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The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) has a large catalog of iconic games, many of which feature cheats, tricks, and secrets that became a part of video game culture. Here’s a list of some of the most well-known cheats and codes for NES games:
1. Contra: 30 Lives Cheat
- Code: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A (on the title screen)
- This famous cheat gives players 30 lives, making the notoriously difficult Contra much more manageable.
2. Super Mario Bros.: Warp Zones
- Warp Zones are secret areas that allow players to skip ahead to later levels.
- World 4-2: Warp to World 6 by using the hidden Warp Zone at the top of the level.
- World 8-2: Warp to World 8-4 via a hidden Warp Zone at the far-right side of the level.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Unlimited Rupees
- Cheat: In the room with the “old man” on the first dungeon level, repeatedly bomb the walls to find secret rooms and gain extra rupees.
- This can help you buy better equipment early in the game.
4. Metroid: Infinite Energy Tanks
- Cheat: After collecting the first Energy Tank, go to the far left of Brinstar, and you’ll find a hidden room. Jump into this room and bomb the wall to find another Energy Tank, which respawns indefinitely.
5. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!: Code for Tyson
- Code: At the title screen, press “Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, A, B” to access Mike Tyson’s fight directly.
6. Castlevania: Invincibility
- Code: After entering the game, press “Down, Right, Left, Left” on the D-pad repeatedly to activate invincibility.
- This cheat allows players to bypass most of the enemies.
7. Kirby’s Adventure: Extra Lives
- Code: On the title screen, press Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B to gain extra lives.
- This code is helpful for tackling the more difficult levels in the game.
8. Gradius: Power-Up Cheat
- Code: At the title screen, press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A to receive maximum power-ups for your ship.
- This cheat made the game much easier, as Gradius could be extremely difficult without power-ups.
9. Ninja Gaiden: Infinite Continues
- Code: At the game’s title screen, press Up, Down, Left, Right, B, A to get infinite continues and keep playing through the levels without restarting.
10. DuckTales: Moon Jump
- Cheat: In the Moon stage, you can make Scrooge McDuck perform a moon jump by pressing Down + A while jumping.
- This cheat lets you jump higher and makes navigating the Moon much easier.
11. Mega Man: All Weapons and Items
- Code: On the title screen of Mega Man, press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A.
- This cheat gives you all the weapons and items in the game, which is helpful for dealing with the tougher bosses.
12. Double Dragon II: Infinite Lives
- Code: After losing your first life in the game, press A + B at the Game Over screen to get an extra life.
- This cheat gives players a chance to continue without worrying about running out of lives.
13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Infinite Health (No Damage)
- Code: At the title screen, press A + B and hold them while selecting your character. This cheat activates invincibility, making the game much easier.
14. Punch-Out!!: View Opponents’ Patterns
- Code: Press Start while selecting your fighter to have an additional training round, which lets you practice against your upcoming opponent’s pattern.
15. Blades of Steel: Fighting Minigame
- Cheat: In the game, press Left + A + B while skating to trigger a hidden fighting minigame where players can brawl with opposing players.
16. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link: Unlimited Magic
- Code: At the title screen, hold A + B and then press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right to refill your magic and have unlimited magic for the duration of the game.
17. Super Mario Bros. 3: Warp Whistles
- Cheat: Collect the Warp Whistle in specific levels to skip ahead to later worlds.
- World 1: Get the Warp Whistle in the first fortress.
- World 4: Use the Warp Whistle in the fortresses here to skip to World 8.
18. Adventure Island: Extra Lives Cheat
- Code: After entering the game, press Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B to gain 10 extra lives to help you through the game’s tough levels.
19. The Battle of Olympus: Hidden Items
- Cheat: In the game, if you walk into the temple with the goddess, and repeatedly press Up, Down, Left, Right on the D-pad, hidden items and health restores will appear.
20. Metroid: Skip to the Final Boss
- Code: On the password screen, use the following code to jump straight to Mother Brain’s lair: R-0, 2, 5, 7, 1, 6.
- This cheat skips much of the game’s exploration, allowing you to go straight to the end of the game.
21. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest – Secret Ending
- Cheat: To unlock the true ending in Simon’s Quest, you must collect all of Dracula’s body parts. However, in the 8-bit game, players who explore the town with precision can obtain the secret key items needed for this ending.
22. Super C: 30 Lives Cheat
- Code: At the title screen, enter the code Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B to unlock 30 lives.
- This cheat mimicked the classic Contra code and helped players survive the tough levels of Super C.
23. The Magic of Scheherazade: Infinite Health
- Code: On the title screen, input Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, Start to activate infinite health.
- This code makes it easier to progress through the game’s long and difficult dungeons.
24. Tetris: Level Skip
- Cheat: To skip to any level in Tetris, press A + B while selecting your mode.
- This allows players to jump directly to any level, which can be useful for players who want to experience higher-level puzzles immediately.
25. Ice Hockey: Change Team Color
- Cheat: Hold A while selecting a team, then press B to change the team’s color scheme for variety in your game.
These are just a few of the many cheats that NES games offered. Some were designed to make the game easier, while others were hidden secrets that unlocked bonus content. Whether you were playing classic action platformers or sports games, the NES had cheats to enhance your experience, and many of them became part of gaming lore, still remembered fondly by retro enthusiasts today.