Bo
bbayles.bsky.social
Bo
@bbayles.bsky.social
Pinned
I swear this is a real screen in the 2002 E.T. game for PlayStation.

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: E.T. Interplanetary Mission (PlayStation)
In which the beloved movie alien condemns terrorism in very colorful terms
32bits.substack.com
The 3DO Company put out *Army Men* games at an incredible pace in 2000 and 2001. I found that all four of the PlayStation titles in the *World War* series share some previously undocumented cheat codes – level select and invincibility.
32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Army Men: World War (PlayStation)
Reverse engineering the artifacts of 3DO's relentless release schedule
32bits.substack.com
January 1, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Bo
Dragon Force II has hid cheat codes for a picture gallery viewer, a debug mode and more — until now! Read @bbayles.bsky.social's findings in Under the Microscope:

www.segasaturnshiro.com/2025/12/30/u...

#sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming #retrogames #videogames #dragonforce #cheatcode
Under the Microscope: Dragon Force II
The original Dragon Force was very well-received in the West. It sold a bunch of copies and was praised by critics. But the sequel, published in 1998 in Japan, wasn’t among the handful of titles re…
www.segasaturnshiro.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Here's a new cheat code for *Dragon Force II* on Saturn.
* Go to Options.
* Set "Movies" to 08.
* Highlight "Voice" and press A+B+L+X.
* Highlight "Sound" and press A+B+R+Z.
* Press B+X+Y.

This will unlock the "CG" picture gallery.

More new cheats here:
32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Dragon Force II (Saturn)
The godforsaken land
32bits.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The cheat sites say that you can unlock all cars in *Ford Racing* for PSX with a special name. But they're wrong, and have been for 25 years.

I found the real code:
* Go to Options > Hidden Items
* Hold L1+L2+R1+R2
* Enter → ← Circle Square ← → Square Circle

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Ford Racing (PlayStation)
Every cheat site has the wrong code for the PlayStation game Ford Racing
32bits.substack.com
December 27, 2025 at 2:18 PM
There's a demo disc for *Frame Gride*, From Software's only Sega console game, that predates the retail release by two months.

Normally the demo limits you to 2 levels, but I made a patch to enable 4 more - including one that's missing in the final version!

32bits.substack.com/p/extending-...
December 25, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Bo
Technosoft’s pinball game Kyuutenkai has four passwords that have remained secret for three decades! Find out what they are in Bo’s newest Under the Microscope:

www.segasaturnshiro.com/2025/12/23/u...

#sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming #retrogames #videogames #pinball
Under the Microscope: Kyuutenkai
My favorite Japanese cheat site has a special password listed for the PlayStation version of Kyuutenkai, the Technosoft pinball game. Translated, it says: Enter KYUTENKA4S on the password screen. Y…
www.segasaturnshiro.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Here are some special passcodes for *Kyuutenkai*, the pinball game for Saturn and PlayStation:
* Max points, 9 chances, everything clear: SWSH YUTN MD
* 9 chances: CHANCEGAX9
* Everything clear: S1TENCLEAR

These seem to have stayed secret for 30 years!

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Kyuutenkai (Saturn, PlayStation)
Reverse engineering the passcode system for a 30 year old game
32bits.substack.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I found a cool Easter egg in *Tazan Untamed*. Start a new game and enter this for the name (keep going after you enter the 3rd letter):
* PS2: UBIPATCH
* GameCube: MDSTRUE

Pictures of the developers will start falling down, and you can shoot spears at them!

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Tarzan Untamed (GameCube, PlayStation 2)
One game, two platforms, two overlapping sets of cheat codes
32bits.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by Bo
Sometimes developers like to hide photos of themselves in games, and Andretti Racing on the #Sega #Saturn is apparently no different! @bbayles.bsky.social just uncovered seven long-lost portraits of people — and one of an alien? — in Under the Microscope:

www.segasaturnshiro.com/2025/12/18/u...
Under the Microscope: Andretti Racing
In this edition: Andretti Racing on Saturn has some well-known Easter eggs that involve putting in special player names. I found eight more! These show pictures of the development staff, their fami…
www.segasaturnshiro.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Here are some new Easter eggs for *Andretti Racing* on Saturn and PSX: enter certain names and you'll get special pictures on the Racing Grid screen.

Examples:
* Saturn: ERIC CORTEZ, HOWIE RIDER, ALIEN (and 5 more)
* PSX: SERGIO LOBATO, KEITH AU (and 30 more)

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Andretti Racing & NASCAR Heat (Saturn, PlayStation)
Long lost Easter eggs in 32-bit racing games
32bits.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Bo
Courtesy of @bbayles.bsky.social 's blog, here's a look at how Christmas Nights changes depending on the day *and the time*! This game is full of surprises... 🎄

32bits.substack.com/p/the-christ...

#sega #saturn #segasaturn #christmas #retrogaming #retrogames #videogames
The Christmas NiGHTS advent calendar
Title screens, level themes, and more
32bits.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Here's something that's been hiding in *V-Rally 2* for PlayStation since 1999: a multiplayer Snake clone called ARAIGNOS!
* Go to Options > Game Progression.
* Enter: L1 R1 ← → ← → ↑ ↓↑ ↓ X X+Select.
* Start a race.

