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The hidden game is Hall of Tortured Souls, an Easter egg in Excel 95—not a feature of current Microsoft Excel. In the original version, the reported way to open it is to go to row 95, press Tab to select the second cell, then choose Help > Tech Support. If you are using Microsoft 365 or a newer Excel release, that sequence is not expected to work.
How to open Hall of Tortured Souls in Excel 95
These are historical directions for Excel 95, as reported by PC Gamer’s 20 December 2025 account. They have not been independently tested here.
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- Go to row 95. In an Excel 95 worksheet, navigate to the row numbered 95.
- Select the second cell in that row. Press Tab once to move to the next cell, typically cell B95 when starting at the first cell in the row.
- Open Help > Tech Support. The reported Easter egg opens a game window titled Hall of Tortured Souls.
The game is described as a first-person maze with Doom-like visuals and scrolling developer credits. This Easter egg is associated with Excel 95; it is not the flight-simulator Easter egg often associated with Excel 97.
How to reach the second area
Once in the game, the commonly circulated instruction is to face the rear wall and type excelkfa. A community reverse-engineering repository says its code inspection found that the shorter input XLKFA is sufficient in the game code it reviewed. These are reported instructions and a code-level finding, not independently verified gameplay steps.
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Why the shortcut does not work in current Excel
The Easter egg is not expected to launch in current Excel or Microsoft 365. In a Microsoft Community response dated 15 January 2025, volunteer moderator Andreas Killer said, “It was removed decades ago.” The response does not identify the last Excel version that included it, so a precise removal version is not established.
If you see the row-95 shortcut presented as a current Excel feature, treat it as a historical tip. The trigger applies to Excel 95, and the available removal statement does not provide a version-by-version timeline.
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Ways to experience it today
| Route | What it offers | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Original Excel 95 Easter egg | The game integrated into the original Excel 95 experience. | Requires access to the legacy software, and old Excel may not run on a current computer. The compatibility of original media with present-day systems is not established. |
| Community reconstruction | A standalone community project for modern Windows, based on decompiled source. | It is not an official Microsoft release. Its README says the project adds a delay because the unmodified game loop would run too fast on modern CPUs. |
The reconstruction and its build details are available in the project repository. It is a practical alternative if you cannot run the original software, but it should not be confused with launching the Easter egg inside a modern Excel installation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If Help > Tech Support does not open the game
- Check the Excel version: the reported sequence is for Excel 95, not modern Excel or the separate Excel 97 flight-simulator Easter egg.
- Check the selection: the historical directions call for the second cell in row 95, selected by pressing Tab.
- Check the menu command: the reported path is Help > Tech Support.
- Consider compatibility: possessing original Excel 95 software does not guarantee it will run on your current operating system.
A Usenet discussion is reported to have begun on 22 September 1995, according to PC Gamer’s 2025 article. That reported date places the Easter egg’s early discussion close to Excel 95’s era, but does not establish a verified creator or a complete development history.
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- In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
- A dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine. With a customizable difficulty system, it’s the perfect entry point whether you’re new to the franchise or a long time fan.
- As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw.
- Experience the origin story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this epic, cinematic, and action-packed story.
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