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If a game came out 29 years ago, you wouldn’t expect updates on it in 2024. However, gamers got a rare update when a programmer discovered a previously unknown cheat code for Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest. What’s the big deal about this command?
Here’s what you need to know.
What Is the Donkey Kong Country 2 Cheat Code?
To enter the cheat code, you’ll first need to load the game and enter one of the stages. Pause the screen and press the following button combinations in order:
- Right + Y
- Left + A
- Up + B
- Down + X
The cheat code lets you leave the current stage and turn to the map screen. This ability is handy when you’re in a bind and don’t want to turn off the entire game.
How Did Gamers Discover It?
A new cheat code from a game released in 1995 is rare in 2024. Fortunately, some smart cookies were able to figure it out. Alex Corley, a programmer, shared his discovery on Donkey Kong Country Atlas and shocked fellow fans of the game.
Corley — whose online alias is H4VOC21 — said he skimmed through the game’s disassembled code. When searching, he found button combinations and had difficulty executing them. They finally worked when the game was paused, thus leading to the discovery.
Can You Still Play Donkey Kong Country 2 Today?
You can load Donkey Kong Country 2 and try the cheat code if you have a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Otherwise, you must play it on another platform where Nintendo rereleased it, such as the Wii or Game Boy Advance.
Your most accessible modern option may be the ever-popular Nintendo Switch, considering its retro and arcade game collections. Corley and others tried the cheat code on an emulator, so it should work on other systems.
What Other Games Had Long-Hidden Cheat Codes?
Donkey Kong Country 2 is just one of many games with cheat codes that were discovered decades later. Here are some prominent examples:
- Street Fighter: Street Fighter is in the upper echelon of fighting games, but do you know the Alpha 2 secret? Programmers later discovered how to unlock Shin Akuma in the 1996 game.
- Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness: Gamers recently found a code for this 1999 title that unlocks all four playable characters before beating the game.
- Doom: Experts say Doom sold 3.5 million copies, so it’s surprising to see cheat codes stay hidden. Pressing X+right+B+Y+X+right+B+Y lets you see through walls.
Revisiting Donkey Kong Country 2 Cheats
Discovering a new cheat code makes you want to fire up the game and test it. If you enjoyed Donkey Kong Country 2 as a kid, give the title another whirl and see how it affects your gameplay.
