“Hey, did you hear about the secret code where Mario teleports into Sonic’s world, and the two of them have an awesome fight in front of the Mortal Kombat pit stage?”

If you were a child of the early 90s, you probably ran across one of these “rumors” that passed around the playground or school concerning the hottest video game at the time. With the internet now an integral part of our lives, it doesn’t take long for someone to unearth all the mysteries surrounding the latest video games, eliminating the time wasted testing out every person’s made up cheat codes (especially in the case of the more “infamous” rumors surrounding certain titles… who knows how many people had tried to crack Tomb Raider in order to reveal a side of Lara Croft that was never meant to be seen?).

Perhaps the uncertainty of the earlier days is why developers seemed more eager to sneak in as many secrets and details as they wanted, and why so many of them remained undiscovered until the online era of YouTube, LPs, and list articles became more commonplace. Since we represent the latter, this latest list will look into some of the more obscure secrets, Easter eggs, or just plain wacky bits of trivia surrounding Nintendo’s 16-bit darling, the Super Nintendo.

For the sake of arbitrary authenticity, this list will not feature any secrets unearthed through hacked means, meaning anyone nostalgic for the Game Genie will have to do without. Every single one of these entries showcases the dedication that the developers put into their games, from game-breaking power-ups to inconsequential (but still quite amusing) little details.

25 Catching A Boss Off-Guard In Yoshi’s Island

Years before Snake was able to catch The End off-guard in Metal Gear Solid 3, thus skipping over a whole boss fight, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island employed a similarly dirty tactic with its third boss, the Naval Piranha.

By stopping just before the boss encounter, players can hurl an egg at the boss pre-transformation, taking it out before Kamek can use her magic to make it grow (there is even an amusing reaction given by Kamek after the successful sneak attack).

24 Turning A Chicken Into A Lady In Link To The Past

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was the first game in the series to introduce the Cuccos, seemingly ordinary chickens who turn into the meanest enemy in the game when pestered by players.

In Kakariko Village, there’s a lone Cucco found indoors that, when hit with the Magic Powder item, will transform into a human woman.

The ladyfied Cucco will inform Link that she had heard about his teasing of her chicken brethren, while also lamenting that she misses her original poultry form.

23 Captain Falcon Actually Is In The Original F-Zero

Captain Falcon may be one of the most popular Smash Bros characters, but ironically enough he was never actually seen in his own original game; since F-Zero primarily featured futuristic race cars, Falcon was only shown in the game’s box art and manual.

But it turns out he technically is in the game: eagle-eyed fans have noticed that within the pixelated Blue Falcon, a tiny silhouette can be seen bobbing his head around inside the car’s window. Turns out Falcon was showing us his moves the entire time!

22 Pestering A Monster For An Item In Chrono Trigger

The most popular non-Final Fantasy RPG on the SNES, Chrono Trigger was an expertly crafted classic littered with secrets and touches.

One of the more obscure details involves a lone monster admiring the pleasant view on top of the Denadoro Mountains. If you continue to interact with him, he’ll eventually get frustrated and give you a Magic Tab if you promise to leave him alone. Always remember the cardinal rule of RPGs: talk to every NPC multiple times in a row.

21 A Relic From Mega Man’s Past In Mega Man X

The setting of Mega Man X takes place far into the future of the original series. All of the original characters, humans, and robots alike, seemingly no longer exist in X’s bleak dystopian world.

But in Armored Armadillo’s stage, amidst the wave of robotic bat enemies to shoot down, a single bat stands out, being an earlier model that existed during Mega Man’s time. Taking out this relic from the past even yields players a 1-up, turning this stage into an ideal farming spot.

20 Mega Man X Learns Ryu’s Fireball

The references don’t end there for Mega Man X, or Armored Armadillo’s stage for that matter. By performing a series of steps that no human could ever learn on their own without a game guide, Mega Man X can actually learn the Hadoken, Ryu’s signature fireball from the Street Fighter series.

After following the series of steps, X will be greeted by Dr. Light, who is wearing Ryu’s gi. Afterward, players can input the actual command to fire the Hadoken, which can instantly destroy every enemy and boss with a single hit (but requires full health in order to use it).

19 Saving The Animals In Super Metroid

Not every unearthed secret yields a new destructive ability. In the case of Super Metroid, a hidden room can result in an even happier ending for the game.

Throughout her adventure on Planet Zebes, Samus will run across some friendly alien animals that help teach her some of the game’s more secret abilities. During the explosive climax where Samus must evacuate the planet before it blows, players can find the animals huddled together in a secret room. Blowing a hole in the wall lets them exit the planet before it goes boom, and we can see a tiny ship fly away along with Samus’ during the ending.

18 The Bizarre Secret Dimension In Star Fox

The 3D graphics in Star Fox were revolutionary at the time, so it only stands to reason that Nintendo would go all out in showcasing their new tech in the craziest ways possible.

By following a set path, players can find themselves transported to an unknown dimension filled with creepy faces and classical music. The boss at the end is a giant slot machine, and hitting the winning jackpot results in a new ending, complete with credits. Players can also shoot at the letters at “The End” at their leisure, as they will continue to fly for all eternity (or until the game is shut off).

17 The 8-Bit Throwback In Super Mario RPG

Super Mario RPG was the first time the iconic plumber was thrown into a classic RPG game (courtesy of Square).

While the game featured an isometric 3D viewpoint, that didn’t mean that Mario forgot his 8-bit roots.

