Cheats and Codes - NES Classic Edition Guide - IGN (2025)

IGN's NES Classic Edition cheats and secrets guide gives you the inside track on the known cheats, codes, helpful glitches, exploits, and secrets available for the various games that are included in the NES Classic Edition.

Balloon Fight

No cheats are currently available.

Bubble Bobble

Level Passwords (Standard)

Here are selected passwords to help you start near several of the many stages you will encounter on your journey.

• Level 10 - BCCCB
• Level 20 - AFFFB
• Level 30 - AGJJJ
• Level 40 - IGGGB
• Level 50 - FFIFG
• Level 60 - FCEEG
• Level 70 - JEEEB
• Level 80 - CCCCB
• Level 90 - CBIIB
• Level 99 - GEJJJ
• Level pre-boss -EECJJ

Level Passwords (Super)

Here are selected passwords to help you start near several of the many stages you will encounter on your journey through the 'super' second quest.

• Level 10 - BCEIB
• Level 20 - AFAJJ
• Level 30 - AGJAJ
• Level 40 - IGJAI
• Level 50 - FIBCJ
• Level 60 - FCEIJ
• Level 70 - JECBJ
• Level 80 - CCEIB
• Level 90 - CBIEB
• Level 99 - GEJAJ
• Level pre-boss - EECFG

Level Select

To start on any level, enter the password DDFFI. Move the cursor to one-player or two-player continue, then press B to change your starting level.

Hint: Steal A Life

This code is for 2-player Bubble Bobble. If either player is out of lives, press START then SELECT, and the dead player will steal a life from the living player. Please note: This will not work while warping to the next level.

Sound Test

To access the sound test, defeat Super Bubble Bobble mode and get a happy ending.

Best Ending

In Room 99, take the Crystal to Room A0. In Room B3, fire at the final enemy until it's covered with a bubble. Now, press Start to bring in the second player. Pop the bubble and you'll get the happy ending.

Castlevania

Harder Game

To unlock a harder version of the game, beat the game once through and then play it again from the menu without starting the game over again. You'll be presented with the identical game as before, with all six levels in tact, but it will be much harder.

First Stage Point Exploit

Head through the initial part of the first level, collecting as many hearts as you can. When you can climb the stairs to a platform to grab the Holy Water sub-weapon from the candle, do so. Then, move to the right, right before the first wooden door brings you to the second area of the stage. Stay on the ground-level, and walk back and forth, using Holy Water to take out three or four Ghouls at a time. Every Ghoul past the first one slain will give you double bonus points. The increase goes like this: 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and so on. You should get over 7,000 points per Holy Water throw.

Repeating this process skillfully will give you over 100,000 points before time runs out. You will then be able to roll over the score relatively quickly, building up a stash of extra lives that will help you with the rest of the game.

Easy Lives (Stage 2)

If you hit the candle in Stage 2 that drops a bag of money worth 700 points, you can then head down the adjacent stairs into the lower chamber. Immediately return to the previous screen and hit the candle for 700 more points. You can repeat this process as often as you like, quickly gaining points that allow you to gain an extra life every 30,000 points. You will lose a life whenever the timer reaches 0, but you should be able to gain enough points that you come out ahead, as long as you're willing to repeat the tedious process (and quickly enough).

Easy Grim Reaper Kill

The Grim Reaper at the end of the fifth level is arguably the hardest boss in the game - harder than even Dracula himself. However, there's a quick and easy way (some might call it cheap) to kill him. During his stage, find the Holy Water sub-weapon, and hold onto it for dear life. When you finally get to fight Grim Reaper at the end of the stage, you can use the Holy Water to decimate the foe. Since there are raised platforms on both sides of the stage, wait until the enemy floats over or near one of them, and toss Holy Water. This will damage him and freeze him, allowing you to chuck Holy Water after Holy Water. You can kill him in seconds with this technique, before he's able to chuck even one scythe your way.

Donkey Kong

Easy Points (Level 1)

When you jump over a barrel, you typically are awarded 100 points for your effort. If you jump over a barrel while positioned directly above the top of the middle ladder attached to the third tier (in the game's first level), you may also gain several hundred additional points. That will happen in the event that the barrel starts down the ladder as you are in the air, due to your jump. It's a great way to obtain a higher score than you otherwise could.

Donkey Kong Jr.

No cheats are currently available.

Double Dragon 2

Continue Codes

You can continue your game by entering different codes on the "Game Over" screen. The buttons you have to press and the corresponding levels are listed below:

• Levels 1 to 3 - On Controller 1, press UP, RIGHT, DOWN, LEFT, A, B
• Levels 4 to 6 - On Controller 1, press UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A, A
• Levels 7 to 9 - On Controller 2, press A, A, B, B, DOWN, UP, RIGHT, LEFT

Transfer Lives Trick

In 2-player mode B, Billy and Jimmy will transfer lives between themselves if they kill each other. This can be useful when either of them is low on life.

