Persona 4 has a lot of references to other Atlus-made games, like ''Shin Megami Tensei'' or even previous ''Persona'' games.
- There are references, both subtle and not-so-subtle, to several SMT games, both in and out of continuity. These range from the pink alligator of Persona 3's Sun Link and Rise talking about a mysterious power failure two years ago during her show at a Port Island night club (same game, Hermit Boss Battle), to the Fox's Macca leaves or the explicit mention of Detective Kuzunoha.
- For references to the events in Persona 3:
- Nanako's birthday is October 4th, which is an... eventful day in Persona 3.
- The protagonist has a Persona 3 calendar on the wall in his room.
- The P3 MC's Persona from Persona 3 was Orpheus, this game's protagonist's Persona is Izanagi. These two share a similar story: they both went to the underworld to rescue their lover from the clutches of death, but had to leave them behind. Orpheus screwed up and lost his lover, but Izanagi actually left Izanami in the underworld after he realized she was all rotted from spending too much time in the Death World. "Learning when to let go" is a big part of "Facing the Truth", which is Persona 4 's big theme.
- One of Teddie's weapons is the "Strega Claw," described as a weapon for an "agent of revenge."
- In Golden, one of the costumes you can equip is the Gekkoukan High School uniform. Your party members not only imitate the end-battle poses of SEES, but even their end-battle quotes.
- A new event in Golden involves the protagonist, Yosuke, and Kanji going to Okina to try and fail miserably at picking up girls, in reference to the disastrous "Operation Babe Hunt".
- In Kanji's Social Link, the boy he bonds with asks for a plushie of a pink alligator. Similarly, Rank 5 of Adachi's Social Link in Golden sees Nanako read a picture book involving a pink alligator. This alligator is the main character of the story written by Akinari, from the Sun Social Link in Persona 3.
- The Persona Alice is created by fusing Belial and Nebiros. This is a reference to Shin Megami Tensei I, in which the demons Belial and Nebiros summoned Alice for their own designs.
- The requirements to fuse Mahakala, the Ultimate Persona of the Death Arcana, are one big reference to the Fiends the Demi-Fiend fought in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: Matador, Daisoujou, Hell Biker, White Ridernote , Trumpeter and Mother Harlot.
- Yukiko
◊ seems to resemble the old, SNES-SMT-era (and later Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey) design of Amaterasu◊ (who serves as her ultimate Persona). - The appearance of Magatsu Izanagi looks like the berserk starving demons of Digital Devil Saga. It also seems to be a reference to the enemy used "Reverse" Personas featured in Persona 2.
- Right before Naoto's dungeon, the MC can reply in on conversation with "I do not comprehend".
- In the instruction manual of the American version, the protagonist is named Raidou Kuzunoha.
- Another nod to Digital Devil Saga, one of the drinks you can get from a vending machine is Cielo Mist.
- Long Way sounds a bit like Monado Mandala if one pays close attention.
- The subplot where Rise was supposed to be in the town and act as the chief of the lone station for a day is very, very familiar.
- In Kubo's dungeon, you hear a dialogue warning not to go out due to fears of a killer on the loose. On the surface, it sounds like it's referring to this game but word-for-word, it's a recreation of the opening scene in Shin Megami Tensei I.
- During the King's Game Scene (which just so happens to take place in the "Club Escapade" nightclub from Persona 3), Chie compares Naoto to a detective from a film she once saw. The detective in question? Kuzunoha, of the Devil Summoner series (not to mention Persona 2!). It just so happens that Naoto looks a lot like a certain Devil Summoner.
- Note that this particular gag is solely a product of the North American localization; the original Japanese was a reference to the Kindaichi family, which would be equivalent in the English-speaking world to a Sherlock Holmes reference.
- During that same scene, Rise mentions that a surprise midnight performance at the same night club was canceled due to a power outage. If you played Persona 3 you can probably guess that this happened on the night when Arcana Hermit attacked Club Escapade, which is confirmed by Shinjiro in Persona Q. The rest of the Port Island sequence is mostly filled with overt references to the previous game as well.
- Note that this particular gag is solely a product of the North American localization; the original Japanese was a reference to the Kindaichi
- The Entire Void Quest Dungeon is full of these, particularly in the boss fight against Shadow Mitsuo, which directly lifts attack menus from the original Megami Tensei.
- Not to mention one of the floor dialogues has Mitsuo's mother lift lines from the protagonist's mother from Shin Megami Tensei I as well, mentioning sirens keeping her awake and a request to buy coffee. Whether it really happened or if it's another twisted manifestation isn't entirely clear. It gets even creepier when the next floor twists the dialogue.
- Persona 4 Golden essentially turns the game's plot into a big Internal Homage to Megami Tensei I and II, by way of the new character, Marie. She's an amnesiac girl trying to discover who she was. As it turns out, she's a part of Izanami, and when you beat her in the Final Battle, Marie is restored to her true self of Izanami-no-Mikoto.note Why is this significant? Well, the main characters of Megami Tensei were unknowingly the reincarnations of Izanagi and Izanami. Your persona is Izanagi. Marie is Izanami. You have more Ship Tease with Marie than any other girl, and the game allows you to romance her alongside another girl without being punished for it. It's hard to believe this is for any other purpose than to further the Mythology Gag given the aforementioned characters were the Official Couple of their game.
