Extra points
Go into exercise mode, wait until you get a Blue/Green bean, and try not to cover it. When you see a Has Bean come into the dungeon, put it on top of the Blue/Green bean. This will usually give you more points.
Flicky
Bonus picture
Complete rounds one through ten in under twenty seconds and receive a perfect score in each bonus round to accumulate over 240,000 points. A picture of a girl in a bikini will appear in the lower left corner of the screen.
Round select
Begin a new game and hold [Up] + [A] + [X] + [Start] before the first round appears. Release the buttons at the "Round 1" screen. Press [Up] or [Down] to select a starting round.
Ristar
Level select
Enter "ILOVEU" as a password.
Configuration mode
Enter "MAGURO" as a password.
Time attack mode
Enter "DOFEEL" as a password.
Boss mode
Enter "MUSEUM" as a password.
Expert mode
Enter "SUPER" or "SUPERB" as a password.
Reveal items
Enter "MIEMIE" as a password. A silver star will appear during the game in locations where you can collect a bonus life, gold star, or treasure.
View credits
Enter "AGES" as a password.
Disable all codes
Enter "XXXXXX" as a password.
Sonic 3D Blast
Level select
Press [B], [A], [Right], [A], [X], [Up], [Down], [A], [Start] when the phrase "Press Start" appears on the opening screen. The level selection screen will be displayed when game play begins.
Level skip
Enable the "Level select" code. Pause game play and press [A] to jump to the next level.
Fast emeralds
Enable the "Level select" code two times. Select any stage that features Tails or Knuckles (such as stage 1). Accumulate fifty rings and visit Tails or Knuckles. Press [A] + [Start] when the special stage starts for the emerald.
Extra lives
Accumulate fifty rings, enter the special stage, and get the emerald. Lose your current life, accumulate another set of fifty rings, and re-enter the special stage. Give the rings to the same character used the first time the special stage was entered. The same stage where the emerald was awarded will re-appear. Complete the stage for an extra life. Collect 100 rings for another extra life. Lost your current life and repeat this procedure.
Tails and Knuckles in Rusty Ruins Act 2
When you get to the third part, immediate before the X Mark, go off the nearby cliff. Then, go down where the Bumblebee Badnik is located. Destroy that little object with the grass under it. Then, you can get to Tails. On the first part, go to where the Blue Shield is located, next to the first exit. Collect 50 Power Rings, then Spin Dash into that wall that looks pushed back slightly. If you won all the Special Stages so far, with six Emeralds you will get the Last Chaos Emerald.
Knuckles in Rusty Ruins Act 1
At the last rotating pair of spiked balls, just before the "X", are two small pillars with a wall that you can Spin Dash through. Once through, return to a thing that sets you spinning, then go to Knuckles to break through the pillars beside him.
Sonic And Knuckles
Sonic The Hedgehog And Knuckles: Level select
Start a game with Sonic. Run over to where the Super Shoes power-up and Madmole creature are right next to each other. Directly to the right of the Madmole is a pulley mechanism that takes you to the next level above by pushing [Down] on it repeatedly. Grab a hold of its left handle, but instead of pushing down, push the follow sequence while on it: [Left]x3, [Right]x3, [Up]x3. The sound of a chime will confirm correct code entry. After hearing the chime, press [Start] to pause game play, then press [B]. You will be sent back to the Sega logo and title screen. Wait for the introduction sequence to end, then when the selection for choosing Sonic or Knuckles appears, press [Start] while holding [B].
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 And Knuckles: Level select
Press [Up]x3, [Down]x3, [Left], [Right], [Left], [Right] at the Knuckles in Sonic 2 title screen. When the chime signal sounds, hold [B] and press [Start].
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 And Knuckles: Debug mode
Enter the "Level select" screen. Choose sounds 1, 9, 9, 4, 1, 0, 1, 8 (in that order). Highlight a level, then press [A] + [Start].
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 And Knuckles: All Chaos Emeralds
Enter the "Sound Test" screen. Choose sounds 1, 6, 7, 7, 7, 2, 1, 6 (in that order).
