Rogue Legacy has several outside references, and mostly towards other video game franchises.
- The Barbarian's Fah Ro Dus shout.
- Your ancestor whom you get to fight against Ponce de Freon is also named "Sir Dovahkiin". And since he's a Barbarian, the Fah Ro Dus ability reference goes up to eleven.
- The Paladin's Tanuki statue transformation.
- Several of the spells are expies of the sub-weapons from Castlevania, from the Knife, Time Stop and the Axe. And like Zephyr, the Time Stop spell looks identical to Dio Brando's. Sadly, the Knife subweapon cannot be used at the same time. Castlevania is also possibly the inspiration for the bone-throwing skeletons and the whole "castle as an ever-changing evil entity" idea.
- You can upgrade your Shinobi (ninja) class to become Hokage. Believe it!
- Many character names are references too, including Shanoa, Chun Li, Keima and Jarvan (who, with enough generations, becomes Jarvan IV).
- An item called "Hedgehog's Curse" (which has the icon of a blue spiked ball), which causes you to drop gold on the floor when hit, like how Sonic the Hedgehog loses his rings.
- One of the Maya enemies is a large shield knight with green armor. He is called the Hulk Guard.
- Booyan, the minigame clown, is named after the game Pooyan. In fact, his theme is a suspicious similar substitute of the stage song from the NES port of the game!
- The Flavor Text for the Invuln. Time Up upgrade reads: "Strengthen your adrenal glands and be invulnerable like Bane."
- The main boss of the forest level is called The Forgotten Alexander.
- The panels describing your current character in the menu have the same layout as the Magic: The Gathering cards.
- One of the traits is called "The One" (description: "There's no spork"), and makes the levels appear as if they're computer landscapes. The loading screen also says "Jacking In" instead of "Building".
- If you fail his minigame, the Elf NPC will quote, of all things, UHF:What's in the box? NOTHING! You stupid! Soooo stupid!
- The description of the Spellsword class states at the end: You call that an axe? This is an axe!
- One of the quotes your character can give upon death: Bury me with my money!
- All minibosses are named after the demons of the Ars Goetia (Barbatos, Amon, Botis, Stolas, Focalor, Sallos, Berith and Halphas).
- The three variations of the Chicken enemy are named "Kentucky", "Fried" and "Chicken"
- When the Lich class is upgraded, male ones can become Lich Kings.
- All the main bosses are named after those who sought or wrote about the Fountain of Youth.
