [[UpliftedAnimal uplifts the apes]], maybe the apes are just "buying" them for free.

* While some of the custom acenarios made by players can be NightmareFuel, others can be humorous and help to take away the seriousness of the game. A particular example is "Santa's Little Helper", where the entire world outlawed happiness for being unprofitable, which includes banning Christmas celebrations. The Neurax Worm decides to bring back holiday cheers... [[EsotericHappyEnding by mind-controlling everyone]].

** Neurax Worm and Simian Flu, while lacking a way to make iCure useless, can still counter it in a "struggle" way:

* If an iCure app is developed in order to counter your disease, you can find a way to render it useless. One way is to develop the Sweating symptom, which makes people unable to use their water-sensitive touchscreens due to sweating too much.

** The Shadow Plague uses Steroidal Boost to counter [=iCure=] by causing the people to crush their devices.
** Neurax Worm uses Adoration to counter [=iCure=] by making itself adored so much that people don't touch their devices.
** Simian Flu requires Ape Rampage in order to counter the [=iCure=]. This causes apes to block the markets, preventing people from getting to buy one. Although considering that the Simian Flu [[UpliftedAnimal uplifts the apes]], maybe the apes are just "buying" them for free.

* If an iCure is developed in order to counter your disease, you can find a way to render it useless. One way is to develop the Sweating symptom, which makes people unable to use their water-sensitive touchscreens due to sweating too much.

** Another one that is exclusive to Santa's Little Helper is "On the Naughty List", which decreases happiness, this scenarios version of severity. To get it, you must involve Gluttony, Intoxication and Sloth. The message you get for this is "Humans are drunk, overweight, lazy and not feeling very happy. Lumps of coal all round!".

* "Santa's Little Helper" is a custom scenario where the entire world outlawed happiness for being unprofitable, which includes banning Christmas celebrations. The Neurax Worm decides to bring back holiday cheers... [[EsotericHappyEnding by mind-controlling everyone]].
** This also gives the news ticker some hilariously miserable takes on Christmas classics, such as:
*** "34th Street closed upon rumors of [[Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet suspected miracle]]."
*** ''Film/HomeAlone'': "Child arrested for gravely injuring two robbers."
*** ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'': "Banker attempts suicide -"haunted by three ghosts." (In another bite of this cherry, the appearance of the ghosts gives him a fatal heart attack.)
*** ''ComicBook/TheSnowman'': "Flying snowman shot down after child abduction."

* While some of the Custom Scenarios made by players can be NightmareFuel, others can be humorous and help to take away the seriousness of the game.
* Killing Creator/{{Kim|Kardashian}} [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Sharkdakian]]'s dog in the Nipah Virus scenario earns you the achievement "[[CrossesTheLineTwice Call PETA]]". The description for it is "Make a celebrity cry".
* The creators don't even try to be subtle about the real purpose of the "Ultimate Board Games" scenario.
-->*Insert witty subliminal marketing about Plague Inc: The Board Game here* :P
** Bonus "obvious plug" points: There's a series of achievements for this scenario based on selecting design elements to mimic other board games, triggering combos that get you a lot of early-game hype. One of these is called "Infecting Tabletops" with the description "Discover a very familiar board game combo" and has an icon of a die with a biohazard symbol on one of its faces. No points for guessing which board game you're supposed to mimic to get ''that'' one.
** One of the Combos you can get in the Scenario is mixing the themes of "adult" and "family" together. Not only does the game give you [[https://i.imgur.com/sUpr2Kv.png this pop-up]] where it [[WhatTheHellPlayer knocks on you]] for your very [[JustForPun questionable decisions]], but it straight up kills the hype (the scenario's version of infectivity) and sets it to ''zero'' for the rest of the game. As your reward, you are given the ''appropriately'' fitting [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/plagueinc/images/7/72/Awkward.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180809084937 "Awkward!"]] achievement.

* Symptom combos are a game mechanic that by selecting certain traits for your disease, you can potentially make your illness a lot more effective or just outright hinder you. One symptom combo can be obtained by combining Diarrhoea and Sneezing, which lowers productivity but increases awareness of your disease. The combo symptom's name? ''[[PottyFailure Oops]]''.
** Another one that is exclusive to Santa's Little Helper is "On the Naughty List", which decreases happiness, this scenarios version of severity. To get it, you must involve Gluttony, Intoxication and Sloth. The message you get for this is "Humans are drunk, overweight, lazy and not feeling very happy. Lumps of coal all round!".
** "Walking Contradiction" from the Necroa Virus. Normally, evolving Cathermal Shift allows zombies to see well in bright sunlight, increasing their severity. However, as a side-effect, [[DidntThinkThisThrough it also makes them able to suffer from Photophobia like their living counterparts]].

* Cure Mode similarly can't resist poking fun at some of the mishaps in handling the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic; "Casual" states that people will love wearing masks, "Normal" claims that politicians will at least be "vaguely competent," "Brutal" boasts that "sick people inject disinfectant," and "Mega Brutal" will have everyone believe in fake news.

With how serious and grim the game is, the developers still manage to include some moments that help to relieve some of the [[NightmareFuel/PlagueInc Nightmare Fuel]].

* Naturally, since lockdowns are at your disposal in Cure Mode, you actually get to '''[[MemeticMutation SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING]].''' Which even gets you an achievement for "doing as Madagascar does."

** Mega Brutal doubles down on the fun with some [[SelfDeprecation]]: "Doctors play Plague Inc. all day."

* Cure Mode similarly can't resist poking fun at some of the mishaps in handling the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic; "Casual" states that people will love wearing masks, "Normal" claims that politicians will at least be "vaguely competent," "Brutal" boasts that "sick people inject disinfectant," and "Mega Brutal" will have everyone believe in fake news.

** Like Ultimate Board Games, you can get achievements for basing your news on certain things. One achievement called "Too Cute to Tell a Lie" is earned when you have your news started by kittens. Another more complex achievement to get is that by picking up cultural news, men, trolling and journalists yields you ''[=GamerGate=]''. Even the text for the achievement says "please don't review bomb us".

* "Santa's Little Helper" is a custom scenario where the entire world banished happiness and stops celebrating Christmas. The Neurax Worm decides to bring back holiday cheers... [[EsotericHappyEnding by mind-controlling everyone]].

* The "Fake News" scenario has you create false stories to deceive the public. Unlike the Ultimate Board Games scenario, you aren't penalized for making ridiculous choices. This means that you can a lot of potential to create silly stories made to blame things like kittens, aliens and the Illuminati. You can also set for some of the reasons for the news to spread, like boredom or trolling.
** This scenario is also a [[TakeThat "pull no punches"]] {[Satire}} of media and their influence, especially towards certain subjects. For instance, the "Racists" icon is depicted by a pile of excrement and both "Fascists" and "Communists" is depicted by the follower icons from the Shadow Plague.