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles
Go into Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Sonic The Hedgehog 3, and Sonic And Knuckles and exit repeatedly until you see that the game log recording message is gone. When all gamelogs for Sonic The Hedgehog 1 through 3 and Sonic And Knuckles are gone, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles will be unlocked.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Sound test and level select
Begin game play at Angel Island Zone Act 1. Grab one of the swings that you hang on, then press [Left]x3, [Right]x3, [Up]x3 while Sonic is swinging. A sound will confirm correct code entry. Pause game play and press [A] to return to the title screen. Press [Down]x2 to access the sound test option. Select that option to play any sound or choose any level.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Debug mode
Unlock the sound test and level select. Go to level selection screen and choose Mushroom Hill Act 1. Then, find something to hang on (such as a pulley) and press [Left]x3, [Right]x3, [Up]x3. The sound of a ring will confirm correct code entry. Press [Start], then [B]. Once you are at the main menu, go to the level selection screen and choose any level. Note: Instead of pressing [Start] to start the level, hold [B] and press [Start]. Once you are in the level, debug mode should be active. Press [X] to jump, [B] to switch gravity, and [A] to access item spawning mode. While in spawning mode, press [A] to switch back to normal mode, [B] to switch the item, and [X] to spawns the selected item.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Super Sonic
To become Super Sonic, enter debug mode and spawn a monitor. The monitor will have an "S" on it. Break it open to become Super Sonic.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Super Tails or Super Knuckles
Enable the "Debug" code, go to any level with Tails or Knuckles, and create the monitor with the "S" on it. Break it open and you will become Super Tails or Super Knuckles. Each super character has different features, the most interesting being Tails, who has birds that will destroy an opponent for you.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Very fast tricks
While in Super Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles form, press [X] + [A].
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Unlimited lives
In the Launch Base level, get to the first siren. Charge up a Spin Dash and hold [Down]. If a bird does not appear, release [Down] and try again. If a bird appears, hold [Down] for the rest of the time limit to get up to 50 lives.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Gold Super Emerald
Enable the "Level select" and "Debug mode" codes. Go to Lava Reef Act 4. Go to the place where Dr. Robotnik takes the giant emerald. Instead of staying on the floor that breaks, turn yourself into the ring and move to the small ledge. As soon as you can go left, create an S box, break it, then immediately turn back into the ring. Next, move to the glowing super emeralds. The Super Sonic music should play. Instead of a blue super emerald appearing, there should be a golden one. Note: This does not work with Knuckles.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And Knuckles: Unlimited air
Enable the "Level select" and "Debug mode" codes. Go to any level with water. Go underwater and when you run low on air, transform into the ring then return to normal. Your air will be completely refilled.
Sonic Spinball
Level select
Press [A], [Down], [B], [Down], [X], [Down], [A], [B], [Up], [A], [X], [Up], [B], [X], [Up] at the options screen. Enter one of the following controller actions to start at the corresponding level.
Level 2 (Lava Powerhouse)
Hold [A] and press [Start].
Level 3 (The Machine)
Hold [B] and press [Start].
Level 4 (Showdown)
Hold [X] and press [Start].
Multi-ball stage
Collect all the rings on a level and use the gate that appears to be a large shining ring.
Unlimited lives
Locate the barrels in the Toxic Caves stage. Jump in a barrel and move toward the wall opposite the emerald. Jump out of the barrel and intentionally lose a life while returning to that barrel. Sonic will seem to die twice before re-appearing at the start of the level. The phrase "Launching Extra Ball" will appear allowing unlimited lives to be accumulated.
Kill yourself until you have one life remaining. Then, locate the barrels in the Toxic Caves stage. Jump in a barrel and move toward the wall opposite the emerald. Jump out of the barrel and intentionally lose a life while returning to that barrel. Sonic will seem to die twice before re-appearing at the start of the level. :"Game Over" will appear, but you still will be able to play. Also, there will be no number of lives displayed where it normally appears.
Glitch: Go through sewer tunnel early
In the Toxic Caves area, sometimes if you hit the sewer tunnel directly in the middle before popping the cork, you may go through the cover to the second area. Note: This happens more often to the right tunnel.