Dr. Mario

Quick Reset

If you start playing badly, are about to lose, or otherwise want to reset your game to try again, there's a way to do this without getting up and physically resetting your NES. During the game, simply press A+B+SELECT+START simultaneously. It will bring you back to the game's title screen.

Cutscenes

Minor cutscenes can be uncovered in the game simply by reaching certain levels on certain difficulty levels/speeds. For instance, on the Low Speed, you will only get a cutscene at the 20th level. But if you play on Medium or High Speed, cutscenes will occur every fifth level.

Excitebike

Turbo When Crashed

When you crash, your biker normally takes what feels like forever to get back on his bike. To speed him up, though, you can keep pressing the B button and he'll move more quickly.

Final Fantasy

Link's Grave (Easter Egg)

In Elfheim, make your way to the top portion of town, behind one of the shops, where a series of gravestones is located. Check one of them and it will say, "Here lies Link." Some of you may be familiar with the name.

In some versions of the game, you can also check one of the tombstones to find text saying "Here lies Erdrick," which is a reference to a primary character appearing in the early Dragon Quest/Warrior games.

Black Belt/Master Tips

The Black Belt may seem weak at first, but when you get him to level 10, watch his attack STR sky rocket! The Black Belt's DMG rating is always equal to double his current level, unless he has a weapon equipped. So basically, don't equip any weapons on him. The same also holds true for his DEF rating. His ability to absorb attacks is always equal to his level, unless he has armor equipped. So when you get him to level 50, his rating will be 50, which is pretty good considering that the highest even a Knight can reach is 74. The Black Belt/Master is the best physical character to have, in other words.

Quick Experience (Astos Castle)

For quick experience near the beginning of the game, go to Astos Castle. After you acquire the Mystic Key, you can enter the treasure room. There are three chests waiting. Stepping in front of each one will always trigger a fight, usually with Mummy or Image enemies as your opponents. If you have Harm2 and Fire2 spells, you can defeat them without much difficulty. Since each position in front of a chest triggers a fight, it's a great way to quickly rack up experience. You receive roughly 60 EXP for each Image, and 75 for each Mummy. They come in packs of 3 to 6, and also yield a good supply of gold.

Rare Enemy: Warmech

In the Sky Castle, there is a long bridge that you must cross in order to reach and do battle with Tiamat. On this bridge, it is possible to encounter and fight a powerful enemy that is even stronger than Tiamat. That enemy is called Warmech. It has 1200 HP, and can cast some mean spells such as Nuke. If you encounter the enemy, use your strongest spells and strategies to survive. The encounter is entirely optional, but a good challenge if you consider yourself a Final Fantasy master.

Secret Bonus Game

Board your ship and press A+B 55 times in a row. You'll then be taken to a screen with a secret sliding puzzle mini-game. There is no reward for clearing it.

Easy Experience

Here are some areas where you can grind to quickly build up experience points and gain levels:

• Head east through the mountains near the port town near the start of the game, where you get the ship, then north until you reach a peninsula. You will see a channel of water that a ship can barely pass through, and water on the other side. If you wander back and forth on the two spaces at the very tip of that peninsula, you'll encounter extremely powerful monsters from much later in the game, such as frost wolves, giants, Tyros, and so forth. Defeat them to acquire points and gain the levels that will carry you through much of the remaining game.
• In the Earth Cave, go straight west on the first floor, until you reach a hallway that loops around in a generally square shape. There, you will be attacked by giants and iguanas at nearly every step, allowing you to quickly build up a lot of experience.

View World Map

To bring up the world map press SELECT+B at the same time. A map should appear, with towns and levels marked.

Secret Magic Shop

In the final town, Lefein, go to the northeast corner and find the hole in the wall. Go through it and keep going until you reach a building. Inside, you will find the White Magic spell LIF2 (which brings a warrior back to life with full HP) and the black magic spell NUKE (which does roughly 400 points of fire damage to all enemies). They are both level 8 magic, and can only be learned by the wizard of a matching color.

Galaga

Hint: Easy Bonus Stage

If you have 2 ships when you arrive in a bonus stage, don't move. Just fire rapidly. It's entirely possible to hit every alien that way.

Hint: Double Firepower

There are larger enemies in the back that are green. They turn blue when you first shoot them. Also, they sometimes send out a wave that will suck you up. Let them do that. When you are given your next ship, shoot the enemy that is holding your previous ship, while being carefully not to hit your own ship. If you destroy the enemy but not your old ship, it will glide down to your position and dock next to you, giving you double the firepower.

Ghosts n Goblins

Level Select

Perform the following process on the title screen, before the demo starts playing:

1. Hold RIGHT while you press B three times.
2. Press UP and then release it before pressing B three times.
3. Press LEFT and then release it before pressing B three times.
4. Press DOWN and then release it before pressing B three times.
5. Press START and a number and letter will appear in the middle of the screen. Use the A and B buttons to change the numbers to the stage on which you would like to begin play.
6. Press START again to begin playing the game.

