The SNES Classic Edition from Nintendo is a nostalgic throwback to some of the most celebrated games of the 90s. And as was common for games of the era, many titles available in the SNES Classic Edition feature cheat codes that give players an extra edge.
For new SNES Classic Edition owners, we've compiled all of the cheat codes available across the 21 games in the console in one convenient place.
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country, often hailed as one of the best SNES games, has four cheat codes players can utilize in the SNES Classic Edition version of the game. The Bad Buddy Code allows players to constantly switch between the first and second player, which can make for a rather chaotic run through the game. Another code allows players to mess with the game's music, but players may be more interested in the codes that give them 50 lives and lets them play bonus rounds.
For the following three codes, players need to highlight the "Erase Data" option on the file select menu and press these buttons:
Bad Buddy - B, A, Down, B, Up, Down, Down, Y, A
Music Test - Down, A, R, B, Y, Down, A, Y, Select
50 Lives - B, A, R, R, A, L
The bonus rounds code needs to be inputted when the Donkey Kong Country intro music is playing:
Bonus Rounds - Down, Y, Down, Down, Y
Mega Man X
This year has been good for Mega Man X fans. Not only have they been able to duke it out as X in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and purchase a pricey new statue of their favorite character, but they can also revisit the beloved game thanks to the SNES Classic Edition. And as it turns out, Mega Man X on the SNES Classic uses all the same codes as the original version of the game did back in the day.
There are quite a few codes for Mega Man X, all of which are used at the designated password screen. The codes in the game allow players to start the game where certain conditions have already been met, like a boss has been defeated or X already has certain items unlocked.
1422-1412-7756 - Helmet Enhancement, Leg Dash
1447-1838-1271 - Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, and Storm Eagle Defeated, All Armor Upgrades, 2 Hearts, 2 Sub-Tanks
1556-6642-7448 - Launch Octopus Defeated
1573-5232-7264 - Flame Mammoth Defeated
1764-1488-7748 - Mini-Level Clear
2137-3188-8121 - All Bosses Defeated Except for Boomer Kuwanger and Sting Chameleon
2147-5277-1281 - Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, Spark Mandrill, and Storm Eagle Defeated
2556-2582-7114 - All Bosses Defeated Except for Sting Chameleon
2653-3858-7584 - All Sub-Tanks, Turbo Hearts, and Bosses Defeated
2656-5112-3164 - Armored Armadillo, Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, Spark Mandrill, and Storm Eagle Defeated
3475-5668-2581 - All Armor Upgrade, Sub-Tanks, and Turbo Hearts
3733-6838-8744 - Final Level
3676-4667-5148 - All Powerups and Armor Upgrades, Bosses Defeated
3748-8612-5524 - All Sub-Tanks, Turbo Hearts
4423-8832-7824 - All Armor Upgrades, Chill Penguin and Storm Eagle Defeated
4425-7272-3821 - Helmet Enhancement, Leg Dash
4653-4688-7884 - All Bosses Defeated, 2 Sub-Tanks, 2 Turbo Hearts
4664-1718-7748 - Head Capsule
4723-2486-1324 - All Bosses Defeated
4764-5788-3748 - Body Capsule
4764-8768-7748 - Arm Capsule
4768-7258-1871 - Chill Penguin Defeated
5131-7358-4181 - Spark Mandrill Defeated
5147-8437-4536 - Armored Armadillo Defeated
5151-3427-4261 - Boomer Kuwanger Defeated
5286-7136-5124 - Chill Penguin and Storm Eagle Defeated
5337-5377-4171 - Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, and Storm Eagle Defeated
5382-8566-2656 - Leg Dash
5385-7136-6321 - First Level Complete
5385-7136-6861 - Sting Chameleon Defeated
5447-4177-4536 - Extra Life Tank
5583-4618-5824 - All Armor Upgrades, Bosses Defeated, 1 Turbo Heart
5724-8418-3588 - All Sub-Tanks
6111-8747-4181 - Boomer Kuwanger, Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, and Storm Eagle Defeated, 1 Sub-Tank, 1 Turbo-Heart
6431-5168-8171 - Armored Armadillo, Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, Spark Mandrill, and Storm Eagle Defeated, Head Capsule, Slide Ability
6483-7376-5124 - Storm Eagle Defeated
6485-1146-2321 - All Armor Upgrades
6624-5468-8588 - All Sub-Tanks, Armor Upgrades
7374-2268-6281 - Top Row of Levels Completed
7431-3842-8523 - Everything Unlocked
8141-2136-4426 - All Levels Completed, Weapons, Sub-Tanks, and Turbo Hearts
8437-2788-8161 - All Bosses Defeated Except for Sting Chameleon, 6 Heart Tanks, 3 Armor Upgrades, 3 Sub-Tanks
8441-2176-4423 - All Sub-Tanks, Turbo Hearts, Upgrades, and Bosses Defeated
8441-2336-2421 - Everything Unlocked Except for Leg Capsule
8447-4666-6156 - All Abilities, Sub-Tanks, Turbo Hearts, Bosses Defeated, and Zero's Buster
Street Fighter 2 Turbo
Street Fighter 2 Turbo has only three codes for players to use, and two of them have to be activated at different points during the opening credits. For the first code, wait for the Capcom logo to disappear and then press the following buttons on the second controller:
Mega Turbo - Down, R, Up, L, Y, B
Use the 1P controller and wait for the Nintendo logo to disappear before putting in this code:
No Special Moves - Down, R, Up, L, Y, B
The third and final code for Street Fighter 2 Turbo can be used on the stage select menu, and it switches special skills on and off. After putting in the code for the first time, press Y and B together on the stage select screen to toggle special skills. For this code, players yet again need to use the controller plugged into the 2P port:
Special Skills - Down, R, Up, L, Y, B
Super Castlevania 4
Most of the codes in Super Castlevania 4 are used to play certain levels in the game, though one actually unlocks hard mode. For all of these codes, it's important that players don't enter a name when prompted to do so, or else it will deactivate the code.
