Free play mode
Press [Up]x2, [Right]x2, [Left]x2, [Down]x2 at the copyright, purple skull, high score, or demo battle screens. Shao Kahn will say "Excellent" or "Superb" to confirm correct code entry.
Keep wins with free play
Complete the game and select the Battle with Ermac option. Finish the fight with a mercy, then beat him again. The "Choose your destiny" screen will appear without using any credits and your record from the previous game will be retained.
65,535 kredits
Start a one player game and allow the CPU to defeat you on all five kredits. Push [Start] on controller two immediately after losing the second round of the fifth match. The play mode screen will appear. After Shao Kahn laughs three times, you will automatically enter the Mortal Kombat option. If you die during any subsequent match, the continue screen display 65,535 kredits remaining.
Cheat menu
Press [C], [R], [A], [Z], [Y], [C], [Y], [R], [A], [X] at the copyright, purple skull, high score, or demo battle screens. Shao Kahn will laugh to confirm correct code entry. Press [Up] at the Kombat Cube to display a blue "?", which contains the cheat menu with the following options: Free Credit, Mileena, Ermac, Classic Sub Zero, Fatality time, One round matches.
Fight as Human Smoke
Select Cyber Smoke at the character selection screen and hold [Left] + [Run] + [BLK] + [HP] + [HK] at the start of the round. For player two, substitute the code with [Right] + [Run] + [BLK] + [HP] + [HK].
Random character selection
Press [Up] + [Start] at the character selection screen.
Scorpion's Lair "Crispy" fatality
Hold both [Run] buttons after performing the stage fatality on Scorpion's Lair to hear Shao Kahn say "Crispy". Hold both [HP] buttons to see Dan Forden appear and say "Crispy". Hold both [Run] buttons and both [HP] buttons to hear Shao Kahn and Dan Forden both say "Crispy".
New opening quote
Press [Down], [Up], [Left]x2, [A], [Right], [Down] while Shao Khan is laughing on the opening purple skull screen. The opening will change from "There is no knowledge that is not power" to "Imagination is more important than knowledge".
Shao Khan's treasures
The first ten treasures are available at various difficulty levels. The last two treasures are available after winning an eight person tournament or defeating Shao Khan on the 4th Tower (path select).
1 (Dragon): Outcome
2 (MK): Play Galaga
3 (Yin Yang): Fight Ermac
4 (3): Fight Noob Saibot
5(?): Random
6 (Lightning Bolt): Fatality demo 1
7 (Goro): Fatality demo 2
8 (Raiden): Fatality demo 3
9 (Shao Kahn): Fight Noob Saibot and Ermac
10 (Skull): Classic Match
11 (?): Mega-endurance Match
12 (?): Supreme Demo
Kombat Kodes
Enter one of the following Kombat Kodes to unlock the corresponding cheat function.
| Effect | Kombat Kode |
| Mileena | 700 723 |
| Classic Sub Zero | 760 520 |
| Ermac | 964 240 |
| Streets stage | 079-035 |
| Bridge stage | 077-022 |
| Shao Khan's Cave | 004-700 |
| Ermac's Portal | 933-933 |
| Noob Saibot's Dorfen | 050-050 |
| Subway stage | 880-088 |
| Scorpion's Lair (Hell) | 666-444 |
| Pit 3 stage | 820-028 |
| Roof Top stage | 343-343 |
| Soul Chamber stage | 123-901 |
| Temple stage | 600-040 |
| The Waterfront stage | 002-003 |
| The Grave Yard stage | 666-333 |
| Jade's Desert stage | 330-033 |
| Bell Tower stage | 091-190 |
| Shao Khan's Tower stage | 880-220 |
| Player 1 half energy | 033-000 |
| Player 2 half energy | 000-033 |
| Player 1 quarter energy | 707-000 |
| Player 1 quarter energy | 000-707 |
| Super endurance mode | 024-689 |
| Player 1 does half damage | 390-000 |
| Player 2 does half damage | 000-390 |
| No special moves | 555-556 |
| Combos disabled | 722-722 |
| Unikkorn Referi-Sans Power | 044-440 |
| Throwing disabled | 100-100 |
| Blocking disabled | 020-020 |
| Real Kombat | 040-404 |
| Psycho Kombat | 985-125 |
| Randper Kombat | 444-444 or 460-460 |
| Dark Kombat | 688-422 |
| Silent Kombat | 300-300 |
| Fight Classic Smoke | 205-205 |
| Fight Noob Saibot | 769-342 |
| Fight Motaro | 969-141 |
| Fight Shao Khan | 033-564 |
| "Go See The Mk Live Tour" | 550-550 |
| "Rain Can Be Found In The Grave Yard" | 717-313 |
| "There Is No Knowledge That Is Not Power!" | 123-926 |
| "Pub! D.K.P." | 300-003 |
| "It Should Work!?" | 200-002 |
| "It's Your Sprite Routine! M.A.H." | 100-001 |
| "Hold Flippers During Casino Run" | 987-666 |
| "No Fear, Max Countdown, E B Button,Skydive" | 282-282 |
| "Whacha Gun Do? E.B." | 004-400 |
| "Skunky!!" | 122-221 |
| "Don't Jump At Me" | 448-844 |
| Invisible energy bars | 987-123 |
| Display revision # | 999-999 |
| Unlimited run | 466-466 |
| Super endurance | 024-689 |
| Hyper run jumps | 321-789 |
| Play Galaga | 642-468 |
| Uppercut recovery | 788-322 |