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[allintospace]

I can't recall every receiving a birthday message or acknowledgment when playing a videogame on my birthday. I know they exist and some are probably more memorable than others, but by chance I've yet to be greeted by one.

So I'm looking for examples, old and new, and whether developers were at all creative with them?

 

[_h8bit]

Animal Crossing! - Villagers invite you over to their house for cake and a present

 

[NoFoX]

MGSV
Also MGS2 had some birthday stuff in it

 

[kauec]

Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons series, but not much happens iirc

 

[L~A]

Another Code (Trace Memory). Ashley's birthday is the same date as the one you entered in your Nintendo DS.

 

[ShiftaDeband]

Pokemon does! Go to a Pokemon Center.

 

[Eblo]

I do believe the Dissidia Final Fantasy games give an exp bonus on your birthday.

 

[BasilZero]

Pokémon x/y and omega ruby/Alpha sapphire


Not sure if sun/moon has it but I will know in 6 days from now

 

[Flandy]

PSP Go

Spoiler

It counts

 

[MaulerX]

Seaman.

 

[Martin5000]

Project Rub

Spoiler

why do I know this...

 

[woopWOOP]

In the 3DS Pokemon games the nurse will congratulate you when you enter a Pokemon Center

In Animal Crossing New Leaf the villagers organize a birthday a party at your place... I think? Or another villager's. Either way there's a bigass cake waiting for you.

In Miitomo the other denizens will sing happy birthday for your 'you' character

Pretty sure that in Fire Emblem Awakening and Fates there's some event for your custom 'My Unit' too. There's one for all the other units' birthdays atleast.

 

[tooevil]

Gran Turismo

 

[SatoAilDarko]

Miitomo

Not a game but the Wii U Internet Browser. The Mii also says Happy New Year.

 

[Kilau]

Hmmm, I need to play some 3ds today.

 

[tsab]

Animal Crossing baby!!!

Hmmm, I need to play some 3ds today.

Is it your bday? If yes, happy birthday!

 

[allintospace]

MGSV
Also MGS2 had some birthday stuff in it

See I thought MGS2 had something, but I wasn't sure if I was just thinking of name and d.o.b appearing on dog tags at the end of the game.

 

[pete_clarf]

Project Rub

Spoiler

why do I know this...

First one I thought of!

 

[Darklor01]

Animal Crossing! - Villagers invite you over to their house for cake and a present

Let us hope there is a Switch version for this game and that it continues this tradition.

 

[Linkark07]

Fire Emblem Awakening and Fates. And this reminds me, I forgot to turn them on on my birthday day.

 

[Micerider]

MGSV was the best, because I encountered even before knowing it was in the game. That really cracked me up.

 

[Ruruja]

In FIFA the commentator mentions how you're playing on your birthday in Pro Clubs mode (where you create and control 1 player online).

 

[The Big N]

Animal Crossing! - Villagers invite you over to their house for cake and a present

First thing that came to my mind as well. I remember being shocked when my town members gave me gifts on my actual birthday.

 

[Taliban Stan]

There's some F2P games that will give you an item on your birthday. That's the most I've ever seen.

 

[Rookhelm]

See I thought MGS2 had something, but I wasn't sure if I was just thinking of name and d.o.b appearing on dog tags at the end of the game.

I think a happy birthday message appears on one of the main menus?

I forget exactly how it appears, but I know you can force it when you create a new game and put in whatever today's date is as your birthday, it will say it then too.

 

[TheOmegaSpartan]

Pokémon x/y and omega ruby/Alpha sapphire


Not sure if sun/moon has it but I will know in 6 days from now

It does. Surprisingly enough, I thought the trend began in Sun and Moon since I neglected to play on my birthday in prior installments.

 

[Betty]

I think a happy birthday message appears on one of the main menus?

I forget exactly how it appears, but I know you can force it when you create a new game and put in whatever today's date is as your birthday, it will say it then too.

You get a small digital birthday cake in the Node name entry screen.

 

[Bending_Unit_22]

Off the top of my head I can't think of any other than Animal Crossing. If I recall correctly you kind of have to play on that "day" since there are special birthday items, but it's been more than 5 years since I've played an Animal Crossing game on my birthday so I'm sure a wiki would quickly confirm or deny that.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

I feel like maybe Arkham City did with the Calendar Man Easter Egg, but maybe not because how would he know when your birthday is?

 

[Ridley327]

I feel like maybe Arkham City did with the Calendar Man Easter Egg, but maybe not because how would he know when your birthday is?

I think they did that for each holiday in each month, but those are always known ahead of time.

 

[Hispanic! At the Disco]

I put my character's birthday as the day after I bought it. Played it passed midnight and was really surprised when it happened!

 

[Rellik]

I got a crappy car on Gran Turismo 5 for my birthday.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

The 3DS Fire Emblems give you some bonuses and items on your birthday. It is advantageous to set your birthday as the day you begin your campaign to receive them. Not really in the spirit of the celebrating your actual birthday, but that's what I think most players do in this case.

 

[LegendOfGood]

The Nintendo DS played a little jingle on startup for your birthday.

 

[adj_noun]

I wish Calendar Man had. That woulda been sweet. Though I guess players with birthdays on holidays would have either gotten screwed or had to go in twice or something.

 

[JinjoUnchained]

50 Cent: Bulletproof.

 

[Misuta]

Kirby Squeak Squad

 

[AbandonedTrolley]

I got a crappy car on Gran Turismo 5 for my birthday.

I believe it also plays a jazz rendition of Happy Birthday for the menu music IIRC?

 

[Rapscallion]

The fan made game "GOTY420Blazeit" makes constant references to my birthday!

 

[Melfice7]

GT5 gave you a car from your year of birth

 

[badcrumble]

Final Fantasy Tactics lets you input a birthday for Ramza and basically all of the damage and accuracy equations for the rest of the game are seriously affected by his zodiac sign, to the point that some birthdays give you drastically harder playthrough than others.

 

[Ogodei]

Kirby Squeak Squad

Came in to mention this. It was the most random thing, especially because, given how short the game was, you were unlikely to ever play it on your birthday. Most of the games that do this are long or perpetual-engagement types of games.

 

[Kilau]

Animal Crossing baby!!!



Is it your bday? If yes, happy birthday!

Thanks!

No games on 3ds acknowledged it though, I thought for sure badge bunny would say something and give me a free play.

 

[RetroMG]

Tomodachi Life does as well. All of the miis sing to you. It's kind of adorable.

 

[Mr-Joker]

The Mario and Luigi series had an item that would be stronger if you used it on your birthday.

The Nintendo DS played a little jingle on startup for your birthday.

As did the Wii U when you booted it up, I wonder if the Switch will have something like that.

 

[AerialAir]

Animal Crossing! - Villagers invite you over to their house for cake and a present

First reply nails it.

 

[True Fire]

Who remembers this piece of shit game

Spoiler

if you play the game on your 4th birthday it technically acknowledges your birthday lol

 

[nickgia]

Animal Crossing
Pokemon (Gen IV onwards)

 

[BigEmil]

Don't you have to input your birth date in that game for this to work?

I imagine alot of games don't need your birth date as it's not part of the game at all so if this was a system wide feature I imagine alot more games would do this

 

[Maligna]

If I'm remembering correctly this little guy does.