10 Most Ridiculously Difficult Video Game Cheat Codes

4. Stage Select - Ikari Warriors

Crash Bandicoot
SNK

If Crash Bandicoot put players through the wringer in order to earn their cheat, legendary arcade shooter Ikari Warriors showed active contempt for anyone who dared need a cheat code in order to play the game.

Though players could continue playing after losing all their lives by simply inputting A, B, B, A on their NES controller, those who wanted to access the stage select menu and potentially skip entire levels altogether had a far tougher task on their hands.

While on the title screen, the level select cheat is activated with an exhausting 33 inputs: Up, Down, A, A, B, Left, Right, A, B, Up, A, Down, Right, Right, Left, B, Up, Left, A, Right, B, Left, Right, A, Left, Up, A, Down, A, Right, Left, B, and Start.

It's incredibly easy to lose your place while inputting the code, obviously, and for all but the true galaxy brains among us, there's absolutely no chance of you ever memorising it either. Oof.

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Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.