List of Sci-Fi films and books that inspired and/or were parodied in SQ?

[Sir Perceval of Daventry]

What are some of the movies and books which inspired or were parodied in Space Quest? I'd love to know as I'm on a Science Fiction kick.

Also, what '50s B movie does SQ1VGA get it's look from? I've the look of that one was inspired by '50s sci fi B movies but not which.

[Enchantermon]

Off the top of my head:

There are lots of Star Trek references in Space Quest; a shuttlepod from one of the Enterprises (Ent D, I think) in Tiny's lot in the SQI remake, the "Red Alert" on the Arcada (also in the SQI remake), A Klingon (maybe an Andorian too?) in the Space Academy, the Enterprise in the Academy's hangar, a Scotty-ish engineer on Roger's garbage scow, a transporter and probably more I'm forgetting.
There are some references to Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as well; in the SQI remake, the weapons droid on the Deltaur is based on Marvin the Paranoid Android and in the bar you'll find The Triple-Breasted Hooker of Galactica Six.
The robot from The Forbidden Planet delivers your purchase from Droids 'B' Us in the remake and the Max robot from The Black Hole is one of the robots available for purchase.
A Terminator look-alike comes to murder you in Space Quest III, and another comes after you in IV.
The "pet" Roger Keeps in SQV is remarkably similar to a head-humper from Alien.
In SQIAGI, the Grell bears a striking resemblance to the monster from the Dune movies.

I'm sure there are more, but those are the only ones coming to me at the moment.

[Baggins]

There are lots of Star Trek references in Space Quest; a shuttlepod from one of the Enterprises (Ent D,

Actually it's a Galileo shuttle from the original series. So shuttle from the NCC-1701.

[Enchantermon]

Ah, whoops. Thanks for correcting me. It's been a while since I've played the remake.

(Posted on: January 27, 2011, 12:11:02 AM)

This isn't a film or book, but another ship added to Tiny's lot in the SQI remake hails from the 24 1/2 century; a reference to Duck Dodgers.

[snabbott]

Monolith Burger is a reference to the 2001 series.

[Baggins]

Hmm speaking the Enterprise, in SQ3 it leaves the monolith station just as you travel there.

M. Burger is also a ref to mcdonalds M sign.

[Enchantermon]

Hmm speaking the Enterprise, in SQ3 it leaves the monolith station just as you travel there.

Hah, it does, doesn't it? I had forgotten about that.
In the SQI remake, again, for sale in Droids 'B' Us is a Dalek from Doctor Who and the robot from Lost in Space.

(Posted on: January 27, 2011, 12:31:55 AM)

Another of the droids, the one called "Ha-y-ao", is a reference to the robot from a 1979 Second Series finale of Lupin, created by Hayao Miyazaki (notice the name).

(Posted on: January 27, 2011, 12:43:09 AM)

The HU-1D robots (the proprietor says he has a set of three) in the SQI remake are references to Silent Running.

[snabbott]

The Aluminum Mallard in SQ3 is a play on the Millenium Falcon.
In SQ5, Roger's body gets jumbled up with a fly like in The Fly.
SQ5 is full of Star Trek references - e.g. Raemes T. Quirk.
After getting kissed by the alien in SQ2, a baby alien pops out of your stomach, like in Alien

[Damar]

Off the top of my head, here's what I can come up with:

SQ1:
Star Trek: The Star Generator is basically the Genesis Device from Wrath of Khan and Search for Spock.
The name Sarien comes from Star Trek.  Sarien Brandy was mentioned in the original series.
Star Wars: The spider droid is right out of Empire Strikes Back.
The bar is reminiscent of the Mos Eisley cantina.
Dune: Kerona being a desert planet with underground worm thingies that eat you could be inspired by Arrakis.

SQ2:
Star Wars: Vohaul is basically Darth Vader.  Seeing as how he's more machine than man; twisted and evil and whatnot.
You get swallowed and spat out by a swamp monster just like R2D2 in Empire Strikes Back.
You could argue that Vohaul's clone army is inspired by the mention of the Clone War.
The interior of Vohaul's asteroid, particularly the main landing level and the cylindrical elevators looks like it was inspired by the interior of the Death Star, particularly that one console where Obi Wan shut off the tractor beam.
Planet of the Apes: Vohaul's guards are clearly from the planet of the Apes.  Damn dirty apes!
Alien: You can get impregnated by an alien.  Kind of like in the movie.  Except with kissing.
You end up in a pod with a sleep chamber.  Just like in the movie.
Robocop: That droid guarding the pods that will totally end you is from Robocop.

