The video game "Punky Pong" is based on the first arcade game called "Pong" with some elements of the famous game "Donkey Kong". The character of Billy Gabel is an exaggerated version of the original world record holder, Billy Mitchell. The plot also alludes to the documentary "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters", documenting one man's attempt at the world record.
In this episode, Colin Fisher (Joel David Moore) has tickets to the film Avatar (2009). Joel actually stars in the film as Norm Spellman.
When this episode originally aired (December 3, 2009), the release of the movie Avatar, featuring Joel David Moore as Dr. Norm Spellman, was still 15 days away (December 18, 2009).
This episode of "Bones" is an obvious tie-in with the movie "Avatar" as part of the movie's promotional campaign. "Bones" is broadcast on the Fox channel and 20th Century Fox holds the distribution rights to "Avatar".
Machines seen in the arcade along with the fictitious 'Punky Pong' include: Virtual On, Star Wars Racer Arcade, Lucky Egg Chicken Machine, Defender II, Planet Harriers, Windjammers, Big Deal Pinball, Lucky and Wild, Mortal Kombat II, Super Street Fighter II, Virtua Racing, Virtua Cop 2, Street Fighter II Championship Edition, Guitar Hero, Pump it up dance, Time Crisis 3, Galaga, , Michael Jackson Moonwalker, Ms. PAC-MAN, and PAC-MAN. Some are difficult to see as jumpers have been placed over the marquees to obscure the names.