Inspirations and references

The Baldi's Basics series contains a lot of inspirations and references to elements (e.g., educational computer games and computer technologies of the 1990s) gathered by mystman12.

Video games

Mission To McDonaldland

• The video game Mission To McDonaldland gave mystman12 inspiration for future Baldi's Basics updates due to how its low-budget graphics looked.

Sonic's Schoolhouse

The comparison.

• The gameplay of Baldi's Basics, being a 3D game where the player cannot look up or down but can pan left and right and move forwards and backwards is nearly identical to how movement functions in Sonic's Schoolhouse. Likewise, the level design of Sonic Schoolhouse never has the player change elevation, and gameplay in all the Baldi's Basics games typically never had the player change elevation.
• The basic "white brick wall" texture found in all areas of Baldi's Basics Classic is reminiscent of the white brick wall textures seen in the school in Sonic's Schoolhouse.
• The appreciation GIF image of Baldi giving a thumbs up when Baldi's Basics Classic is downloaded over hundred-thousand times is a direct reference to Sonic's Schoolhouse's image screen when beating the level with all 10/10 correct answers.
• The doors' textures have the same exact size as the ones for Sonic's Schoolhouse.
• Baldi's Math Machine's main texture is inspired by the chalkboard with a math problem in Sonic's Schoolhouse.
• The number balloons bear some similarities to Sonic's Schoolhouse's hopping number objects.
• The "Elephant hit" quote file heard in the TestRoom location on occasions is in reference to an unused audio clip of Sonic's Schoolhouse.
• Some of the sprites/textures implemented in Baldi's Basics Plus are very similar or replicas of Sonic's Schoolhouse's sprites/textures, such as the checkerboard "basic" floor or ceiling lamps.
• The name entering system is very similar or identical to Sonic's Schoolhouse's one.
• The title screen in both Baldi's Basics Plus and Baldi's Basics Classic looks very similar to the Sonic's Schoolhouse boxart.
• The weird animal sounds of the farm field trip maybe be inspired by the weird animal sounds in the character selection screen in Sonic's Schoolhouse.

Super Mario

• Baldi's voice may have been inspired by the character Waluigi from the Super Mario franchise.
• 0th Prize's clothes may have been inspired by Mario's outfit, as both of them look similar. It could also reference an error in the episode Sneaky Lying Giant Koopas from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

ToeJam & Earl

• The randomized stages for Baldi's Basics Plus are inspired by ToeJam & Earl's randomized levels.
• The presents in Baldi's Basics Birthday Bash have a similar function to the ones in ToeJam & Earl which also give a random item.

Bailey's Book House

• Baldi's face glitching out in the Baldi's Basics Full Game Early Demo ending is most likely a reference to the game Bailey's Book House. Where a bizarre glitch can happen that causes Bailey's face to disappear.

Hungry Pumpkin

• The "Give me your gift..." quote on Baldi's Basics Birthday Bash is likely inspired by Hungry Pumpkin's line "Give me the (food name)". Hungry Pumpkin was one of the mystman12's favorite memes and the voice in the game is very similar to the one from the original.
• Additionally, in mystman12's livestream, It's a Bully's line, "No, I don't want that." originally comes from the Hungry Pumpkin as well.

Computers and techonology

Microsoft

• The BSODA item, its name and slogan, references the Blue Screen of Death, an error screen displayed on a computer following a fatal system error.
• The Gravity Chaos event is likely inspired by Windows 95's 3D Maze screensaver.

Products, food, and drinks

WD-40

• WD-NoSquee's name and design are inspired by WD-40. Even the item code in the game is referred to as "Wd40".

Kirkland Signature protein bar

• Energy Flavored Zesty Bar is a dithered version of Kirkland Signature protein bar.

Libman Precision Angle Broom

• Gotta Sweep's design is based on Libman Precision Angle Broom. The previous design was almost same as the original, but the bristles' color was changed in the current one.

Social media

PilotRedSun

• It's a Bully's "I'm gonna take your candy..." line is a direct reference to the "preschool bully" video.
• Although unconfirmed, Playtime's appearance, even the eyes and hair, has a very similar style to PilotRedSun's.
• 0th Prize was supposed to be Gotta Sweep's human form that mystman12 tried to draw with a similar style to PilotRedSun's.

Cartoons

The Amazing World of Gumball

• Principal of the Thing's whistle is inspired by the character "Banana Joe" from The Amazing World of Gumball, however, Principal of the Thing has a much lower pitched whistle.
• Both The Amazing World of Gumball and Baldi's Basics share an approach of making characters from different styles, such as drawn or 3D characters.
• Arts and Crafters' design was based on Sussie from this cartoon.

Homestar Runner

• One of the chalkboards says "Look! A HomestarRunner Reference!".
• "Runner Star Home", a music track used for the Kickstarter promotion video, is also a reference.

Warner Bros.

• The Portal Poster's slapping sound, number balloon's popping sound, and all sound effects from field trips originally come from animation series produced by Warner Bros..

Music

Nursery rhymes

• Playtime's music is seems to be a combination of some nursery rhymes, "Ring a Ring o' Roses", "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", and "It's Raining, It's Pouring".
• Additionally, Playtimes's music in Birthday Bash is vaguely based on the "Happy Birthday to You" song.
• A part of the 99 soundtrack appears to be a parody of "Mary Had a Little Lamb".