SQ3:
Aliens: You wake up in a time pod after years in hypersleep, just like in the movie
2001 A Space Odyssey: There's a junked ship that kind of looks like a baseball.  It also looks like the pod from this movie.
Monolith Burger is a reference to the monolith in the movie.
Star Wars: The Aluminum Mallard is the Millennium Falcon.  Except lamer.
The arcade sequence at the end where you shoot down the ships looks kind of like the TIE fighter targeting display.
Transformers: There's a transformer head in the junk ship.
Lost in Space: The Jupiter 2 is on the junk ship.
Jaws: The rats on the junk ship have a theme song similar to Jaws.
Terminator: You're hunted by a Terminator.  It's not so much a reference as it is a simple fact.
Star Trek: Outside Fester's World 'O Wonders you have a Denebian Slime Devil.  That's from Star Trek.  The Klingons think that Kirk is a little bit like a Denebian Slime Devil.
The Enterprise is at Monolith Burger.
Dune: There's a post card for Arrakis in Fester's shop.
Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots: You're in a life-sized version at the end.

SQ4:
Star Wars: Again the bar is kind of modeled after Mos Eisley.
The security droids at the end look like the spider droid from Empire Strikes Back.
Terminator: Vohaul takes over like Skynet.
Agents are sent into the past to kill the leader of the rebellion before he's even born.  Oh and to get revenge too, I guess.
Clockwork Orange: The Xenon zombie guy has his eyelids clamped open like Brother Alex, the humble narrator, viddying the cines.
The White Mountain Trilogy: The Xenon zombie guy has a metal mesh cap on his head that mind controls him.  That's the same method of control used by the alien Masters in John Christopher's book trilogy.
Jaws: You kill the sea slug in the same way that Jaws got killed.  Minus the high powered rifle.
I Love Lucy: Yeah, it's not a sci-fi reference, but the Monolith Burger arcade sequence is just outright inspired by an episode from the show.
Get Smart: If you talk to the trash can in the arcade, you find out that it's a secret agent.  Probably Agent 13.  Or 44.  They were always the ones who complained.
H.R. Geiger: The supercomputer room looks like it was inspired by him.  He's best known for designing the Alien from the movie of the same name.  Also he designed E.T.  Alien was cooler though.

SQ5:
Star Trek: Roger is basically in Starfleet Academy.
Raemes T. Quirk is James T. Kirk.  Right down to the toupee.
Worf is in Roger's class.
A classmate tells you to go play Romulan Roulette with a hand phaser if you talk to him.  Roger's a popular guy.
The U.S.S. Enterprise A can be seen in spacedock when you're at the academy.  The narration mentions that it's about time the ship was finally decommissioned.  I always thought that was a cheap shot.
Cliffy is clearly Scotty's alcoholic cousin.  Which is saying a lot because Scotty himself was a bit of a lush.
Cliffy gets in a fight at the spacebar because someone calls his ship a garbage scow.  Scotty got in a fight at a bar with some Klingons for the exact same reason.
The transporters were right out of Star Trek.  Yeah you take transporters for granted now in sci-fi, but that was all Star Trek!  Also the transporter acts as a deus ex machina to save the day at the end.  A number of Star Trek Episodes followed that same easy out.
WD40's ship is inspired by a Romulan warbird.  And it has a cloaking device!
Star Wars: Darth Vader and Obi-Wan can be seen fighting at the academy.
Terminator: Again you are hunted by a terminator.  It's just that this one is hotter than Arnold.  If you like women.  If you like men, then Arnold was hotter.
2001 A Space Odyssey: The music when you pick up the trash is Thus Spake Zarathustra, which was made famous in it's awe-inspiring glory by this movie.
Alien: Spike is a face-hugger.  He just won't get you pregnant.  Or will he?  He also piddles acid.  The face-huggers bled acid.  It's more or less the same.
Again we have a sleep chamber just like in the  movie.
The Fly: Roger becomes half fly because of a transporter accident.
Pac-Man: You can get chased by pac-man in the Goliath's crawlspace.

