Super Punch-Out has been hiding two secret codes for the last 28 years

Super Punch-Out
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Classic Nintendo game Super Punch-Out has had two secret codes hidden within it that have gone largely unnoticed for the last 28 years.  

As shared by Twitter user @new_cheats_news, the fighting game from 1994 is hiding a couple of cheat codes that not a lot of people know about. According to the tweet: "All secret codes in this game use two-button combinations. Two of them are known: Sound test and Japanese name input. But there are two more."

The first find by 'Unlisted Cheats' allows players to select any character to fight in a free single match. According to the tweet, all you need to do to pull this off is hold Y and R, then press A or Start. Once you’ve done this, a new screen will appear instead of the regular menu which will allow you to select any character to fight in a free single match - apparently even fighters from Special Circuit are available to use. 

Further down in the thread by Unlisted Cheats, the second of the two new discoveries is revealed. Apparently, once you select one of the fighters on the screen mentioned above and are on the character info screen, hold B and Y and then A or Start again and you’ll be able to control the CPU opponent from JOYPAD2, meaning you can fight against a real-life player two and not a computer. Unlisted Cheats does however mention that "all combinations must be held on JOYPAD2, then A or Start on JOYPAD1."

From the looks of the replies to the tweet, these two tricks really do work. So if you happen to have a SNES and a copy of Super Punch Out from 1994, why not give it a try? It’s not yet been confirmed as to whether these codes work with Super Punch Out on the SNES emulator for Nintendo Switch Online but who knows! Why not give them a go there too. 

Wondering what other classic games are worth revisiting? Take a look at our list of the best retro games for a trip down memory lane. 

Hope Bellingham
News Writer

After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training.  My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.