The entirety of modern-day video games stands on the base formed by legendary classics. These titles include the likes of Super Mario Bros, Diablo 2, Super Mario Kart, Tetris, Half-Life, Donkey Kong, Chrono Trigger, Sonic The Hedgehog, and more. Not only have the old titles helped new games evolve, but they've also enhanced people's taste by introducing new mechanics.
Over the past few decades, many classic games have featured great secret mechanics that have helped alter players' gameplay experiences. Let's take a quick look at a few such old titles and what hidden gameplay-altering features they offered to the players.
8 Konami Code - Contra
Contra is one of the oldest Konami games that originally came out in 1987 on Arcade and a year later on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It’s a run-and-gun shooter focusing on platforming, timed evasion, bullet hell-style level design, and epic boss fights.
Contra, as a classic, brought many new gameplay features to the table for players to explore. However, there’s one iconic part about it that people still remember in 2023. The game allowed players to have thirty lives using the hidden Konami code, which would then become a repeated feature in many other games.
7 Quick Save - Half-Life
Half-Life is a sci-fi first-person shooter that redefined the genre on Windows for good reasons. It gave players some of the most responsive shooting mechanics, featured a mind-bending storyline, and showcased some of the best visuals of its time. The game’s sequel, Half-Life 2, took it to another level by introducing creative weapons, memorable level design, and a cliffhanger that has fans still waiting for the third game.
Half-Life introduced many new mechanics while incorporating some of the best components from older first-person shooter games. One such feature was the F6 to quicksave and F9 to quickload options, which became a central part of the gameplay for players.
6 Warp Whistle - Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Bros emerged in 1985 and redefined how players enjoyed platforming games. It offered dozens of unique levels, enemies, and a stunning art style that wasn’t so common in the 80s. As a result, the Nintendo game became the highest-selling title on the NES console.
A few years later, Super Mario Bros 3 took the same formula and expanded on every aspect. It offered greeted enemy variety, much more colorful visuals, better level design, more powers, and broadened the Mario universe. The game also featured hidden gameplay elements, such as Warp Whistle, that allowed players to skip worlds.
5 Switch Controller Port - Metal Gear Solid
Hideo Kojima is a big deal in 2023, as he has solidified himself as one of the best game directors over the last two decades. Hence, fans expect him to do innovative things with his games. However, things were different in 1998 when the man first released Metal Gear Solid and surprised the fans by adding gameplay mechanics never heard of or seen before.
Metal Gear Solid introduced many new features that games still utilize in 2023. However, one hidden gameplay mechanic is exclusive to the retro title. During the boss fight with Psycho Mantis, players must switch the controller port to fool their psychic abilities and get the upper hand.
4 Power Ups - Midnight Club 3
Midnight Club3 is still one of the best arcade racing games that ever came out on any platform. It is a Rockstar Games title that offers some of the fastest races and three whole cities for players to discover.
Midnight Club 3 features dozens of vehicles, a truly baffling amount of customization options, many two-wheelers, and hundreds of songs. However, not many players know that the game also has power-ups that players can use in a Mario Kart-style gameplay mode completely separate from the main game.
3 Jump Canceling - Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry is an action-adventure game series focusing on hack-and-slash style gameplay, dozens of repeated boss fights, and minor puzzle solving. The Capcom franchise began in 2001 and has since shaped into one of the best games in the genre.
Devil May Cry has taken bold risks with its storytelling and art design. However, it has always tried to give players the most satisfying hack-and-slash gameplay full of combat mechanics and responsive controls. One such feature is Jump Canceling, which allows players to interrupt techniques and moves leaping off.
2 Crystal Flash - Super Metroid
Super Metroid is a sci-fi masterpiece that Nintendo released in 1994 on their legendary Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It’s an action-adventure platforming title that popularized the genre fans now know as Metroidvania.
Over the years, Super Metroid’s popularity has only increased among players on the internet. After all, the game features compelling gameplay, timeless graphics, and a straightforward story that’s endlessly replayable. Moreover, the game has many gameplay mechanics, including Crystal Flash, which allows players to regain health through a technique that most players missed out on initially.
1 Blood Mode - Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat came out in 1992 and instantly became a hit among fans for its brilliant art style & detailed gameplay. Moreover, it choked out other games in the fighting genre by giving players the ultimate combat experience they had never felt before.
At its release, Mortal Kombat introduced many gameplay mechanics players have never seen before. These included the fatalities, the unique combat design, and more. However, the one hidden feature almost everyone enjoyed was the blood mode, which allowed players to experience the game in its most gruesome form at home.