Sonic The Hedgehog
Cheat mode
Press [Up], [Down], [Left], [Right] at the game's title screen. A chime will confirm correct code entry. Hold [B] and press [Start]. Choose your starting level.
Debug mode
Press [Up], [X], [Down], [X], [Left], [X], [Right], [Up], [X], [Down], [X], [Left], [X], [Right], [X] at the game's title screen. Then, hold [B] and press [Start]. Begin game play, then press [A] to enter debug mode.
North American version
By default, the game is set to the Japanese version. Press [Up], [Z], [Down], [Z], [Left], [Z], [Right], [Z] at the Sonic The Hedgehog information screen to unlock the North American version. Press [Z]x9, [Up], [Down], [Left], [Right] to play the alternate Japanese version.
All Chaos Emeralds
Enable the "Level select" code. Select the "Bonus level" option on the level selection screen. Obtain the Chaos Emerald, reset the game, and repeat the process until all of them are in your possession. Allow the game to continue after obtaining the last Chaos Emerald to start in the Green Hill Zone.
Press [Up], [Down], [Left], [Right] at the game's title screen. A chime will confirm correct code entry. Hold [B] and press [Start]. Choose your starting level. When you get to the main game, press [Start] then press [B] to return to the title screen. When Sonic starts to appear, press [Up], [X], [Down], [X], [Left], [X], [Right]. A chime will confirm correct code entry. Hold [B] + [Start] to access the level selection screen. Highlight the Special Stage. Hold [B] + [Start] when begin, and hold the buttons until game play starts. You can go into debug mode and float over to the Emerald. Repeat until you have them all. Then during the actual game, enable Debug mode and zip through them all. This is the easiest way to finish with all Chaos Emeralds.
Bonus points
Complete Green Hill Zone 1-1 or 1-2 in 29 seconds or less to receive 50,000 bonus points.
Unlimited lives
Collect the extra life at the very bottom of Green Hill Zone - Act 3. Accumulate 100 rings to obtain another extra life. Collect a third extra life located at the top of the loop-the-loop. Intentionally lose a life and repeat the process.
Special Zone entrance
You can almost always have the Special Zone entrance open (the giant ring next to the sign at the end of level Acts 1 and 2) by not losing your rings. If you do lose your rings, when you pass a checkpoint, intentionally die, then continue through the level without losing any rings. This works about 80% of the time.
Collect 50 rings and finish the stage. There will be a giant ring.
Glitch: Bounce anywhere
Enable the "Debug mode" code. Then, have Sonic jump on a bouncy spring. As soon as you hit it, turn into an object. Then, go anywhere in the current level. When you change back to Sonic, he will jump as if he just hit a spring.
Glitch: Scroll to the end of a level
Enable the "Debug mode" code. Change Sonic into an object at the start of a level while facing behind you. While Sonic is an object, go off the screen to the left. Then, change into Sonic and you should scroll to the end of the level. Note: If you cannot find Sonic at the end of the level, walk left and he will appear onscreen. Also, when in a Boss level Sonic will go to the Boss. Note: Doing this will sometimes kill Sonic or freeze the game.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Level select
Use the sound test selection on the options menu. Choose sounds 19, 65, 9, and 17 (in that order). A chime will confirm correct code entry. Hold [X] and press [Start]. Hold [B] and press [Start] when Sonic and Tails appear at the title screen.
Extra continues
Use the sound test selection on the options menu. Choose sounds 01, 01, 02 and 04 (in that order), then press [Start]. You will begin the game with fourteen continues.
Tails name changed to Miles
Press [Up]x3, [Down]x3, [Up] at the title screen. A sound will confirm correct code entry. Tails' name will be changed to "Miles". Note: The opposite will occur in the Japanese version of the game.
No time
Press [Start] and hold [A]. Use [X] to jump and there will be no music. Your time will now stay at 0:00.
Debug mode
Enable the "Level select" code. Use the sound test selection on the options screen. Choose sounds 1, 9, 9, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4 (in that order). A chime will confirm correct code entry. Select any starting level, then hold [B] + [Start] until game play begins. Screen coordinates will appear instead of a score and the number of objects displayed will appear instead of the time remaining. Use one of the following controller actions to enable the corresponding debug code. Note: This code may only be enabled when playing as Tails alone.