You need the PSX multi-tap to play it.

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
December 16, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Bo
It's that time again! Catch out latest episode where we talk to comedian and writer @danielleradford.bsky.social about why Sonic holds a special place in heart, what franchise the second Sonic film is secretly a part of, and much more. Check it out! youtu.be/4xX02FVJIck
SEGA Girlie Manifesto w/ DANIELLE RADFORD
YouTube video by Sonic Weekly
youtu.be
December 14, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Did you know there was an N64 game based on the movie *Blues Brothers 2000*? I found some new cheat codes for it.

Enter these on the D-pad while playing:
* Play as a giant head: ←←→→
* Play as the developer's logo: →→→←←←
* Get an extra life: →→→

More at 32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-... !
Under the microscope: Blues Brothers 2000 (Nintendo 64)
How did nobody find these cheats?
32bits.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Did you know that you can cheat at the PlayStation adaptation of the TV show *The Weakest Link* from Traveller's Tales?

While playing:
* Wait for the 4th question.
* Hold L2+R1+Square+Circle, press Up

Right answers will have a star!

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: The Weakest Link (PlayStation, PlayStation 2)
Using Ghidra to uncover hidden testing functions in a 2001 quiz game
32bits.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Bo
Steam-Heart's, a shooter well known for its lewd scenes between stages, hides quite a few cheat codes that no one knew about until now! See what @bbayles.bsky.social uncovered:

www.segasaturnshiro.com/2025/12/09/u...

#sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming #retrogames #videogames #shmup #cheatcode
Under the Microscope: Steam-Heart’s
Steam-Heart’s is a game for Saturn that combines passable shoot-em-up gameplay with NSFW anime scenes. The visuals are less explicit in the Saturn version than the PC-98 original, but some of the s…
www.segasaturnshiro.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Here are some new cheat codes for STEAM-HEART'S, the NSFW anime shmup for Saturn.

Hold the buttons while and then Start at the title screen for each effect:
* Unlock all stages: A+B
* Disable enemies: X+Y+Z
* Show hit boxes: Hold L+R
* Upgrade weapons: Hold A+C

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Steam-Heart's (Saturn)
This game is not safe for work
32bits.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:10 PM
*Shrek: Extra Large* for GameCube has a hidden feature. When prompted for your name, put in IDKFA.

This will unlock all levels on the world map, enable the cheat menu, and give you $99 that you can use the enable the cheats.

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
December 6, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Bo
This week, @bbayles.bsky.social has cheat codes for 3D shmup Planet Joker that give you unlimited health and a mission select! See what he found Under the Microscope:

www.segasaturnshiro.com/2025/12/04/u...

#sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming #retrogames #videogames #shmup
Under the Microscope: Planet Joker
In this edition, I’m examining Planet Joker, the 1997 shooting game for Saturn. This game doesn’t have a whole lot of fans because (a) it was never released outside of Japan, and (b) it’s kind of c…
www.segasaturnshiro.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Here are some heretofore unreported cheat codes for PLANET JOKER on Saturn:
* Unlimited health: Hold Z+Left and then press Start when choosing a mode on the main menu.
* Mission select: At the Machine Select screen in normal mode, hold Z+Up and then A.

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Planet Joker (Saturn)
I'm the Joker, baby!
32bits.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Every cheat site has the wrong code listed for *Michelin Rally Masters* on PlayStation. I took apart the game's resume session system to find the real one:
32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
December 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
There are cheats for the PSX version of Urban Chaos, but not the Dreamcast version. What gives?

I took a look and found evidence of some previously-unreported codes. The game's developer published its source several years ago and they were sitting right there!

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Urban Chaos (Dreamcast)
Everything is open source when you can read machine code, but sometimes the original source is available.
32bits.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The cheat sites have 2 or 3 codes listed for *Jet Moto 3* on PSX. But I found that the game recognizes a total of 23!

Here's a new one that the game calls "FLAP." Put it in while playing to enable hopping in midair:
R1+Left, Left, L1+Triangle, L1+Up, Select

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Jet Moto 3 (PlayStation)
Using Ghidra and Python to extract unknown cheat codes from a 1999 PlayStation game
32bits.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by Bo
There were two versions of light gun shooter Chaos Control released across Japan and PAL countries on the #Saturn, and apparently, they each have different cheat codes that no one knew about until now! See what @bbayles.bsky.social found:

www.segasaturnshiro.com/2025/11/25/u...

#sega #segasaturn
Under the Microscope: Chaos Control
Chaos Control is an on-rails shooting game from Infogrames. It was initially released in 1995 for Mac, PC, Philips CD-i, PlayStation, and Saturn. A second “remixed” version was released for Saturn …
www.segasaturnshiro.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Here are some new cheat codes for an old game: Chaos Control for Saturn and PlayStation!

32bits.substack.com/p/under-the-...
Under the microscope: Chaos Control (Saturn, PlayStation)
I'll use your--
32bits.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:22 PM