Gradius

Sound Test

At the title screen, hold A+B and press START. You will taken to a sub-menu where you can listen to various tracks and SFX. This trick also works with other Konami games such as the Japanese Contra, Super C, and others.

30 Lives

To start the game with 30 lives, enter the following code at the title screen: UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A, START.

Level Skip

The ship at the end of each level is there for a purpose. Destroy the ship in 5 seconds (hard, but not impossible) and obtain a warp to the level ahead of it. Haven't you ever wondered why there is no ship at the end of level 6?

More Power

Pause the game and press UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A, START. You'll gain two options, missiles, and extra speed. You can only do this once per level, though.

Unlimited Continues

Don't let the bug-eyed monsters get you down. At the Game Over screen, press DOWN, UP, B, A, B, A, B, A, START to resume your mission.

Ice Climber

No cheats are currently available.

Kid Icarus

Assorted Passwords

Here are various level codes and more for Kid Icarus.

• 0000eu 60j700 uG0004 1000J0 - Level 1-4
• 000ys T0J300 m2001C H000aS - Level 2-1
• 00008C i04400 mIG01D I0005F - Level 2-4
• ICARUS FIGHTS MEDUSA ANGELS - Level 2-4, Invincibility, Infinite Feathers
• 0000mu w0K200 O3G00H I100s5 - Level 3-1
• ICARUS ANDTHE ARROWS FLYING - Level 3-3
• 0000y0 11X200 u0G00H I100t0 - Level 3-4
• 00008p 414100 O3G00H I500eB - Level 4-1
• AuW2e5 XcdF00 mt000G K50Wuu - Final Level w/ 9,999,999 points
• KidKid Icarus KidKid Icarus - Final Level, Invincibility
• 8uuuuu uuuuuu uuuuuu uuuuuu - Infinite Potions
• DUVANS MAMMOR KOMMER BORTOT - Start at the last level with invincibility and fully upgraded arrows.
• PAKING PAKING PAKING PAKING - Start the game with everything

Secret Continue

To resume play from the same position and with the same implements that you had when your game ended, simply press B, A, B on controller number one before the title screen appears.

Lower Shop Prices

To get the shopkeeper to lower his prices, press the A+B simultaneously on the second controller. This will usually cause the shopkeepers to lower their prices whenever you go into a shop in the game. This will not work with the shops with the black background.

Kirby's Adventure

Hint: Final Level Secret

At the Last level (7-6) before going into the final door, press UP and fly up to the moon and go under it. There will be a secret door there. Then just fall with the full life and one up. There will be the final secret room.

More Boss Damage

If you are having difficulties with any of the bosses in Kirby's Adventure, then this tip is for you. Before going to any of the end bosses (Whispy Woods, Kracko, etc), get Crash Power. Wait until the boss's meter is full, then use the Crash power. You will drain 1/2 of his energy meter instantly.

Warp in Grape Gardens (Level 4)

Go to Grape Gardens, to Door 6. Beat the Mike guy. Do not inhale him. Instead, go to the next room and inhale the first light person you see. Turn around a little bit and you will see a door. Go in that door. You will then see a button. Press it to make a warp appear in Grape Gardens.

Five Extra Lives

In Level 2 of the Rainbow Resort area, jump or fly up to the ledge above the entrance door. Stand directly over the door, then fly up yet again. You will reach a secret, hidden door. By entering it, you skip the first three mini-bosses. After beating the last one (a fireball lion), you will enter a secret room with five 1-ups. Enter the door to your right to end the level.

Sound Test

To access the SOUND TEST option from the menu, beat the extra game.

Mario Bros

Pass Through Ledges

When you jump toward a ledge, Mario will raise his fist. When his fist is a pixel or two separated from the ledge he is jumping toward, quickly pause the game. Then unpause it and he will float up through the ledge, as if his jump carried him directly through it. Precision timing is required. If you pause too early or too late, it won't work.

Mega Man 2

Infinite Weapon Energy

Here's a great way to ensure that you never run out of Metal Blades, Quick Boomerangs, or Bubble Lead weapon energy. Each weapon uses a minimal amount of weapon energy to launch (three Metal Blades, eight Quick Boomerangs and two Bubble Leads will consume one bar of energy), so if you can keep your use of the weapons under those numbers (for instance, two Metal Blades, seven Quick Boomerangs and a single Bubble Lead), you can then pause the game, then unpause the game, and your weapon energy will reset. Do this over and over again when using these weapons, and you’ll never run out of energy for them!

