Which ones did you spot, and which ones did we miss?
Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 is finally here, and I’m sure you’re just as excited as we are to explore Failume Heights, a city located in an all-new region, Waifei Peninsula. This area is steeped in Eastern cultural influences, filled with Kung Fu flair and mystical undertones, and almost feels like a different game compared to the sleek streets of New Eridu.
As we wandered through the region, we found several fun details that clearly take inspiration from various pieces of media and traditional culture. Here are five Easter eggs we’ve spotted so far in the Waifei Peninsula:
Pan Yinhu is obviously inspired by another panda… right?
Okay, so this might not be a particularly subtle secret, but it’s too cheeky to ignore. Pan Yinhu, the panda warrior from Yunkui Summit, is clearly a homage to Kung Fu Panda (2008)'s Po.
Now, Pan Yinhu is a bit scruffier and gives off a more mature temperament, but the similarities are plain to see. Like Po, he’s a martial arts practitioner through and through. He doesn’t rely on weapons much, just his own Kung Fu skills.
But what really sets Yinhu apart is his wok. That’s right, his hat is a wok, and he actually uses it in combat. His Chain Attack and Ultimate are food-themed too: Anointed with Wok Steam and A Feast for the Emperor! Cooking is clearly a core part of his character, and much like Po, he doesn’t shy away from a good meal either.
He even recommends Yum Cha Sin to the Proxy. So let’s tally it up: he loves cooking, he loves food, and he fights using Kung Fu. There’s no way that this isn’t New Eridu’s own version of Po, right?
Frog Ethereal’s moves in Aerospace City are just like The Beast from Kung Fu Hustle
Staying on the Kung Fu theme, the inspiration doesn’t stop at pandas. If you head over to Aerospace City, near Lemnian Hollow, you’ll encounter a giant frog miniboss when exploring the area for the first time.
There’s something oddly familiar about its movement and sound. If you’ve seen Kung Fu Hustle (2004), you might remember “The Beast”, one of the film’s strongest and most intimidating villains. At one point, his fighting style involves leaping around like a frog, jumping with uncanny agility.
Now, we’re not saying the devs copied the movie, or that the moves are exactly similar, but the vibes are there. The frog Ethereal’s body language, jump animations, and strangely unsettling croaking sound all seem like a reference to that iconic cinematic moment. Whether it’s intentional or not, it’s hard not to draw the connection once you’ve seen both.
Chinese-style vintage poster designs
One of the more subtle nods in the Waifei Peninsula is in the form of posters plastered across the buildings. The art style of some of them feels directly pulled from vintage Chinese government posters, particularly from the 1950s to 1960s.
One poster, which advertises a drink brand, seems to take inspiration of the Chinese-style drawings of children in government-posters in the 50s.
Then there are the yellow posters near Yum Cha Sin, which resemble old public service announcements. They feature exaggeratedly muscular characters and an unmistakably bold aesthetic that continued into the 80s and even 90s in real-world designs.
Interestingly, most of these posters in ZZZ don’t actually communicate any public message. They’re more visual than verbal, but the resemblance is enough to stir up a bit of nostalgia, or at least catch your eye if you’re familiar with the art style.
Cantonese cuisine on full display: tong sui, dim sum and more
We’ve had plenty of food options across New Eridu and the Outer Ring: milk tea, ramen, red bean buns, burgers, fries… you name it! But Waifei Peninsula brings something a little different to the table: Cantonese cuisine.
Nearby the Waifei Arc, you’ll find a Tong Sui stall, where a cheerful vendor is selling sweet treats along with Teamilk (ZZZ’s version of milk tea). Tong Sui (糖水), which translates to “sugar water,” is a category of warm dessert soups and puddings. Popular across Hong Kong, it includes everything from sweet bean soups to black sesame pastes and almond creams.
Then there’s Yum Cha Sin, the restaurant we already saw in trailers. “Yum cha” literally means “drink tea,” but in practice, it’s shorthand for enjoying a round of dim sum with tea. Whether it’s steamed buns, dumplings, or small bite-sized dishes, dim sum is a staple of Hong Kong cuisine, served from high-end restaurants to street stalls.
Porcelume: a high-tech take on traditional porcelain
One of the region’s signature resources is Porcelume, found around the Lemnian Hollow. The name alone suggests a mashup of “porcelain” and some sort of sci-fi suffix–and there’s probably a good reason for that.
Porcelain has deep historical roots in China, especially from peninsular areas, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine this name is paying homage to that heritage.
In ZZZ, though, Porcelume isn’t delicate or decorative. In fact, the resource is depicted in blue and white (a clear nod to traditional porcelain), but what you actually see is a more mechanical material, tubes, bolts, and glowing golden hexagons. It better resembles a high-energy mineral or a fuel source, rather than fine china. Still, the contrast works beautifully. The naming and visual cues root it in tradition, while the actual design feels right at home in the game’s futuristic world. It’s another clever blend of old-world inspiration and New Eridu tech.
We’ve only just scratched the surface of what Waifei Peninsula has to offer, and we’re pretty sure there are even more Easter eggs tucked away. Whether they’re inspired by classic cinema, food culture, or design history, the nods are clever, thoughtful, and rewarding to spot.
What have you found while exploring Waifei Peninsula?
