Kid Icarus is one of those games that I've somehow never managed to finish, but when I do play, I like to take every advantage I can get. Mostly because I think to myself, "This time's going to be the time I finish it!"

So when I go into shops

I like to grab Controller 2 and press A + B at the same time. That way I get cheaper prices

Even if I can afford the stuff, because I'm cheap.

If you're lucky enough to have a copy of Final Fight 2, you know that you (and optionally a friend) each choose one of three characters to wander through Metro City and beat up bad guys. Pretty standard stuff.

But, if you go to the title screen

And press

Down, Down, Up, Up, Right, Left, Right, Left, L, R

On Controller 1, the background will change from Black to Blue.

Signaling that the code worked. This will allow you to choose the same character for both players

You know, if you're into that kind of thing.

Believe it or not, I actually kind of suck at the Adventure Island games. It's not really my fault, though. Your guy bites it after being hit once by anything, and enemies are strategically placed right in the best place to jump.

It's devious.

So if you get stuck and throw your controller across the room in frustration instead of making progress, then I understand and have some news you might be interested in.

If you go to the title screen, and let the demo start

Then immediately cancel out of it and go back to the title screen. Then press Right on the Control Pad + L + X + Start. Done right you'll be whisked away to the Stage Selection Screen!

Which is great for previewing those later levels before you retire the game completely.

I guess Donkey Kong Country sold well enough that there was room for a couple of sequels, sequels that don't really even have much Donkey Kong in them for whatever reason.

But say you're playing the second one, and you go to the screen where you select if you want one player or two. You keep pressing the Down button on the control pad over and over again and eventually will be greeted with a Music Test

Keep on pressing it and you'll be greeted with the Cheat Mode selection

With that highlighted, press

Which kind of spells out "YA SAD LAD". Done right, you'll hear a monkey holler.

Get into the game, and you'll find that you have 50 lives to play with!

And they're all over the place at the beginning of the game, so you can really stock up for the difficult bits ahead.

Chip's Challenge, if you've never heard of the game somehow, was packed in with a lot of computers during the 16-bit Windows heyday. It developed a kind of a strong following somehow. I stars you, as Chip, who has to run around a series of levels avoiding enemies, collecting things, and searching for the exit.

But let's say that you're playing a level and you get stuck or lazy or both. You could hold down the left CTRL + ALT buttons and type the (faux) word "QWERTY".

Done right, you'll now be able to hit CTRL + N to go to the next level!

You can only skip the first 144(!) levels this way, number 145 wants a password (which is pretty easy to find online) or you could try to finish the level to see the credits. After that, you can CTRL + N your way through the end of the game.

Making the thing last just a couple of minutes.

Ever been playing M. C. Kids and started up the wrong level? Or maybe you screwed something up beyond repair and just need to start over?

Well, then I've got some good news for you!

Just pause the game (by hitting Start, natch)

And then hit Select. Done right, you'll lose one of your lives

But you'll get kicked back to the Map Screen. So I'd say the trade's worth it... unless you're on your last life... then you might want to reconsider.

Uniracers is a lot of things, but it is definitely not short. And after racing dozens of tracks, the last few against the "Anti-Uni" are pretty tough.

But if you get frustrated, or just want to see what the ending is like (warning, it's a bit of a letdown!), then I have some great news for you!

First, pop in your Uniracers cartridge and go to the title screen

Then grab Controller One press Down on the Cross Pad + L + R + B

Done right, you'll be, erm, "treated" to a few ending shots. Warning, spoilers ahoy!

How fun!

The Genesis Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game is a whole lot like Turtles in Time, which means you should know pretty much what to expect.

And if you want to skip around to see what the game has to offer without actually working for it, we can arrange that.

First, go to the title screen

Grab Controller 1 and hit:

A, B ,B ,C ,C ,C ,B ,A , Start

Done right, you'll be taken to a black screen where you can select your starting point

Which means you can start at the end and finish the game in less than 5 minutes.

You know, if you're into that kind of thing.

Since I didn't have much access to the Genesis library in its heyday, I missed out on a lot of games, like Zool. So now, when I do get a chance to play them, I make sure that I tip the scales to my favor any chance I get.

So, in Zool, I pause the game, and hold in the Start button. Then press Down, Up, Left, Left, A, Right, Down (which kind of spells out the word 'Dullard'). The screen will light up halfway through the code, like it's been un-paused, but it won't be. Finish out the code an you get a bonus life! And, you can do this as many times as you want to stock up!

Easy!

Okay, The Little Mermaid isn't that hard of a game, but that doesn't mean that I'm above taking every advantage that I can.

Like going to the title screen.

Grabbing Controller 2, holding Right + A + B, and while holding those hitting Start on Controller 1. Done right, a new option should appear

Turning this game into a test of endurance.