By passing through a certain column in Booster’s Tower, Mario will find himself reverted back to his original 8-bit sprite, complete with sound effects and music. After a few seconds, Mario will realize his surprising devolution and automatically turn back to normal.

16 The Final Fantasy-Inspired Boss In Super Mario RPG

Square wasn’t satisfied with just referencing Mario in the game. After all, why waste the opportunity to promote their own Final Fantasy brand in the form of a super boss?

By entering a secret portal, Mario and the gang will come across Culex, a dark lord who challenges the crew in a difficult boss battle. Even though Culex isn’t an actual FF character, the battle will play classic songs from the series, including the Prelude and Victory Theme, solidifying the reference.

15 The Star Fox Cameo In Stunt Race FX

Though not quite as successful as Star Fox, Stunt Race FX was a neat racing game that utilized the same 3D technology. Naturally, this meant Nintendo had to toss in a little nod to link the two titles even further.

If players manage to knock out all the signs with the Star Fox logo on them, Fox’s iconic Arwing ship will fly into range for a few seconds before flying away. Considering the rarity of Nintendo titles crossing over at the time, this was a fun little Easter egg.

14 The Ghosts N’ Goblins Theme In Mega Man 7

Speaking of franchises crossing over, Capcom was no stranger to constantly having their own games reference one another in fun little ways, such as Street Fighter characters appearing in the background of Final Fight 2.

Since Shade Man’s level is Halloween-inspired, Capcom decided to hide a hidden song from their other classic series, Ghosts N’ Goblins. That franchise actually predates Mega Man’s SNES debut with Super Ghouls N’ Ghosts, though that game sadly lacks any references to the Blue Bomber.

13 The Chun-Li Cameo In Breath Of Fire

As mentioned before, Capcom loves to add references and cameos in their games. One of the earliest crossover appearances of a Street Fighter takes place in, strangely enough, a JRPG series.

In Breath of Fire, players can catch a glimpse of Chun-Li practicing her lightning kicks, seemingly at random. As usual, the steps to catching this quick glimpse of the iconic warrior woman involves answering a random series of questions with an NPC that few players would ever discover on their own.

12 Unlocking The Champion Edition In Street Fighter II

When Street Fighter II first hit consoles, it was one of the biggest landmark moments in the history of the franchise. Everyone was eager to play the arcade hit at home, even though there was already an updated sequel available in the arcades courtesy of Street Fighter II Champion Edition.

But thanks to a secret code inputted at the title screen, the SNES port includes the ability to allow both players to choose the same character, a feature introduced in CE. Sadly, the ability to play as the four bosses did not make it over.

11 The Star Wars Reference In Final Fantasy VI

By the time Final Fantasy had reached its sixth game in the series (originally called Final Fantasy III for the West), it was clear that the Star Wars movies were a big inspiration for the RPG franchise.

But the most overt reference had to be in FFVI, where rescuing the captive Celes while dressed as an imperial soldier will have her remark that the player “is awfully short for a soldier,” a direct quote from Princess Leia in the first Star Wars film.

10 Getting Fully Stocked Before The Final Battle (Super Castlevania IV)

The earlier Castlevania games were infamous in their relentless, often unfair difficulty. This was especially apparent whenever players made it far enough to face Dracula before being promptly stomped, resulting in years of Game Overs and older siblings finishing the last fight for their frustrated family members.

Thanks to an invisible platform underneath the stairs leading to the final battle, players can crouch under a hidden spot that instantly rewards them with max hearts, full whip upgrades, and sub-weapons to help them stand a fighting chance.

9 One Simple Trick Takes Out An Invincible Enemy In Super Mario World

The Boo enemies in the Super Mario series are notorious for being impervious to all damage, be it Mario’s trademark jumps or his fireballs.

But one simple move can take down even the Big Boo enemies; by positioning them between the sloping stairs in each haunted mansion level, Mario can slide downward and instantly take out the giant poltergeists as he could any other enemy. It’s a fun little exploit that can also prove invaluable during tougher stages later on.

8 The Hidden Mario Track In Super Mario World

Nintendo sure went all-out with Mario’s 16-bit debut. Makes sense, considering Super Mario World was a launch game for Nintendo’s new console, so it was only imperative they pull out all the tricks.

This last bit is just a fun throwback, something Nintendo also loves to toss in from time to time. 

During the Special Zone map, players who sit idle for a few minutes will have the original funky beat replaced with a funkier remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme.

7 The Extremely Tiny, Easily Missable NPC In Earthbound

Earthbound (also known as Mother 2) is an RPG rife with bizarre jokes and secrets, enough to fill out a separate list, in fact.

One of the oddest little details is almost assuredly unknown to most players. During the desert area, eagle-eyed players may spot an extremely tiny black pixel. Turns out this is a talking sesame seed, offering an amusing bit of dialog that serves no purpose whatsoever. Again, Earthbound is weird, which is why we love it.

6 A Second Player Can Control A Beam Of Light In Earthbound

This next secret was just recently unearthed and is so peculiar that one wonders if it was an intentional secret or an overlooked glitch.

Near the beginning of Earthbound, during the cutscene that introduces Buzz-Buzz, players can use the SNES’ second controller to control the beam of light that emerges from the ground. This has no effect on the gameplay and only lasts a few seconds, but the trick has remained in all re-releases of the game, suggesting that it was purely intentional.