Robot Masters Defeated (Passwords)

• Flash Man - A2, C1, C2, C5, D3, E1, E2, E3
• Wood Man - A2, C2, C4, C5, D3, D4, E1, E2, E3
• Air Man - A2, C2, C4, C5, D4, E1, E2, E3, E4
• Metal Man - A4, B1, B3, C4, D1, D2, E1, E3, E4
• Bubble Man - A4, B1, B3, C4, D2, D4, E1, E3, E4
• Crash Man - A4, B1, B3, C4, D2, D3, D4, E1, E3
• Heat Man - A1, B2, C1, C4, C5, D1, D3, E3, E5
• Quick Man - A2, B1, B3, B5, C2, D1, D2, D4, E4

Bubble Man Stage Shortcut (Exploit)

There's a way to skip part of Bubble Man's stage, though your window of opportunity is limited to one try per life. At the beginning of the stage, you'll eventually go from above water to underwater. Once this transition happens, be ready. Go down two screens to the screen before the long horizontal walk rightward towards Bubble Man's lair. On this screen, jump off of the white platform and head rightward, pausing constantly and pushing rightward to make Mega Man disappear and reappear, regaining his momentum as he heads rightward. If you do this long enough and get to the right far enough, when Mega Man heads down to the screen below, he'll be quickly transported to the other side of the long corridor, allowing you to effectively skip an entire lengthy section of the stage.

If you fail, you'll either land on top of the platform lining the ceiling of the horizontal platform (where you can simply jump down to your left), or miss the platform completely. Either way, you can kill Mega Man by running headlong into the gigantic fish enemy nearby spitting out smaller robotic sea creatures, and try again.

Suggested Order

Below is a list of enemies, the order they should be defeated, and their respective weaknesses.

• Metal Man - Use Mega Buster
• Wood Man - Use Metal Blades
• Flash Man - Use Metal Blades
• Bubble Man - Use Metal Blades
• Air Man - Use Leaf Shield
• Crash Man - Use Air Shooter
• Quick Man - Use Crash Bombs
• Heat Man - Use Bubble Lead
• Dragon - Use Quick Boomerangs
• Guts Dozer - Use Metal Blades
• Wall Shooters - Use Crash Bombs
• Dr. Wily UFO - Use Metal Blades
• Dr. Wily Alien - Use Bubble Lead

Birds Instead of Stars

Alfred Hitchcock fans rejoice. Mega Man goes to the birds with this code. When selecting a boss, hold the A button to turn the stars in the background into flying birds.

All Weapons

To start playing withall weapons and items acquired, plus four energy tanks, enteryour passwordas A-5, B-2, B-4, C-1, C-3, C-5, D-4, D-5, E-2.

Long Jumps (Exploit)

If you pause in the middle of a jump, you'll reset Mega Man's downward velocity. If you press Start rapidly at the height of a jump, you can coast for long distances. This also makes Mega Man "phase out", causing most bullets to fly through you without harm.

Metroid

Spinning Enemies

You can make your enemy spin around rapidly in certain conditions. To do so, make sure the enemy is one that affixes itself to walls (such as the spiked foes in Brinstar), and make sure it's crawling up a hatch. Next, shoot the hatch without striking your enemy and the enemy will spin around rapidly in midair. This will give you about five seconds to slay your enemy when its defenselessly spinning around, with no danger to yourself. Unfortunately, however, this technique doesn't work on bosses.

Harder Game

For a greater challenge, enter the password 999999 999999 KKKKKK KKKKKK. You'll have no Varia Suit and the ending will be... unusual.

No Suit and 255 Missiles

To play without the suit and start with 255 missiles, enter the following password: JUSTIN BAILEY ------ ------

For the same bonus at the end game, enter the following password instead: JUSTIN BAILEY ------ (leave the last 6 spaces blank)

Assorted Passwords

• 00U--- -u0000 0AFw9Y 1800sb - Ridley
• 0Gz--- -m3e0G 00VvjS 3m00n? - Ready for Kraid
• ZETROIDNINTE NDOC1987???? - Last stage with everything
• uVt-Fg boo-W7 9t?lM0 O00GSi - End game - in suit
• X----- --N?WO dV-Gm9 W01GMI - End game - no suit - best ending
• mMuiS1 II6-GE Jls?h0 m00WRM - No suit - all weapons
• y54I04 0G9040 0B--00 0000YE - Everything you need to beat the game.
• NARPAS SWORD0 000000 000000 - Invincibility and Infinite Missiles
• 000000 000000 0Fy000 00003- - Start with 255 missiles
• 000000 000000 080000 0000Y8 - Start with Ice Beam
• 000000 000000 100000 000004 - Start with Long Beam
• 000000 00000G 7?2ruA 005WFh - Start with Suitless Samus / 5 Missiles / All Upgrades / No Energy Tanks
• 000000 000000 040000 0000X8 - Start with Wave Beam

Wall-Climb Bug

Shoot open a blue door, then stand where the blue part was. Let the door close on you. Rapidly press down then up, down then up, etc... you will notice as you pop in and out of the ball form that you move up half a square for every down/up repetition. Make sure you always hit UP last, or you will be stuck in the ball form. Be careful where you use this trick, as you can easily get stuck above the screen (like in horizontal-scrolling sections). When you wall-climb in a vert-scroll section, don't go beyond the top of the screen, instead, stop just short of the top, and press the jump button several time to re-center the screen.

