Game consoles typically function by giving their owners moments of bliss and hours of entertainment. There's no doubt that even the older game consoles were able to achieve that and perhaps even a whole lot more. Game console owners certainly won't forget their favorite old-school units as well as their cherished memories with consoles that helped define their childhood. However, what owners might not remember are the hidden features that these old game consoles had all along.

Of course, game consoles aren't just known for delivering oodles of entertainment value, they're also known for keeping a wealth of secrets that not many casual owners know about. Some old game units have features that owners least expect while others can even be utilized in advanced operations beyond gaming. With that said, It's likely that some longtime game console owners have already kept their dusty old gaming units locked up in their storage without even knowing what they're truly capable of.

The technology behind these old game consoles might seem a bit dated by today's standards yet they were still powerful enough to be utilized by both aerospace corporations and even the military themselves. There are old game consoles that have hidden games within the unit itself but only a select few know how to enable these secret features. In fact, old console casuals might not be aware that their retired dust-gathering units are also capable of the same things that modern consoles are offering. From virtual reality to online capability, some older game consoles even had such features that their next-generation console counterparts only started utilizing just recently. Here are 25 awesome things that just might tempt gamers to revisit their old, disregarded and possibly cobweb-ladened units that could actually do so much more.

25 Wiimote For PC

Nintendo's Wii comes with a handy controller called the Wiimote. This game controller is not only convenient, it also utilizes standard Bluetooth technology that most devices use. Its basic design and function mean that it can also be used to control PC's as well!

Wouldn't it be great to use the computer with the same interactivity as navigating a Wii? All Wii owners have to do is to connect the Wiimote to the PC using either Bluetooth or USB. Although players might need a free software called GlovePIE if they want to play games using it, according to Techradar.

24 Retro Gaming On The PSP

Why would gamers buy retro consoles when they already have a PSP? Other than playing modern titles, the PSP could also play old-school arcade games, Game Boy games and SNES games! There's a wealth of retro game emulators available for the PSP.

Old-school tech meets the PSP's also aging chassis.

Most games run smoothly while others even run faster than the original consoles. Although it's not exactly a native feature, this just shows that the PSP is capable of playing these old gems nonetheless.

23 PS3 Has A Secret Menu

PS3 owners might encounter a black screen when using their units in another TV set. Fortunately, there's a solution to this dilemma but casuals might not know about it. Enter the PS3's secret reset button which also leads to a hidden menu.

It's puzzling how something this useful ended up becoming not so easily accessible.

Owners need to press and hold the power button until they hear two beeps to reset the video and three beeps if they want to access the hidden menu. PS3 owners can now spare themselves from moments of unnecessary yelling and bickering.

22 Old-school SNES Online Gaming

The legendary SNES console certainly sends gamers to a trip back in time but what some casuals don't know is that they could experience this nostalgia with others. That's right, the original SNES system is capable of online multiplayer! Of course, the unit itself would require some help from an Ethernet adapter called the SNESoIP.

SNES is a time machine but its nostalgic effect is best enjoyed with company.

According to Kotaku, SNESoIP is a DIY adapter which can be built by anyone. Once it's plugged in the console's controller port, players can then brace themselves for some online retro goodness.

21 PS2 Intro Has Hidden Meaning

For PlayStation 2 owners, starting this iconic console and hearing its intro chime is music to the ears. What some casuals might have not noticed is the increasing number of cylindrical blocks and shapes that are shown when starting up the console. These aren't just a random collection of various shapes.

The number of on-screen artifacts actually represent the number of games the PS2 owner has played. That being said, players can expect to be greeted by an army of white blocks littered all over their screen if they're the type who often play one new game after another.

20 PSP As Spare Controller

The PSP best represents the modern era of handheld gaming with its nicely detailed 3D games and graphical capabilities. Aside from being a great mobile gaming device, it also acts as a spare PS3 controller! This is especially useful for cases when the PS3 controller is still charging or if there aren't any alternative controllers around.

All PSP owners have to do is to create a new connection via their device's Infrastructure Mode. Once the connection is set-up, they should navigate to Remote Play in their PS3 which will now look for their PSP. Then voila, they should finally have a new PS3 controller.

19 Xbox 360 Does Facelifts

One of the good things about the Xbox 360 console is that it's a lot more customizable than other game consoles. Its parts are can easily be swapped including its front faceplate. Xbox 360 owners can opt for a more stylish Halo inspired faceplate or whatever replacement they could get their hands on.

The process of taking the faceplate apart does require some prying but it's pretty much straightforward. Now players won't have to worry when they chip off the Xbox 360's original faceplate by accident, it just means that it's time to get themselves a new cooler-looking one.

18 Sega's Mysterious Snail Game

Retro gamers will definitely remember their old-school Sega Master System game console. However, will they also remember its mysterious snail game? Sega Master System's hidden snail game became somewhat of an urban legend that actually turned out to be real!

According to Destructoid, all players needed to do to enable it was to hold the controller's two buttons while holding up on the d-pad. Of course, there shouldn't be any cartridge on the system when doing so. This will lead to a time-pressured maze game. Time might be a factor but at least the snail that players use is deceptively fast.

17 Favorite Color Affects DS Gameplay

Every Nintendo DS unit gives its owner a chance to create a virtual avatar of themselves via Nintendo Mii. Players are then given an option to pick their favorite color. DS owners will easily see the effect of their choice reflected by the color of their avatar's shirt.

However, what some owners might not know is that their favorite color choice actually affects the unit's built-in StreetPass Quest game. According to Thonky, picking light blue freezes enemies while picking black blankets a room with darkness. Who would've thought that a simple preference in color could lead to gameplay-altering results?