Level editor
Enable the "Debug mode" code. During game play, press the button configured as "B" on the Genesis. Sonic should become an object somewhere on the level. Press the button configured as "C". You can "paste" that object in the level. Press the button configured as "B" again to resume game play. Press the button configured as "A" on the Genesis while editing the level to change the object. You can also move the object in the air, etc. to truly make your own challenge. Also, you can move across obstacles and turn back to Sonic to cut points in the level.
Super Sonic
Enable the "Level select" code. Use the sound test selection on the options screen. Choose sounds 4, 1, 2, 6 (in that order). Start a stage, collect 50 rings, then jump to transform into Super Sonic.
At the title screen, press [Up] and access the "Options" screen. Go to "Sound Select" and listen to sounds 19, 65, 9, 17 (in that order.). Hold [X] + [Start] to return to the title screen. Hold [B] + [Start] to go to the level select menu. Go to the new sound select and listen to sounds 1, 9, 9, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4 (in that order). Now, listen to sounds 4, 1, 2, 6 (in that order). You should hear the Emerald sound effect. Highlight your level, then hold [B] + [Start]. Keep the buttons held until game play begins. Turn into a ring, appear overlapped with Tails, and keep spawning rings directly where he is standing. When you have set 50 rings into him, turn back to normal and jump to become Super Sonic.
Super Tails and Super Sonic
Enable the "Level select", "Debug", and "All Chaos Emeralds" codes. Then, start any level and get 50 rings. You can use the "Turn into a ring and give them to Tails" trick. When you turn into Super Sonic, use debug mode to turn into a television. It should be a "switch" television from versus mode when you place it. If you break it, you will see a brief glitch, which will not effect the game. You will see everything return, with one small difference. You will still have Super Sonic's appearance, but he plays like Sonic with regular speed, normal jumps, etc. Tails, however, has Super Sonic's power and cannot be "hurt". This will last for however many rings you had when you hit the television; start when you have at least 100 rings. Then, hurt yourself so that you lose all your rings and you will lose Super Sonic's appearance. Then, use the trick to get fifty rings again and jump. You should now have Super Sonic and Super Tails.
Mega Sonic
Collect fifty rings and jump after becoming Hyper Sonic for even more speed and higher jumps.
Ashura
Enable the "Level select" and "Debug mode" codes. Then, go to Emerald Hill Zone Act 1 or 2. Transform into the default ring, then press [B]x4 to become an invisible object. You will be a waterfall. Place waterfalls by constantly pressing [A] from where you start to over by the "coconuts" enemy in the tree . You will eventually see the life counter in the corner change to Ashura's. Turn Sonic into himself again and he should come out as Ashura, his brother. You can change his color by continuing to place waterfalls; if you watch the life monitor, you will see the changes in color.
Unlimited speed shoes
Begin game play in two player vs. mode and hit as many item boxes as possible until you get the speed shoes. Then, intentionally lose your life while you have them (getting squashed is the easiest way). You will return to the start of the level or the last Star Post that you hit, but you will now have the speed shoes in effect for the rest of the stage.
Unlimited lives
Enable the "Level select", "Super Sonic", and "Debug mode" codes and enter any stage. Get fifty rings and turn into Super Sonic. Change Sonic into the television monitor. Change Sonic back and have him jump to turn into Super Sonic. Jump on the television monitor to have Tails become invincible. Then, turn into an enemy and put it right on tails while he is invincible. Continuously place the robots there, and they will be destroyed because Tails is invincible. You should get lots of points, which add up to extra lives.
Super Sonic sign
Get all of the Chaos Emeralds and transform into Super Sonic. Try to have at least fifty rings when you finish the level. After completing the level, run off screen and wait until the end-of-level sign shows Sonic. When it does, transform into Super Sonic. The sign will show Super Sonic for one second, then show blue Sonic again.