It's worth noting that passwords in Super Castlevania 4 are symbols on a grid instead of button inputs or numbers. With that in mind, here are all the passwords in the game:
Hard Mode - Heart, Axe, Blank, Holy Water (Row 1), Axe, Blank, Blank, Heart (Row 2), Blank, Axe, Blank, Blank (Row 3), Blank, Heart, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 2 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 1), Firebombs, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 3), Firebombs, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 3 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Axe (Row 1), Firebombs, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 3), Heart, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 4 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Firebombs (Row 1), Firebombs, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Firebombs, Blank, Axe (Row 3), Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 5 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 1), Firebombs, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Blank, Blank, Axe (Row 3), Firebombs, Axe, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 6 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 1), Firebombs, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Firebombs, Blank, Axe (Row 3), Firebombs, Axe, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 7 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Firebombs (Row 1), Firebombs, Heart, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Heart, Blank, Firebombs (Row 3), Blank, Axe, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 8 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 1), Firebombs, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Firebombs, Blank, Firebombs (Row 3), Firebombs, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level 9 - Blank, Blank, Blank, Axe (Row 1), Firebombs, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Firebombs, Blank, Firebombs (Row 3), Heart, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level A - Blank, Blank, Blank, Heart (Row 1), Firebombs, Heart, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Heart, Blank, Heart (Row 3), Axe, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level B - Blank, Blank, Blank, Axe (Row 1), Firebombs, Blank, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Blank, Blank, Heart (Row 3), Axe, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 4)
Level B Dracula - Blank, Blank, Blank, Firebombs (Row 1), Firebombs, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 2), Blank, Firebombs, Blank, Blank (Row 3), Blank, Heart, Axe, Blank (Row 4)
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
There's only one code for Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and to use it, make sure "Exit" is selected on the option screen with the first controller. Using the second controller, hold L and the start button together. Then press the start button on the first controller to select any level in the game.
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario Kart has a couple of codes for players to use, and the first is very simple. Simply go to the character select screen and highlight the character you want to use, then hold the Y button and press A. Doing so will shrink the selected racer; use the same button combination to return the racer to normal size.
The second cheat code in Super Mario Kart is a little more complex. It can be done in either the 2-player race screen or the Time Trial screen, with the Mushroom Cup highlighted.
Special Cup - L, R, L, R, L, L, R, R, A
Super Mario World
Super Mario World's one cheat code isn't useful for progressing in the game, as players can only activate it after defeating Bowser and rescuing Princess Peach. During the cut-scene where Peach is being freed, hold L, R, X, Y, and Up together for an alternative end credits sequence.
Super Punch-Out!!
There are two codes in Super Punch-Out!!, but be warned that neither of them will actually help you do better in the game. The first one simply allows players to use Japanese characters when entering their name. To do this, highlight the "New Game" option in the menu and then press X and A together.
The second code lets players to do a sound test. Start the game and wait for the Nintendo logo to appear, and then hold L and R together on the second controller.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Like the first Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island has a single code for players to use. This code lets players access mini-games, and is done at the level select screen. While on this screen, hold down the select button, and then press X, X, Y, B, and A.
And with that final cheat in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, SNES Classic Edition owners know every cheat code across the 21 games built into the system. However, there are plenty of secrets left to be uncovered in each game, and the system itself has secrets of its own. For example, the only way players can start Star Fox 2 is if they beat the first level in the original Star Fox game first.
As players continue playing with the SNES Classic Edition, perhaps even more system secrets will be found. In the meantime, fans can utilize all the cheat codes listed here to have a better shot at beating some of the more difficult games in the lineup.