Original artwork, not a still
StarCraft's (1998) cheat code, a joke on the Diablo cow-level rumour
There is no cow level.
— StarCraft • 1998
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A cheat code that is also a punchline, and the joke only works if you know the rumour. It rewards players who followed Blizzard's inside jokes and shows a studio teasing its own fans in the same breath as it hands them a win button. When Diablo II then built the level, 'there is no cow level' turned into one of gaming's best retroactive lies.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for StarCraftShow the scene
In StarCraft (1998) 'there is no cow level' is a cheat code. Entered as a single-player cheat, it ends the mission in instant victory. The joke aims at Blizzard's earlier Diablo (1997), where a rumour spread that clicking a cow in the town hub would open a secret cow level; there was none, but Diablo: Hellfire answered with a hidden cow-themed quest, and StarCraft's code denied the level outright. The cow level finally arrived for real in Diablo II (2000), the first time the hoax became actual game content.
Sources (3)
- Wikipedia: Cow levelHistory sectionReference checked
- StarCraft Wiki: List of single player cheatsthere is no cow level rowReference checked
- Diablo Wiki: The Secret Cow LevelTrivia, OriginsReference checked
Context reviewed