Starry Super Sonic
Get all the Chaos Emeralds and collect fifty rings, but do not transform into Super Sonic yet. Find an invincibility monitor and spin (do not jump) into it. Then, transform into Super Sonic. If done correctly, the stars will surround Super Sonic until he runs out of rings and transforms back into blue Sonic. Note: This does not improve Super Sonic's performance
Stronger Super Sonic
Enable the "All emeralds", "Level select", and "Debug mode" codes. Go to Oil Ocean (either act). Become Super Sonic, then stand on one of the green/yellow colored cylinders. Jump on it, but as soon as you hear it break, go into debug mode. You should be thrust upward, even in your debug state. Then as soon as you regain traction, exit debug mode. You should now be able to jump twice as high and fast.
Bonus points
For extra points, pass any zone in a certain amount of time. For the best bonus, enter the "Debug mode" code. The clock will stop and you will always score a 50,000 bonus.
| Time | Points |
| 0:30 | 50,000 |
| 0:45 | 10,000 |
| 1:00 | 5,000 |
| 1:30 | 4,000 |
| 2:00 | 3,000 |
| 3:00 | 2,000 |
| 4:00 | 1,000 |
| 5:00 | 500 |
Wing Fortress shortcut
In Wing Fortress, move with some rings as far to the right as possible without climbing. When blades appear to block your way, hit them. As soon as you are invincible, walk through them. Jump on the platforms to the right and half the level will be completed.
Flames follow Sonic
Enable the "Debug mode" code. You can also enable the "Super Sonic" code, if desired. Go to Death Egg Zone and defeat the two bosses. When you defeat the giant egg robot, turn into a ring instead of running all the way out. Go into the area where flames appear. Go back to where you battled the egg robot. Flames should follow you where ever you go.
Glitch: Scroll to the end of a level
Enable the "Debug mode" code. Change Sonic into an object at the start of a level while facing behind you. While Sonic is an object, go off the screen to the left. Then, change into Sonic and you should scroll to the end of the level. Note: If you cannot find Sonic at the end of the level, walk left and he will appear onscreen. Also, when in a Boss level Sonic will go to the Boss. Note: Doing this will sometimes kill Sonic or freeze the game.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Level select
Quickly press [Up]x2, [Down]x2, [Up]x4, after the Sega logo fades and Sonic starts to appear, and before the screen flashes white. A chime will confirm correct code entry. Press [Up] at the title screen to access level select and sound test options.
Debug mode
Enable the "Level Select" code. Hold [B], then press [Start] when selecting the desired level.
Secret level
Enable the "Level Select" code and select the sound test option. Play sounds 1, 3, 5, 7 (in order). Highlight "Special Stage 2", then hold [B] and press [Start].
Extra lives
Set off the first alarm on the first level of the Launch Base Zone. Wait in the middle of the alarm and perform Spin-Dash attacks on the Flybots. The value of the Flybots will eventually increase to 10,000 points as they continue to attack. Accumulate points and lives at this location.
Sonic And Knuckles music
In the 2nd Zone and 3rd Act, before fight Dr. Robotnik, allow your character to almost drown, then put your head back up in air (touch the starpost but down jump in it).
Speed boost
To instantly get a speed up, jump when Sonic is a little over halfway on the loop.
Quick Goodies
At the start of Angel Island, kill the monkey in the tree and jump on the first gray rock to reveal a bumper spring. Bounce up into the tree, and using the bumper spring hidden in the tree, bounce left to land on the moving platform. The platform will take you to a ring bonus and lightning shield power-up. Using the spring in the tree again, bounce right to land on ground with spikes and a RhinoBot. Jump past these to collect the fire shield. When this is collected, Sonic can use the fire dash attack by pressing [C]x2.
Many rings
On Act 3 of the Icecap Zone, turn into a ball at the end before you reach Robotnic and fly off a ramp onto a purple trampoline. Look up to see a large number of rings. Bounce high enough to find another whole set of rings. Go to the right far enough to find a big ring.
Glitch: Glowing Sonic
Note: You must become Super Sonic to do this trick. At the second stage with all the water), go through the level until you reach Dr. Robotnik. May sure that you have 50 rings or more when you get there. Then, transform into Super Sonic. Let Robotnik suck you up in his water tornado. You will not get hurt. Instead, you will be hitting him constantly. When you defeat him, you will return to original Sonic form, however still glowing like Super Sonic. When Sonic's name is displayed, it will also be glowing.