Fans of fighting games have spent decades hunting down every secret code and location in their favorite franchises. While it can be a time-consuming struggle, many fans have found that the games do, at times, hint at ways to figure out their secrets.
With that in mind, over the years, fans have discovered thousands of secrets hidden in the games, and many have taken to online forums like Reddit to share their discoveries with the world.
Street Fighter: Secret Codes
It isn't always easy to find all of the secret codes in a game. In a lot of cases, it can really be a hassle. Without buying a special book indicating them all, or searching fan forums, it can take months or years to find them all. That's why Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection elected to spare the fans the trouble.
"You can actually see all the secrets and codes for a game in offline mode, before launching a game press triangle go to see its history," says nochilinopity on Reddit. "The game will list codes as well as info about the game." It was a really great gesture, as fans who would prefer to find them on their own could just not look at that section, while more casual fans can enjoy themselves and just memorize the codes.
Mortal Kombat: Secret Meteor Code
With more than one game included among Mortal Kombat is a franchise that rarely fails to excite fans. And, with a vast array of secret codes that can grant additional powers to the players, it is also sure to add new elements for fans to discover.
One trick fans discovered, when a meteor appears in the background, is to use a special code to open up a secret area. "Here's the correct combination: left, up, left, right, left, up, up," says Redditor Tiny-Creme7857. "Correctly input the combination during the meteor's appearance (you have to be quick!), and you unlock a random tower with a random Kombat League character skin as a reward." It's a really cool feature and one that took fans a bit to discover.
X-Men Children of the Atom: Play as Akuma
It isn't always common for fans to get the chance to play as Street Fighter's Akuma, and it certainly isn't common to play him in an X-Men game. Still, X-Men Children of the Atom offered fans the chance to don the vest, as some fans quickly discovered.
"At the 'Character' select screen, highlight Spiral and wait a couple of seconds before pressing Left until Iceman is highlighted," says Reddit many of the best X-Men characters.
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology: Sakura's Theme
Street Fighter fans who have gone back to explore the 2006 Alpha Anthology Collection release discovered a very interesting theme in the game. "After you beat the entire game and go into Hyper Alpha, go to options and then in sound test just go backward and there will be a HQ voice clip of Sakura introducing herself and some other things in Japanese," says Reddit kvaran_kupus. "Go back once more you will hear her theme with lyrics a full year before it was released in Capcom Puzzle World."
That's a really fascinating discovery, and one that feels like the developers were directly handing the fans a gift. Instead of forcing them to wait for the next release to hear her themes, all fans had to do was explore the system of the game — even if it meant checking an entirely unexpected section (like the sound system).
Mortal Kombat: Brutality Secrets
There are few things more enjoyable than trying out a new Brutality in Mortal Kombat. It's part of what keeps the fans coming back to the series time and time again. After all, few other games offer the level of violent victory that Mortal Kombat does.
Reddit BlindsightBlue listed out many of the game's brutality codes, including a difficult Sub-Zero brutality. "Press LT + RT after victory pose," the Redditor says. "Axe disappears and the head falls to the ground." It's incredibly helpful to have a list of all those Brutalities, and each attempt to complete each one could offer hours of extra gameplay for fans.
Soulcalibur: Unlock a Secret Chapter
The worst part of a game is the ending, as it means fans will no longer be able to continue enjoying their favorite game, unless they elect to replay it. That's why it's always so fun when games decide to keep a secret level or chapter. That's why the Soulcalibur franchise has secret hidden chapters for fans to enjoy.
"You unlock them through the Libra Of Souls story mode," says Redditor SteampunkJester "Though Raph and Zas are the only two who have unlockable chapters as far as I'm aware." While fans continue to prowl for more secret levels for each of the characters, even having just two is an excellent idea that excites players.
Tekken: Special Heihachi Move
After years of playing a game, it can get pretty tiring trying out the same moves over and over again. That's why Tekken 7 offers fans the chance to vary their fighting style a little bit by offering an extra special move on one of its fighters.
"Heihachi has two forms of stonehead (not firestarter)," says Reddit NYG_5. "It's a 1+4 input. Has more damage and a different camera angle." It's a fantastic touch that adds a nice element of both strategy and variety to the game. Given that fighting games can run the risk of getting stale pretty quickly, it's a smart idea that keeps fans playing.
Project M: Play as Giga Bowser
Sometimes playing as the standard many video game characters who would be great in the game, the mod game Project M offers players the chance to play as a gigantic and extra powerful version of Bowser: Giga Bowser.
"Holding R when you select Bowser lets you play as Giga Bowser," says Reddit xMoneymonster. It's a really fun addition. After all, sometimes it's just nice to charge around a platform and terrify every other player in the process while functioning as a hulking mass.
Soulcalibur: Hidden Mechanics
Given that fans have called for to be adapted into a movie, it isn't super surprising that fans have searched Soulcalibur for as many hidden mechanics as they can find. Thankfully, there have been many that have excited the players.
"Certain characters [have] hidden 'modes' if you meet certain requirements," says Reddit 13bREWFD3S. "Tira [goes] into a permanent enhanced gloomy state," and "gains soul charge moves without being in soul charge." It's a really nice touch, and especially having multiple characters with different special modes makes for a lot of chances for replayability that many fans have appreciated.
Tekken: Slap Characters
Most fighting games involve players beating other characters with punches, kicks, or special moves that devastate the enemy. But some games offer the chance to make even more ridiculous moves against the opposition.
Tekken 7 offers the opportunity for fans to actually get the chance to slap their competition into submission. "Only Nina and Anna can initiate it," says Reddit maki-tiger. "Also, it's the first hit in a string, so seeing somebody... slap back is basically impossible in an actual match." While it doesn't really provide any difference from a punch, it's a fun move that adds an element of style to the game.