There is a room near Ridley's lair where you can use this trick to confuse the game, where-in you wall-climb above a vert-scroll section into a horiz-scroll section, and the game tries to reverse the scrolling properties of the rooms you can get into... but you can't complete the game afterwards...

Ninja Gaiden

Sound Test

When the screen says TECMO PRESENTS 1989, press and hold LEFT+DOWN+A+B+SELECT, then press START.

Hint: Easy Kills

To kill any boss in a single blow, use the jumping slash. This technique is extremely powerful and only uses 5 magic points.

Pac-Man

No cheats are currently available.

Punch Out

Fight Super Macho Man

To fight against Super Macho Man, you must be undefeated (27 Wins, 0 Losses).

Energy Refill

To get some of your life back after a round, quickly press SELECT repeatedly. This trick only works once.

Hint: Beat Soda Popinski

Anticipate when Soda is going to uppercut you. Put up your block, and he will freeze in a crouching position. Throw a body punch for a star. A Super-Uppercut used in Round 1 will send him to the canvas automatically.

Hint: Beat Piston Honda

To knock Piston Honda down in about 1 second, wait until round 2, knock him down once and his life will be completely refilled, then *star* punch him when he is stunned. ALL of his life will vanish and he will be knocked down. Repeat the *star* punch until TKO!

Note: This works on both Hondas.

Harder Game

When a match first starts, when the you are being shown the opponent (where it shows your and your opponent's current stats) press select repeatedly. This will lower you life gauge, so the more you press select, the lower amount of life you will start out with. This also disables the ability to regain lives between rounds for every match in which you use it, so beware!!

Hint: Easy Bald Bull

As soon as the fight begins, punch Bald Bull in the face until you receive an uppercut star. When you receive it, immediately use it. Repeat this process until you win.

To speed up the process, wait for him to do a bull charge. When he's right in front of you, jab him in the stomach and he'll go down.

Hint: Beat Don Flamenco

The first time you fight Don, punch him once to force him to throw an uppercut. Dodge it and throw high punches, alternating right and left. He'll remained stunned and you'll keep punching him until he is knocked out.

Hint: Beat Great Tiger

At the beginning when you fight Great Tiger, watch for the light on his head to flash. The second it does, punch him in the face. (You will get a star.) Then quickly super punch him, and repeat until the light doesn't flash anymore. When it won't flash anymore, when he ducks down to punch you, stomach punch him. You will keep getting stars. When you have three, use them. And keep repeating until he is down.

Hint: Beat King Hippo

Dodge Hippo's normal punches. As soon he starts jumping up and down and grunting, hit him in the face once, then start punching his belly. Keep doing this until he falls down. He's so fat he can't get up! The referee will count to 10 and you'll get a K.O.

Another World Circuit

To access the Another World Circuit, enter the password 135 792 4680, then press A+B+SELECT simultaneously.

Busy Signal

Enter the password 800-422-2602 to hear a busy signal. This was Nintendo's old customer service line, and proof that even Nintendo has a sense of humor.

Assorted Passwords

You'll be a contender with these knockout passwords.

• Major Circuit - 005 737 5423
• World Circuit - 777 807 3454
• Super Macho Man - 940 861 8538
• Super Macho Man - 267 913 7638 (23 wins!)
• Piston Honda - 032 730 8442 (2nd fight)
• Don Flamenco - 005 373 5423
• Mr. Dream - 007 373 5963
• China - 777 807 3454

View Credits

To view the credits, enter the password 106 113 0120, then press A+B+SELECT simultaneously.

Simon's Quest

Assorted Passwords

• OFIC M5YX XD4C Q3AA - Thorn whip,h. water
• OFIT M5QX 1P5S QBQA - Rib,chain whip,blue crystal
• SZMH QXE1 5PXW UESE - Heart
• TIRH DYDZ 4O5V 81B1 - Nail,flame whip,red crystal
• MLIE WUCW VNKU SCBC - Ring,cross
• F6SL VQX5 LXEU SGIR - M.Star,dagger,h.water, D's rib,laurels 1,garlic 1: HP 20, Lvl 4
• F61M Xq5T DtEU Sbar - M.Star,oak stake,h.water,white crystal.
• POPB PRBV U2DT RGQZ - Last level and all items

All Items and Weapons

To start the game with all items and weapons, enter the password MLIT WVCW T3KU SFZC.

View Endings

Use these passwords to view the game's three endings. All you have to do is kill Dracula and watch the credits.

• RIG7 NVFX E45V 07BT - First ending
• OYZY UQAU R12S SMIA - Second ending
• C1DF 026D L1KN SWJK - Third ending

StarTropics

Hint: Radio Frequency

For those who don't have the manual, the Sub-C radio frequency is 747 MHz.

