Cheat codes in video games used to be rare. Now they're a given. Push a magical combination of buttons and you'll advance to a hidden level. Or press the right sequence to execute undefeatable fighting moves.
But the cheat codes for the Atari 2600 were different. Sometimes they were a way to defeat a seemingly unbeatable arcade game. Other times, they were nothing more than hidden graffiti-signatures left by programmers who had to fight to get even the slightest bit of recognition for their work. Here is a sampling of some of the more memorable hidden codes in Atari's library of classic games.
Breakout | |||
Dig Dug | |||
Galaga | |||
Galaxian | |||
Missile Command Also, if you fire all of your missiles without scoring points and let the incoming missiles destroy your cities, the city on the right will turn into an "RF," the initials of Rob Fulop, the Atari employee who converted the arcade game. | |||
Pac-Man Also, when you enter the tunnel, quickly move the controller up and down several times, making down your last move. Pac Man should be able to move up and down through walls of the maze when he emerges from the tunnel. | |||
Raiders of the Lost Ark | |||
Robotron 2084 | |||
Space Invaders | |||
Chess | |||
Combat | |||
Decathlon | |||
Defender | |||
Pete Rose Baseball | |||