Games with Inside Jokes for Gamers: A Definitive Pictorial List
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Several games contain jokes that are specifically about games or target gamers. Inside jokes, that the non-gaming community just wouldn't catch. Some of us, on the other hand, will catch on right away. That's what this list is about: a pictorial gallery of such "inside jokes".
Note, this list is not about games with jokes or humour in general, but only games that have jokes about games or gaming.
What are some good examples? I've done some research and come up with over 50 entries, but I'm sure this doesn't exhaust the potential games that qualify. Feel free to add to this list, with pictures if possible!
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This has portraits of both designers.
Pier Giorgio Paglia (left) on the Plagiarism card:
Andrea Angiolino on the Inspiration card:
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Krzysztof Zięba
Poland
Kraków
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As written in the last page of the rulebook, the author of the game was the model for the Werewolf, Scarecrow and one of the Militia
Sorry I haven't got a pic to prove that - those of you not owning the game have to believe me
And we can always ask Jason about it 
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Darren Dew
United States
Savannah
Georgia
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On the Zev note, if memory serves, he's on a number of cards in Shadowfist. I *think* he's on Close Call, after narrowly escaping death. I'll do some scouting and see what else turns up.
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Andrea Angiolino
Italy
Rome
European Union
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This is the very first Italian simulation game. On the iper-detailed map drawing by Pier Giorgio Maoloni there are several parts of different European cities. Among them, the home of each of the several designers of the C.UnS.A. team.
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Martin Ethier
Canada
Gatineau
Quebec
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The game is about students doing everything they can to pass exams. The student names are all designers I respect.
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Roland Alkemper
Germany
Erfurt
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One might recognize the prisoners on the bonus cards in Port Royal as El Grande and friend.
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Illustrator Dario Cali has made a joke on the designer Andrea Angiolino, by making him into a pawn in the game:
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Featuring the game publisher Paolo Vallerga on the artwork:
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Gert Keijer-Spaink
Netherlands
Utrecht
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All those "Unnamed Leaders" (lower righthand corner), who are these people?
They must be insides jokes.
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Markus Pausch
Germany
Hamburg
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This guy looks like Richard Borg.
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The cover of the Avalon Hill game features folks from Victory Games:
BGG user ericleesmith is among them - can you see which?!
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Candle Ends
United States
Unspecified
Unspecified
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A satire of car wars, which appeared in White Dwarf. Featured characters named Steve Jackson (U.S.) and Steve Jackson (U.K.).
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Uisge Beatha
Scotland
http://www.thekanofoundation.com/
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Slapshot has a card featuring Mike 'Sumo' Siggins, whom many will know from his game reviews (and now designs); he's also a former Geek of the Week
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Silvano Sorrentino
Italy
Bari
Unspecified
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The purple cards show poor goofy Figaro trying to impress the king with his painting skills (and failing miserably).
Here are the three attempts.
The first one (rank 1) is too childish.
The second one (rank 2) is too abstract.
The third one (rank 3) is an actual portrait, but instead of depicting the king the subject is... the game designer, good ol' Reiner Knizia!
The king is not pleased at all! 
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William Hostman
United States
Eagle River
Alaska
Gaming in Greater Anchorage area, Alaska since 1978. Looking for Indy-willing RPG players in Eagle River (or willing to drive to Eagle River). Geekmail me if interested.
Yes, this really is what I looked like when I uploaded that avatar. Not that it's quite current anymore.
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Designed By:
Bevan Von Weichardt
Marco Fuini
In the Game Breaker's expansion (included in the box I bought)...
Notice the names on the cards:
Also note that Luca Fuini is a south african individual involved in botany, and there is a Marco Sims with a net presence.
Google didn't get the other two...
Status: unconfirmed.
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Donovan K. Loucks
United States
Victoria
Minnesota
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The cartouches on the province markers are different for each color:
I suspected that they could actually be translated, but I never got around to checking on it... Until this geeklist appeared. I found some Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabets online and here are what the five cartouches translate to:
Green: Imelda
White: Margret
Black: Bernd
Red: Franz
Blue: Dirk
The illustrator for the game is Franz Vohwinkel so he was probably the one who slipped in these little references. His wife's name is Imelda, "Margret" may be a reference to Magic: The Gathering artist Margaret Organ-Kean, Bernd could be game designer Bernd Brunnhofer or perhaps game developer Bernd Dietrich, Franz is obviously Vohwinkel himself, and Dirk could be game designer Dirk Henn.
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Bonus card "Il Signore dei Goblin" by J.Kovalic portraits Silvio Negri Clementi from Stratelibri.
Bonus card "I Corvi" portraits Roberto Petrillo and Paolo Carraro from Raven Distribution (corvi means ravens).
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The new edition by Gryphon Games features several inside jokes in the artwork. Here's the game's designer, Reiner Knizia:
A silhouette of Sean, one of the partners of the publishing company:
Another partner in the company, Cam, who is also head of US sales:
Here's Logan, the son of the Director of Marketing Keith Blume:
And we have the signature of the "Grand High Minister of Artistry" responsible for the humour, Paul Niemeyer:
Inside jokes: Easter eggs in the artwork of the new edition of Money!
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/3122260#3122260
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Look, they're playing games! Any guesses as to what these birds are playing?
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Ian Engleback
England
Croydon
London
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Kings and Things has a "thing" called Flying Buffalo.
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Antony Hemme
Canada
Montréal
Québec
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The drawing of the red village tile seems to show the designer of the game, Antoine Bauza.
Other village tiles shows other people... Don't know who they are yet !
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The Modern Art: The Card Game edition pictures the game's designer Knizia as part of the featured artwork of artist "Lite Metal".
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Johan Pettersson
Sweden
Smygehamn
Skåne
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On the bank-notes in Key Largo we find amongst other people the designers of the game: Bruno Faidutti, Mike Selinker and Paul Randles
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The game's designer Dirk Liekens, is featured in the scoring example of the three-player game in the rule book:
Good think he won! Jack is presumably the game's publisher, Jackson Pope.
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Edit: I just stumbled across a great GeekList by Rick Heli about Self-Referential games, which gave me material for some more entries.
Orem
Utah
Philadelphia
PA
Richard Berg named a town in "The Campaign for North Africa" after his son (El Alex if memory serves), and just check out the cover of Avalon Hill's golf game, I forget the name, I'm there as are all of use at Victory Games.
ruddervoorde
Bath
GB