The inclusion of Interpol harkens back the very first version of the original game, where the player worked for Interpol instead of A.C.M.E.
Early on, Julia guesses that Carmen may simply be stealing as a form of game. In some continuities such as the previous cartoon, that was her motivation.
In the first episode, Chase asks Julia if it's possible for a car to keep up with a speeding train. Julia responds that she's no math detective. Bonus points in that Chase was in that game.
One of Carmen's classmates points out the absurdity of the various antagonists in the franchise having Punny Names, saying that nobody would take them seriously.
The Elevator Muzak in V.I.L.E. HQ is Mozart's 'Singt dem grossen Bassa Lieder', which was used as the basis for the theme to Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?.
Chase is told that he is "no longer a gumshoe" when he's recruited by A.C.M.E.; "Gumshoe" was the lowest rank of A.C.M.E. agents in the games and in the PBS game show.
A.C.M.E.'s chief resembles her incarnation from the "Where in the World?" game show and Brøderbund games, albeit with short blonde hair. She also appears through holograms, like the AI Chief from "Where on Earth?" who also had blond hair
While Professor Maelstrom is a psychotic psychologist and not a marine archeologist, as he was in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, the first caper he is seen having Le Cheve and El Topo go after is one involving investigating a sunken ship for lost treasure.
When posed with the connection between Carmen and V.I.L.E., Devineaux's first thought is, "Ah! She is the ringleader!" — which she traditionally is, but when reminded of known facts and differences between them, he agrees that that doesn't add up here.
Chief’s description of the idea of Carmen Sandiego being the leader of VILEQuote ”A thief who publicly flaunts her crimes, the leader of a phantom criminal empire?” is exactly how Carmen Sandiego operates in nearly every other media.
"The Chasing Paper Caper" centers around Carmen trying to stop a V.I.L.E. agent from stealing all known copies of the Magna Carta. Stealing the original Magna Carta was Carmen's goal in one episode of Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?.
Coach Brunt is a big, strong woman with green hair, similar to Eartha Brute.
Dr. Dennam is listening to a podcast that claims aliens exist. Aliens appear in several different installments of the franchise.
The Cleaners are likely a reference to Rick and Nick ICK, two bumbling janitors from the 3.0 versions of Where in the World and USA. Their backstory is that they joined V.I.L.E. under the belief that knowing how to "clean up" would make them rich, and so they were assigned to "clean up" the evidence of V.I.L.E.'s whereabouts.
In "The Hot Rocks of Rio Caper (Part 1)", the daughter of the family Carmen is having lunch with (and who is also wearing Carmen's hat) is known as "Isabel", which is the middle name of Carmen from Treasure of Knowledge.
In "The Deep Dive Caper", the imagined form of Vera Cruz, potentially Carmen's mother wears a red trenchcoat and yellow scarf, just like Carmen in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?.
Completing the interactive special and getting the best ending unlocks a bonus scene involving the entire supporting cast singing Rockapella's theme song for the original game show.
Dr. Bellum's Robo-Robbers are similar to the character Robocrook from the original game show.
'Singt dem grossen Bassa Lieder' is heard once again during "The Viennese Waltz Caper" during a heist in Vienna, Austria. Carmen even points this out, remarking that "they're playing my song".
A triumphant mix of 'Singt dem grossen Bassa Lieder' is played over the arrest of V.I.L.E. during the final episode.
, two bumbling janitors from the 3.0 versions of Where in the World and USA. Their backstory is that they joined V.I.L.E. under the belief that knowing how to "clean up" would make them rich, and so they were assigned to "clean up" the evidence of V.I.L.E.'s whereabouts.