Top 10 Hidden Video Game Secrets Developers Didn't Want Found

“Pokémon Red and Blue” (1998) & “Pokémon Yellow” (1999)

Pokémon has had its share of hidden opponents over the years, but one foe never even made it into the game proper! In the original “Pokémon” games, performing one of several glitches will allow the player to battle the Pokémon professor himself, Professor Oak. The absent minded professor uses powerful Pokémon with levels above that of the Elite Four and the player’s rival, possibly indicating that Oak was originally meant to be the game’s final opponent, but that he was excised from the final version for whatever reason. Maybe the developers didn’t want to ruin Oak’s absent-minded professor vibe by having him be good at Pokémon battles.

“Final Fantasy IX” (2000)

This secret wasn’t necessarily kept because of the developers, it was more likely due to publishers. While Japan was made aware of it through the Ultimania strategy guides, the strategy guides in North America were notoriously poor by comparison, and this sidequest went undiscovered there for years. The crux of it involves repeatedly speaking to members of the bovine-looking Nero family in Lindblum after major events, eventually earning a Protect Ring. Progressing too far without speaking to them can render the player unable to complete the quest, which is another likely reason it went undiscovered in the West for so long.

“The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1991)

The developers at Nintendo hoped that gamers wouldn’t find this particular room, but find it they did! In this SNES “Zelda” title, players can sometimes glitch the game so badly that it doesn’t know where to send Link when he enters a door. In such cases, they’re sent to a blue floored room filled with 45 blue Rupees as a kind of fail-safe to stop the game from crashing completely. A plaque on the wall proclaims the writer’s name to be “Chris Houlihan” and asks that the reader keep the room a secret between them. In actuality, Chris Houlihan was the winner of a Nintendo Power contest to have their name programmed into a game. Quite the legacy!

“GoldenEye 007” (1997)

Given how popular it was in its heyday, “GoldenEye 007” was subject to all kinds of rumors. One of these myths was that there was a hidden, unused level named “Citadel.” Despite developer Rare’s claims that no such level existed, some fan tinkering revealed that the stage really does exist. Granted, it’s still unfinished and not very detailed, but it exists nonetheless. And thanks to some patches made by dedicated fans, a version of it is playable; albeit with some transparent surfaces. It took some doing, but fans managed to break into this legendary citadel at last.

“Star Wars: Rogue Squadron” (1998)

What do a Canadian city, a Swedish guitarist, and “Star Wars” have in common? Well, they’re all part of one of the best-kept secret codes in video game history. “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron” was released months before the hotly anticipated “Star Wars Epiosde 1: The Phantom Menace,” but a key part of the movie was hidden in the game. This was kept secret not only by the few developers aware of it not being told the code to unlock it, but also due to the code’s extra layer of protection. To unlock the fighter, first the code “HALIFAX?” must be entered, which appears to do nothing. Then the code “!YNGWIE!” – likely a reference to notorious shredder Yngwie Malmsteen – can be entered, unlocking the ship.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

This massive open world game allows players to enter cheat codes using in-game cell phone numbers. However, one phone number without much obvious use is 1-999-367-3767. Dialing this number causes a small explosion over the player’s head and changes the player’s cellphone color to black, and also makes it slightly larger. Some have speculated that its purpose is related to the last 7 numbers in the sequence corresponding to the words “EMP drop.” The code may also be tied to an unused single player mission called Ojasaud. But with no information forthcoming from the developers, GTA V's “Black Cellphones” remain a mystery.

“Super Smash Bros. Melee” (2001)

Plenty of fighting games feature a method of unlocking the ability to play as the boss characters. Although “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” allows the player to play as the villainous glove Master Hand, this was actually possible over a decade earlier in “Super Smash Bros. Melee.” By pressing a combination of buttons while interacting with the name entry field, and by using a controller in the player 3 port, a glitch allows that player to use the boss in battle. Given that other players can’t defeat Master Hand and the fact that the game is prone to crashing when this is done makes it clear that this is a glitch the developers didn’t want players discovering.

“Wave Race: Blue Storm” (2001)

Racing games have loads of codes for variety, but this jet ski racer has one that developers were probably wise to keep hidden. Although the announcer for the game is usually an enthusiastic voice that encourages the player with positive reinforcement, a code that was only discovered 9 years after release, can be entered into the audio settings menu to alter the voice into one that derides you instead. The sarcastic and bored announcer criticizes your every move on the course, to the point where you’ll probably want to strangle him after a single lap. As novel as it might be, we can see why it took so long to be revealed.

“F-Zero GX” (2003)

In 2003 Sega had actually made two versions of F-Zero, there was GX version for the Gamecube and AX for the Arcades, with said arcade cabinets even having a Gamecube memory card slot for cross compatibility between the two versions. However in 2012, it was actually discovered that the arcade version of the game was hidden on the Gamecube game discs. Accessible only through the use of an Action Replay device, players can input a series of codes with the device in order to unlock the Arcade version of this game. Seemed like there was no need to track down one of those bulky cabinets all this time.

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)

The “Grand Theft Auto” series has generated plenty of controversy over the years, but easily its most contentious aspect was something hidden in the game’s code. The so-called “hot coffee mod” sees San Andreas protagonist Carl able to romance several women and receive an invite back to their places for “coffee.” However, while the usual version of the game implies that they have sex, a mod allows access to an unfinished minigame embedded in the game that allows players to control Carl during the act. Given the public outcry and the fair amount of money lost over the minigame, it’s pretty clear why the developers kept it a secret.