Classic Gaming’s 10 Worst-Kept Secrets

Though they have been largely eliminated in today’s gaming landscape thanks to downloadable content and the Internet, hidden secrets have played a large role in the games industry since its early days. These intentionally programmed cheats and shortcuts went undocumented, but that didn’t stop the most dedicated gamers from finding and sharing them with all of their friends.

In the days before the Internet, these secrets were often passed around friendship circles like urban legends. While gaming magazines often helped verify and spread them, word of mouth proved most powerful.

Let’s take a look at some of the worst-kept secrets in some of the most classic video games.

The Konami Code In Contra
Let’s get this one out of the way first. The most iconic cheat code in gaming history became widely known after it appeared in the Contra on NES to give players 30 lives with which to tackle the challenging game, but it first appeared in Gradius, where it was used to give players a powered-up ship. Since then, the code has appeared in many games from Konami – as well as several from other publishers – and has reached iconic status in popular culture as a whole. Several websites use the Konami Code to unlock fun Easter Eggs, including Digg and Vogue’s UK site.

The Holy Glasses In Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
While you can read the credits in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night without making your way through the twisted Inverted Castle, those who want to see the real ending know they need to find the Holy Glasses at the castle center. Only then can players free Richter Belmont of Shaft’s spell and work toward facing the true final boss of the game, Dracula.

Fatalities In Mortal Kombat
They may be synonymous with the bloody franchise today, but fatalities were initially so secret that co-creator John Tobias was concerned people would never find them. It didn’t take the most devoted arcade dwellers long to figure it out, however, as word spread quickly and players began spending time documenting all of the different button combinations to brutalize their vanquished foes. To learn more about how these devastating finishers came to be, check out our look at the history of Mortal Kombat’s fatalities.

“Justin Bailey” As The Password In Metroid
Several theories exist to try and explain just who Justin Bailey is, but all we know for sure is that when that name is entered as a password in Metroid, Samus’ power armor is removed and she makes her way through the game sporting a leotard instead. The code has not appeared in a Metroid game in some time, but the Metroid-inspired Axiom Verge included a nod to the famous cheat by placing its main character in a bathing suit when “Justin Bailey” was entered as a password.

Yoshi In Super Mario 64
Mario’s big leap to 3D gameplay was so well-received by fans that players worked to scour every inch to uncover the secrets within the walls of Peach’s castle. However, the most well-known secret of Super Mario 64 might very well be not within the castle, but on top of it. Upon collecting all of the challenges the game has to offer, players could launch onto the roof of the castle, where Mario’s old pal Yoshi greets him. With the game hitting during the early days of Internet forums, when the veracity of such rumors was always in question, this proved to be a pleasant surprise for the skeptical fans.

On the next page, we look at blown secrets in Doom, Mario, and Zelda!

God Mode In Doom
With run-and-gun shooters, it’s sometimes nice to not have to worry about dwindling health. With Doom, players could make their character all but invincible as they journeyed through the depths of hell. By typing “iddqd,” players had their health set to 100 percent and gained invulnerability against most objects in the game. The phrase “God Mode” wasn’t officially used in Doom, but the invulnerability cheat helped popularize the term, which has become widely used both in and out of gaming.

Becoming Super Sonic
The Sonic the Hedgehog 2 instruction manual emphasizes the importance of collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds, but it never explicitly mentions what happens when you obtain all of the gems. Aside from giving you the good ending, it also enabled Sonic to transform into Super Sonic once he collected 50 rings. This golden version of Sonic was not only faster, but also invulnerable to enemies. The concept of Super Sonic has been carried forward through most other games in the series, and expanded to include Knuckles and Tails in Sonic 3.

Bill Clinton And Al Gore In NBA Jam
Barack Obama often professes his love for the game of basketball, but in the ‘90s, Bill Clinton and Al Gore weren’t so outspoken on the topic. In Midway’s over-the-top arcade basketball title, players could unlock a host of secret characters including select mascots and athletes from other sports, but the political offerings ended up as the biggest prizes. There’s always been something awesome about soaring above the rim and posterizing your opponent as two of the most powerful men on the planet. More recent entries of the franchise have included more unlockable politicians including George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

“Zelda” As Your Name In The Legend Of Zelda
When I played the original Legend of Zelda, I always entered “Link” as my name to remain consistent with the character’s official name, but those who decided to enter “Zelda” were treated to a new legend entirely. Doing so let you play through the game’s Second Quest immediately, rather than gaining access to it after you completed the main adventure. Though the cheat is isolated to that first entry, entering “Zelda” in the name entry screen in Link’s Awakening changes the music of the screen.

Warp Zone In Super Mario Bros. World 1-2
A game that stands out as perhaps the most widely played title of all-time also brings one of the most known “secrets” of all-time. In the second level, players can jump onto the ceiling of the underground level and run along the top. It doesn’t end there, though, as those smart enough to run right past the pipe to the surface will arrive at the game’s very first warp zone, allowing them to jump ahead in the game. The secret became so widely known that many just consider it the correct way to play Super Mario Bros.

Which widely known video game “secrets” are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!