In the 3DS version, you can access a secret screen by entering the Konami Code at the title screen. At this screen, a pixelated version of the show's creator Pendleton Ward dances next to a pixelated Finn and Jake while singing "Secret screen, this is the secret screen!"

At Comic Con 2012, Pen Ward, creator of Adventure Time, said when you beat the DS and 3DS game, it would play a video of him in a chair congratulating you in beating the game in a similar fashion to the Pepsi Man. However, it was never added to the game. It is presumed that it is replaced with the Konami Code secret where Pen dances.

The whole game is a reference to the Legend of Zelda Series, mainly Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. While exploring the world it is in an over-head view, and while exploring dungeons and towns it is in a side-scrolling view just like in Zelda II.

Not only that but when exploring the world map, random shadow monsters appear and you would have to fight a few enemies and get a reward. If you go into the first dungeon without Finn's golden sword Jake will say "Hey man... It's dangerous to go alone!" In which Finn replies "What?! We're both here!" Then Jake proceeds to say "Naw dude... What I mean is, this place is dangerous to enter without finding your sword first! I'm sure you'll find her soon!" Which is references the iconic phrase from the original Legend of Zelda.

In the game, when you acquire Finn's sword, it is referred to as "Scarlet The Golden Sword". However, in the TV show, Finn's sword was never given a name.

Before the battle against Marceline in the third dungeon, the Ice King cuts his conversation with Finn short by saying, "But enough talk, have at you!" After he leaves, if the garbage princess is examined, Jake will remark that the princess is "A miserable little pile of trash." These lines, and the fact that the next boss is Marceline (a vampire), are a nod to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night's opening scene where Richter Belmont confronts Dracula.

The game's files include an unused Fionna Button which is stored with the rest of the menu buttons. It's possible that it was intended for the game to allow the player to use her as a character. The game also includes an unused Boss Rush Mode.