Hint: Organ Puzzle Solution

For those who are hearing-impaired, Captain Bell's organ puzzle can be solved by stepping on the following keys (numbered from left to right) in this order: 1, 3, 5, 4, 1, 3.

Super C

Cheat Codes

At the title menu, press the button combinations indicated below for the corresponding effects:

• RIGHT, LEFT, DOWN, UP, A, B, START - 10 Lives
• Hold A+B and press START - Sound Test

Cheat Codes (Europe/Japan)

For non-US versions of the game, enter the codes indicated below for the corresponding effects.

• On the title screen, press RIGHT, LEFT, DOWN, UP, A, B, START - 30 Live Code (Probotector II, Europe)
• At the title screen, press RIGHT, LEFT, DOWN, UP, A & B - 30 Lives (Japan)
• At the title screen, press and HOLD DOWN and press START, then immediately hold SELECT - Stage Select (Japan)

Special Aiming Trick

In a single-player game, hold DOWN on Controller 1 and hold UP on Controller 2 to be able to duck while still shooting at standing height (just like in the previous installment).

Super Mario Bros

Hint: Blooper Dodge

If you just walk along the sea floor (as regular Mario), Bloopers will never be able to kill you because they are forced back up just before they hit the floor(or you).

Fire Power Skate

You must have firepower to make this work. Anytime you exit a pipe or start a level through a doorway, hold B+A. You should automatically jump, and if done right, you'll be able to skate on one foot for a little while, as long as you hold down B.

Fire Power While Small

To do this you need to be big or have fire power. First you must be in the last level of any world except for 8. Then you must jump on Bowser's nose and the hammer that causes the bridge to retract. You have to touch the hammer andBowser's noseat the same time for it to work. You will start flashing like you have been hit, but you will stay big. When you get a mushroom in the next world it will make you small. Now, go find a flower and you'll havefire power while small until you take a hit.

Continue Code

At the "Game Over" screen, hold A. When the "1 Player/2 Player" selectionscreen appears, press START.

World -1 or World 5

To get to the never-ending water level,play through most ofworld 1-2. You need to have Fire Power. At the part right near the end of the stage, just past the second series of elevator platforms, there's a pipe that leads above ground so that you can tag the level flag. Instead of entering the pipe, hop onto it and turn your attention to the overhead blocks. Break the second and third block away from the pipe, along the ceiling. It's important that one block remains unbroken, the one positioned right next to the pipe.

Now, face left the way you came. Duck and jump backward toward the pipe, so that your head would graze the brick, but not break it. You need to remain ducked the whole time. If you aim properly,Mario's foot will catch on the pipe, and he will start to slide through it. Let him continue to slideall the way through the wall, into the screen that normally would allow you to warp to worlds 2, 3, or 4. Enter the first pipe to reach Negative World (-1).

If you are able to enter the second pipe without text appearing, you can warp to World 5-1 instead of World -1, but this only rarely works.

Extra Lives in World 3

Nearthe end of stage 3-1, you will see two turtles coming down the steps. Hop over the first turtle and let it pass. The second turtle is the one you want. Hop slightly as it gets within range, so that you come down and its shell remains on the step. It will bounce against the wall and back to Mario, repeatedly, and points will rapidly multiply as you remain in place, bouncing it against the wall. Soon, the points will multiply to the point where you receive an extra life for each bop, and you can continue to collect lives until you have as many as you need. It takes a lot of practice to get the timing right, but once you do, this is an easy way to get dozens of lives.

Warp to World 6, 7 or 8

When you get to world 4-2, go past the first set of '?' blocks and the elevator. Jump the hole and you will see a slightly lowered ceiling overhead. You can jump around beneath that area to reveal invisible blocks that form a staircase leading up toward the overhead bricks. Break those bricks and one of them will cause a beanstalk to appear. Climb the beanstalk to reach a secret bonus area. At the end of the bonus area, you will find pipes that allow you to warp directly to world 6, 7, or 8.

Warp to World 2, 3 or 4

Play through most of World 1-2. You will reach two sets of elevator platforms. Let the second set of platforms carry you toward the black top part of the screen, where your score is registered. When you are almost even with the brick ceiling, jumpfrom the elevator platformand to the right. Run along the ceiling and you will reach an opening that drops you into a room with pipes. They allow you to warp to worlds 2, 3, or 4.

Extra Points from Fireworks

When you touch the flag pole, take note of how many seconds remain on the timer. If you touch the pole just as the last digit is a 1, 3 or a 6, you will trigger 1, 3 or 6 fireworks, accordingly. Each firework increases your score by additional points.

Super Mario Bros 2

Original Super Mario Theme Song

Get a magic potion. Hold it until a star shows up. Grab the star and put the potion down while you're still invincible. Enter the door you just made and wait. Just before your invincibility wears off, exit the door and you'll hear the original Super Mario Brothers theme song.