16 PlayStation Can Play Background Music

The original PlayStation played some of gaming's most memorable games. However, playing timeless classic games isn't the only thing the beloved console can do. Did PlayStation owners know that they could also play their own music CDs all while enjoying classics like Crash Bandicoot?

PlayStation Owners can finally listen to classical music while causing mayhem in Twisted Metal!

According to Cinelinx, owners can actually play their own music in the background by removing the current game disc inside the unit then replacing it with their music disc of choice. The music player even comes with its own fancy visualizer too!

15 Game Boy Has Epic Multiplayer

The Game Boy might be the epitome of retro handheld gaming but it had features that are still being utilized by mobile games today. Game Boy's four-player multiplayer was made possible with its Link Cable which was connected with other handheld units via interconnecting wires. Through this, players were able to enjoy games like Pokémon, Donkey Kong and Mario with others.

However, Nintendo didn't stop there, they also implemented a new wireless adapter for the Game Boy Advance. This not only added more multiplayer game support, it also made the whole experience convenient with its absence of tangling wires. Not bad for old-school handheld gaming!

14 Share PS3 Games With Anyone

One of the PS3's cool features is its ability to let owners share their bought games with virtually anyone. Sony was pretty much lenient in their rule as long as console owners didn't promote their shared games much. It would've been neat, until Sony decided to pull the plug, that is.

Unfortunately, Sony limited their game sharing feature to just two other accounts back in 2011, according to their blog. Even PS Plus features could be shared with friends but this was eventually limited as well. Perhaps this is one of those times when it's actually advantageous to have fewer friends.

13 Play 3DS Games Without Cartridges

Nintendo's 3DS handheld device can actually play games before owners even insert any game cartridges on it. The hidden game is actually Nintendo's own version of the famous Breakout game. Players had to open their 3DS browsers and tap on its screen in the same rhythm as the iconic Mario theme.

Doing so lets players unleash their rage by destroying URL name tiles Breakout style. Although players can't expect to unlock the game using the old 3DS browser. According to TheVerge, it can only be accessed using the new 3DS browser since it comes with a revamped interface.

12 PlayStation VR In The 90s

PlayStation had a plethora of accessories and gaming peripherals like the GunCon controller, memory card extenders and... virtual reality? Yes, the original PlayStation console actually brought VR to the 90s with the Sony Glasstron peripheral. The Glasstron might have been ridiculously expensive at the time but it sure looked futuristic with its dual LCD panel headset.

Although it did have some drawbacks such as having a blurry display leading to nauseating results. It's a shame that the product line was eventually cut off in 1998 but at least we can now see its glory through its successor the PSVR albeit over two decades later.

11 PSP Can Bring The Noise

Sony is best known for their audio products such as their Walkman and their extra bass headphones but who would've thought that the PSP could also be among these as well? While the PSP is primarily made for gaming, that doesn't mean it can't play good music. The PSP comes with a solid built-in music player which includes a cool playback visualizer.

Although owners shouldn't expect their handheld device to be the life of the party any time soon. However, with the help of accessories like the PSP stereo amplifier, they could make quite an impact in any gathering.

10 Gamecube's Secret Startup

The Gamecube is home to a myriad of zany, fun and memorable game titles. It's only appropriate for the beloved console's startup screen to have an equally whimsical tune given its fun-loving reputation. What most casuals don't know is that, the iconic intro tune can actually be changed by players by holding the Z button on their controller.

Doing so will change the tune to a more Donkey Kong-esque vibe but that's not all. If players had four controllers, holding the Z button on all of them will change the tune to a more oriental-inspired chime. Now Gamecube players can start unlocking secrets before even actually playing a game.

9 Wii Mini-game Gets Harder

Nintendo consoles are known for making mini-games outside of the actual games themselves and the Wii is of no exception to this. Simply browsing photos on the Wii using the system's Photo Channel can even lead to a jigsaw mini-game. Players are tasked at splitting their chosen image and forming it back.

Some jigsaw puzzles are hard already but Wii can make it even harder.

If they find the options too easy, they could make things harder by unlocking a secret ultra hard mode. Holding the 1 button before selecting an option splits their chosen image into a nightmarish 194 images!

8 PlayStation-Powered Space Technology

Sure the PlayStation showcased some nicely detailed polygon graphics which looked awesome at the time. Despite its graphical prowess, it's still hard to imagine a gaming console like the PlayStation to be able to perform more important tasks beyond just gaming. Well, it seems like the classic console is actually capable enough to power a probe into space.

It can't toast bread but it can certainly take off!

According to DailyStar, NASA's New Horizons space probe was actually powered by a PlayStation CPU. Who would've thought that we actually had interstellar voyage technology just gathering dust in our storage rooms all along?

7 Military Can't Get Enough Of PS3

The PlayStation 3 is certainly an impressive piece of hardware that performs as good as its sleek and stylish looks. While the PlayStation 3 could certainly give its competition a run for their money, nobody thought it was so powerful the military could use it. It looks like gamers aren't the only PS3 owners since the Air Force themselves also wanted a piece of it, 1,760 to be exact.

In fact, the USAF actually turned over a thousand PS3 units into a supercomputer tasked at enhancing radar images. Talk about taking military-themed games like Call Of Duty to the next level!

6 PS3 Controllers Can Move Tanks

The iconic PS3 controller doesn't just makes gaming more convenient, it also makes it more enjoyable given its rumble feedback. Gamers can easily maneuver a tank in games like Grand Theft Auto IV while using a PS3 controller but what if they could translate that in real life?

Needless to say, it's actually been done! With a group modifying the iconic PS3 controller and actually made it control real tanks! While it's tempting for them to run amok in the real world, it might be wise to remind them that there are no respawns in real life.