History Main / XMarksTheSpot

* ''VideoGame/SixtySeconds'': One of the events involves the family finding an "X" on a wall outside and deducing if they should check it (via choosing a member). If you choose a member, it's very likely for them to find a hiding spot behind it (but not always), with you getting a random item you don't have in the shelter. There's also the chance that the chosen member will become tired or sick afterwards.

* In ''VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves'', the scuba gear and pirate treasure Sly and the gang were looking for was buried on a spot with an X made of rocks laid out to mark its location.
* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies2ItsAboutTime'': the final level of the Pirate Seas era takes place on an X, which the map says it's "Treasures! (Not zombies)". You do get a "treasure" there... after fighting loads of zombies.
* In the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' series, buried treasure is almost always marked with an X, sometimes because it's intended to be found; others, because it's a trap for the obliviously greedy. ''VideoGame/TheSecretOfMonkeyIsland'', ''[[VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge LeChuck's Revenge]]'', and ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland'' all have such Xs, though in all these cases the treasure is well-hidden and not out in the open with a map leading right to it. The other games also have hidden treasure, but in secret rooms or caves.
* After beating ''VideoGame/{{Dubloon}}'''s final boss, you can ask an old man on Pyrite Island for help in getting all the loot. He will put an X over any island in your PointAndClickMap that still has unopened treasure chests.

* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'''s Treasure Trove Cove has an X painted on the ground, which can be {{Ground Pound}}ed to transform it into an arrow pointing the way to another X. After several iterations of this (including one that turns into a question mark), the player will find a treasure chest containing a jiggy.

* The objective of ''VideoGame/CrackDown1989'' is to place bombs in specific locations within each stage, all of which are marked with a large red X.

* Inverted in ''Film/MegaMind''. Metro Man rushes to the abandoned observatory to rescue Roxanne. When he gets there, however, he discovers it's a ruse to trap him... and there is a large red X painted on the floor of the observatory [[spoiler:marking the spot where [=MegaMind=]'s death ray is aimed.]]

** Also used as a subtle {{Foreshadowing}} in ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'' with a painted "X" that Edgar stands in front of. [[spoiler:It gives away the aiming range of the shot Edgar had received.]]

* ''Videogame/BanjoKazooie'''s Treasure Trove Cove has an X painted on the ground, which can be {{Ground Pound}}ed to transform it into an arrow pointing the way to another X. After several iterations of this (including one that turns into a question mark), the player will find a treasure chest containing a jiggy.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': In a clever variant, this is a way to locate Laugh Tale, the ultimate Treasure Island where the titular One Piece is located. Using the writings of ancient stone blocks known as "red Poneglyphs", the writings show the position of a particular island; there are 4 such Poneglyphs in existence. Once all 4 islands are located, then you draw a cross between those 4 islands on the map, and Laugh Tale is located at the center of that X.

* [[WesternAnimation/TheRuffAndReddyShow Ruff and Reddy]] rescue a Swedish sailor, Skipper Kipper, from villains Captain Greedy and Salt Water Daffy who are trying to obtain a treasure map from him. The map is tattooed on Kipper's head and it has an "X" where the treasure should be.
* A Paramount ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' cartoon has Olive with Popeye in the open seas where Olive shows a treasure map and where "X" marks the spot. After a tussle with Bluto, Popeye recovers the safe in which the treasure is hidden, and when it's opened it makes Olive swoon. It's a photo of Music/FrankSinatra.

Not to be confused with the [[Film/XMarksTheSpot educational short film of the same name]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarepants'' episode ''Arrgh!'' also features this trope. The treasure Mr. Krabs is looking for lies underneath a kinda obvious large X. (Which is located 100 steps to the east, not weast.)

* Parodied in ''Series/SesameStreet'' where they note that normally X marks the spot, but since the treasure is in a library, this time "L" marks the spot.

* Film/TheThreeStooges' ''Cash and Carry'': In the old house, where some con men tell them a treasure is buried, the three are given a road map with an ambiguous "X" marked next to "Walla Walla". Curly suggests that each "Walla" represents a side of the house, and that they base the search on this.

* ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' is the TropeMaker. The map to Captain Flint's treasure is full of annotations a sports three red crosses to help guide the way to the treasure.