Warp to World 4

In level 1-3, go to the area just ahead of the brick building. Pick up the plants until you get a bottle. Thencarry the potionpast the brick background, until you find a pot. Throw the bottle on it. Now go through the door and down the pot into World 4.

Warp to World 5

To warp to level 5, first reach level 3-1. When you enter the first door,drop off the side of that cloud and fallall the way down along the front of the waterfall. Hold to the middle as you fall, and when you reach the bottom of the drop, you will land on a platform with a door. Enter the door, then find the potion in the grass. Carry the potion with you to find a pot, then enter the door and enter the vase in subspace to warp.

Warp to World 6

In level 4-2, in the area with the whales, find a bottle and throw it on the next pot you see. Enter the doorway and go down the potto warp toWorld 6.

Warp to World 7

Work your way to level 5-3. It's a good idea to choose Luigi forthis stage, since he jumps well. Climb the ladder at the beginning of the level, and then jump up onto the ledge above the ladder. As soon as you get on top of the ledge, grab the first grass on the right. It is a potion. Use the potion and go through the door. Now, while in Sub-space,enter the jar and you arrive at World 7.

Hint: Luigi's Double Jump

Move Luigi next to an enemy and jump, then press the button to jump again as you reach the peak of the first leap. If your timing was right, Luigi will jump even higher.

Super Mario Bros 3

Hint: Extra Lives (World 1-2)

Go to the first of the T-shaped pipes in World 1-2.Make sure that you have the raccoon suit, so you can flap your tail to slowly descend after a leap. At the pipe, Goomba enemies will periodically emerge from the pipe's right side. Let three or four of them appear, and head slightly right so that another Goomba starts down the hill toward you. Now you can jump on one Goomba and hold the button so that you bounce high into the air. Quickly flap your tailas you descend, to drop slowly and finally stomp on another Goomba. Hold the button so that you fly into the air again. Repeat the process, descending as slowly as possible after each bounce high into the air. The points you receive start to multiply, until you begin receiving extra lives with each new stomp, as long as you don't touch the ground. You can rack up a lot of lives.

Hint: Extra Lives (World 4-1)

This trick works a lot like the one you might remember from world 1-2. Play through world 4-1, until you reach the point where you find three large Koopa turtles in close proximity (one is on a block, one is on a cloud, and the other is patrolling on some bricks). Stomp on one and rebound into the air, then flap your tail quickly to slowly float and land on the next one. Repeat that as you head for the third turtle and do the same thing. By then, the first turtle you stomped should be close to emerging from its shell. You can stomp it again and repeat the pattern. As you do so, you'll gain more points and eventually start collecting extra lives. Naturally, this trick only works if you are Raccoon Mario or Tanooki Mario.

Alternate Thanks

Beat an airship battle at the end of a world while wearing a tanooki, frog, or hammer suit and the grateful king will say something different than usual to Mario.

Extra P-Wings

Beat the game. Afterwards, play again without turning the system off. You should have 28 P-wings.

Warp Whistles

• At the end of level 1-3, before youreach the black background screen, you'll find a bunch of large, colored blocks suspended in the air. Find the white one andcrouch on it for several seconds. You will fall through. Quickly run to the right and you will disappear behind the black background in that direction.You should pass automatically into a hidden mushroom house where you can open a treasure chest to obtain a whistle.
• In World 1's fortress stage, make sure that you have the raccoon suit. Find a long stretch of space where you can run to build up speed, and fly toward the upper right. You should fly high enough to pass over the roof of the chamber's far right side, where a skeletal Koopa is walking back and forth to the right of a '?' block, in front of a door. Run right along the ceiling and press UP at the end to enter a hidden doorway. It leads to a room where you can open a treasure box to obtain another whistle.
• In World 2, beat a wandering Hammer Brother on the map. One of them will give you a hammer item. Head to the map's upper right corner and use the hammer to break a rock and reveal a hidden pathway. Follow that path and defeat the enemy Fire Brother that you find. Your reward is a whistle.

Hint: White Mushroom Houses

You can make secret white mushroom houses appear in each of the first 7 worlds by collecting the required number of coins in the corresponding stage, as indicated below.

• 1-4 - 44 coins
• 2-2 - 30 coins
• 3-8 - 41 coins
• 4-2 - 22 coins
• 5-5 - 28 coins
• 6-7 - 78 coins
• 7-2 - 41 coins

Your reward in odd-numbered stages will be a P-wing, while your reward in the even-numbered stages is an Anchor item. You will typically have to work really hard to collect every last coin required in the stages, as some may disappear if you don't make the best possible use of a P switch.

