CODES: C/D

(a game that had better use of passcodes)

I think the internet killed codes, in a way - ones like the sonic1 level editor one (as opposed to straight-up UpDownLeftRight A-Start level select) became semi-mythical among my friends, chinese whispered into impossibility. I saw it done once. I spent a lot of sundays, trying.

i dunno. there are still plenty of codes out there, and internet gaming info didn't really appear until like '96 or '97...

also, i think that save features were more suspect, since half the reason for the passcodes in the first place was to record your progress.

I also just remembered: PAKING PAKING PAKING PAKING
and entering your name as ZELDA in the original game to start on the second quest.

I think the most recent game where I remember seeing codes was Zombies Ate My Neighbors, an unsung treasure of the SNES.

BACK TO THE FUTURE 2/3 CODES
Press and hold the following:
B, SELECT
Then enter the following word:
FLUXCAPACITORISTHEPOWER
You'll start on part 3.

ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES CODES
TOWNHANG
In town square by Gallows
CASTLEIN
Inside Sheriff's Castle
WEDDING
At a wedding....I guess. I never played this game!

ROGER CLEMENS MVP BASEBALL CODES
WVBBBB BBBBBB BBBBBB BBBXRB
Oakland Bashers in the first of the play-off series

5VDCBB BBBBBL BBBBVB BBBZZV
Boston Hornets in the first of the play-off series

BGBBBB BBBBBB BBBBBB BBBYM3
L. A. Apaches in the first of the play-off series

L478JG CZ3MLV XBBBFB BBBBX3
Chicago Swords in the first of the play-off series

Is this apocryphal, or did this code actually work?

i like how on metroid you can pretty much write your own codes. i think there's a tutorial on the net somewhere.

I know, ACBCAetc. But do these add to a game or completely piss on it, and when/when? I think sandbox games are an exception to this in certain respects, because you're always going to want to turn on the warm jets and wild out every once in awhile. But there are a lot of games that when you skip the challenge, or skip the development, you've got a no-good game. It's like a movie trailer giving away the ending. Why am I going through this again? To have done it, and for no other reason? This may also address how much the challenge arc contributes to the gameplay.

MAKE MARIO PERMANENTLY INVINCIBLE!!! MAKE HIM ALWAYS HAVE THE FEATHER!!! AND WITH FIREBALLS TOOOOO!!!!

*22 seconds later*

BOOOOORRRIINNNNGGGG

Save games are 100% preferable to password entry screens, no doubt (especially since cheat codes and entry screens often co-exist with them).

Call me weird but I'm one of those dudes who always finishes GTA games but never turns on cheat codes... maybe for like a half a second but to me, it generally kills the immersion, which is a big attraction to those games.

OTOH I do like the recent development (well- sort of... it hasn't really kicked in yet, mostly talked about) that developers are starting to just let you skip to the next chapter of a game if one part is too frustrating or annoying. Especially in these story-heavy action games. Though in a way, it seems like they're just bringing back the cheat codes that would let you do this in old games, right?

The cheats in Saints Row 2 were so great.

That was an example of a subpar game with lots of good qualities, where the horsing around was a knockout but the A-->B was a turd

I actually just picked it up on the Steam sale, hoping to do some co-op. So far (compared to the 2 hours of GTA IV I played) I'm liking it, though it runs a big doggish due to the poor PC port.

New debug code discovered in Super Metroid.

It's executed by holding the A, B, X, and Y buttons during a door transition to the Golden Torizo room (regardless from which side), which immediately gives you all items except of Screw Attack, 700 Energy, 300 Reserve Energy, 100 Missiles, 20 Super Missiles, and 20 Power Bombs.

video here