SQ6:
There are just so many references here, particularly as background jokes so I'm going to miss a lot of them.
2001 A Space Odyssey: Roger's supporter turns into the Deep Ship.  In the movie the bone thrown by a homocidal ape turns into a spaceship.
Star Wars: Jebba is Jabba.
Blade Runner: Blaine is looking for replicants.  Or a liquid metal terminator.  So they kind of mixed their references there.
Terminator II: The endodroid is made of liquid metal.  I'm saying that in my Arnold voice.  Liguid medahl.
2001 A Space Odyssey: You can get Roger to say "Open the pod bay doors Hal" by clicking on a random spot on Polysorbate XL.
Star Trek: You can get Roger to say "Engage" by clicking on a random spot on Polysorbate XL.
There are Pakleds in the bar.
Sydney is Data.
The Bjorn are the Borg.
8-Rear is a joke on 10 Forward, the lounge on the Enterprise D.
There is a shuttle from the Enterprise D in the shuttlebay.  The narrator says it was parked there by a guy with a filter stuck on his face.  That's a reference to Geordi LaForge.
The Vulgars are based on the Vulcans.  Especially with that nerve pinch.
Roger's eulogy for Santiago was similar to Kirk's eulogy for Spock.  And it was just insulting.  Seriously, calling Spock's soul human?  Not cool Kirk!  And you of all people should know that!
The shuttle needs dilithium crystals.  Or an off-brand of dilithium.
Nanites!
Soylent Green: New Soylent Clear.  Clearly less people.  Clearly better taste!
Little Shop of Horrors: That plant in 8 Rear was brought aboard by Seymour Krelburne.
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego: Corpsman Santiago was named for Carmen.  And there was a comment made, possibly a joke, possibly not, that they originally wanted to name the game "Where in Corpsman Santiago is Roger Wilco" but the lawyers wouldn't let them.
The Atomic Brain: You haven't seen this horrific Z-grade movie unless you saw it on MST3K.  But the concept of an evil old woman who wants to put her brain in a young woman is from that.
Aliens: One of the ships in the shuttle bay is a dropship from the Sulaco.
Wriggley is clearly Ripley.  Except flirtier.  And she gets eaten.  Ripley never got eaten.  Chest bursted, sure.  But not eaten.
Tron: Roger entering the information superhighway is kind of like going onto the grid in Tron.
The Fantastic Voyage: The whole thing is a takeoff on Fantastic Voyage.

[Baggins]

Sarien Brandy was mentioned in the original series.

Actually its Saurian Brandy.

have a Denebian Slime Devil

Actually its an Antarean Slime Devil in SQ3, but may still be a reference.

[Damar]

True enough.  I forgot they spelled it differently in Star Trek.  The names sound enough alike though, that it could still be a reference.  Especially since we've never seen a Saurian.  Just their delicious brandy.

[Baggins]

Worf is in Roger's class.

Actually as I recall its something like 'Dorf' but its still a reference.

[Damar]

It may have even been "Woof" if I remember correctly.  I think Dorf was the security guard in SQ 6.  Which could be a slight reference.  Or just an insult.  Who wants to be named Dorf?

[Baggins]

Ya, your right, Woof is the 'klingon' in SQ5, and Dorf is the anteater alien with the ridgy snoz in SQ6.

Not a scifi reference per se, but Corpsman Santiago is a reference to Carmen Sandiego.

Commander Kielbasa is a bit of a Kilrathi and Kzinti of Larry Niven's fiction.

[Damar]

And that even has a Star Trek reference as well since one of the episodes of the animated Star Trek series, The Slaver Weapon, was taken from Niven's books.  And Deep Space 9 also referenced that, though they couldn't use the name Kzinti, so they did a variation of the name and made reference to the differently spelled, but phonetically similar Tzenkethi.

A few other references that just occurred to me.

SQ4: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (remake): The Xenon zombie points and screams right out of that move.  When Donald Sutherland did it, it was creepier though.

SQ5: 2001 A Space Odyssey: Going out in a pod and grabbing a lost crew mate is from that move.
Star Wars: The simulator at the beginning is the Millennium Falcon.
Star Trek: The whole beginning is very inspired by Star Trek, what with the captain's log and the proton (an off-brand of photon) torpedoes and whatnot.
Also, this may just be a coincidence, but we see that an F. Gordon failed the SATs at the beginning.  All I can think of is Flash Gordon whenever I see that.

[Baggins]

It's definitely Flash Gordon. Though I know I've read some threads, were people assumed it was "Gordon Freeman" Ya right.

A. Einstein is Albert Einstein, of course.

[Enchantermon]

Though I know I've read some threads, were people assumed it was "Gordon Freeman"

Pfft, Gordon Freeman. Of course it's not him; he would have smoked those SATs!

[Baggins]

Hah hah, ya, literally.

Also, i'm pretty sure that SQ5 came out long before G. Freeman, was even thought of.

[Enchantermon]

Also, i'm pretty sure that SQ5 came out long before G. Freeman, was even thought of.

I know; I was being intentionally obtuse.

[snabbott]

I know; I was being intentionally obtuse.

That's one of my favorite things to do!