Hint: Treasure Airship

In Worlds 1, 3, 5, and 6, you can turn the wandering Hammer Bros. enemy on the map into a treasure ship loaded with coins. To do so, you must complete a stage while the following is true:

• The stage timer has an even number of seconds remaining
• Coins collected are a multiple of 11 (i.e. 33, 44, or 55)
• The 10s digit of your score matches the digit present in your coin total (for example, you have 11 coins and the 10s digit of your total score is a 1)

If all of the above is true as you collect the card and complete a stage, a Hammer Bros. enemy will turn into the treasure ship, and you have one attempt at the stage. You can collect a bunch of coins, and will face an enemy at the end.

Hint: World 8 Shortcut

To easily beat the secondstageinWorld 8, which features a fleet of Bowser's boats, just drop off the side and wim under them until you reach the end of the stage.Be careful that you don't plunge too low beneath the water, though, or Mario will drown. At the end of the stage, you'll still have to board the boat (from the right side) and defeat the boss, like usual.

Tecmo Bowl

Invisible Team

For an invisible team, enter 397BFFA5 as your code.

Mirrored Teams

To play as a mirror of your team, enter one of the codes indicated below to compete against the corresponding mirrored team.

• 43AFFEAC - Indianapolis
• 46AFFDAB - Miami
• 49AFFBA9 - Cleveland
• CCAFF7AD - Denver
• 93AFEFAS - Seattle
• 969FDFA5 - Los Angeles
• 997FBFA5 - Washington
• 9C3F7FAS - San Francisco
• 63AEFFA5 - Dallas
• 269DFFA1 - New York
• 679BFFA5 - Chicago
• AC37FFA9 - Minnesota

Assorted Codes

Here are some codes that will let you skip to various competitions within the career.

• 28359F90 - Div. Playoffs 1 (Chicago)
• 6AF5DF96 - Div. Playoffs 2 (Chicago)
• AB7DDFAB - League Playoff (Chicago)
• A99FDFA9 - SuperBowl (Chicago)
• 8BCE1F93 - Div. Playoffs 1 (Cleveland)
• 4B3E9FAF - Div. Playoffs 2 (Cleveland)
• 495EBFAD - League Playoff (Cleveland)
• 4A9EFFAE - SuperBowl (Cleveland)
• 4E0E6DAD - Div. Playoffs 1 (Denver)
• 8C1F6DAF - Div. Playoffs 2 (Denver)
• 4F9FEDAE - League Playoff (Denver)
• 0D9FEFAA - SuperBowl (Denver)
• 56E3F698 - Div. Playoffs 1 (L.A.)
• 17E3FE9D - Div. Playoffs 2 (L.A.)
• 14E3FF9B - League Playoff (L.A.)
• 977BFFA6 - SuperBowl (L.A.)
• 9DC3D79E - Div. Playoffs 1 (San Francisco)
• 9E07D7AF - Div. Playoffs 2 (San Francisco)
• 9F9FD7A0 - League Playoff (San Francisco)
• 1F9FDFA0 - SuperBowl (San Francisco)

The Legend of Zelda

Hint: Easy Gohma Kill

In Level 6 of the game's first quest, you'll first face the giant spider, Gohma. Before you enter the boss chamber, have your bow and arrows equipped. Immediately upon entering the room,unleash an arrow. The boss will be positioned directly ahead, and the arrow will pierce its eye for an instant kill. This doesn't work on most subsequent meetings, when the monster may require more hits to kill.

Hint: Fast Save

To exit and save your game quickly, press START on Controller 1 to access your subscreen, then press UP+START on Controller 2.

Second Quest Shortcut

To start a game at the second quest without first having to clear the first quest, enter ZELDA as your file name.

Hint: No Key Required

When you first enter Level 1 in the game's first quest, immediately leave and re-enter. The locked door will have opened!

Zelda 2

Hint: Fast Save

If you want to save without dying do this: pressSTART on Controller 1, and then press UP+START on Controller 2. The save screen will appear, and you can theneither Save or Continue.

Easy Experience

Start a new game, and play until you've reached the end of the first temple. After defeatingthe guardian, place the jewel in the statue. You will be awarded up to 9000 experience points. As the points start racking up, quickly press START to pause the game, and then press UP+A and choose the Save option. Choose your file andreload your save. Then watch the experience points soar.

Sword Skills

To discover the art of the Upward Strike, go to the village of Darunia (on the northwest side of the eastern island) and use the Jump spell to leap up to the rooftop of the house with a chimney.Stand on the chimney and press DOWN to enter the building, then head right anddescend to thecellar to meet with the knowledgeable warrior who will impart the skill.

The DownwardStrike is found in Mido, the town on the eastern side of the mainland, near the dock where you can first use the raft.Cast the Jump spell to reach the open door, visible on the church's second exterior floor. Enter that door and head to the right to find your teacher.

Hint: Pass Through Doors

To pass through locked doors without a key, simply turn yourself into a fairy (using the Fairy spell) and float on through. This isn't useful if you need to collect an item on the other side of the door in question, however.