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Use the code for your exact version. The original 16-bit NBA Jam on Genesis and SNES uses different controller combinations to reveal hidden characters, and the codes should not be assumed to work in NBA Jam: Tournament Edition or an arcade cabinet. On the documented home versions, enter the first two initials normally, move to the third initial, then hold the required buttons while pressing the final character input.
This guide follows Dan Amrich’s FAQ, version 1.3, dated April 7, 1994, and the platform manuals. That FAQ lists 12 secret-player entries for the covered home releases. Because it is a period community FAQ rather than a compatibility chart for every later port, cartridge revision or compilation, identify your game before trying a code.
First identify your NBA Jam version
“NBA Jam” can mean several different releases. The original home game, NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, and arcade revisions do not share a single universal cheat system. Before entering anything, check the cartridge label, title screen and controller you are using.
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- Original NBA Jam for Genesis: uses Genesis buttons and a different sequence from SNES.
- NBA Jam: Tournament Edition: is a separate edition. Its manuals and cheat listings should be treated independently.
- Arcade NBA Jam: cabinet hardware and revision matter. A home-console code is not evidence that the same input works on an arcade machine.
The hidden-player list below comes from Dan Amrich’s FAQ, version 1.3, dated April 7, 1994. It documents 12 secret-player codes for the covered 16-bit home versions. The list is historical and attributed to that FAQ; it is not a guarantee for every later compilation, regional cartridge or hardware revision.
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How to tell which edition you have
Look for the words Tournament Edition on the title screen or cartridge. If they are absent, you may have the original release, but a reproduction cartridge or a compilation can still implement the game differently. A Genesis controller has A, B and C action buttons; an SNES pad has A, B, X, Y, L and R. Those labels are not interchangeable when following the table.
Arcade players should note the cabinet title and, where visible, the software or board revision. The control panel may expose a joystick and dedicated buttons rather than the lettered pad used by either home system. Treat a cabinet’s operator or service documentation as the authority for that machine.
How the original 16-bit character code works
The method has two parts: enter the first two initials as ordinary character initials, then perform a special button input on the third initial.
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- At the character-selection screen, enter the first initial.
- Enter the second initial normally.
- Move to the third initial shown in the code.
- Use the platform-specific hold-and-press combination listed below.
- If the code is accepted, the hidden player becomes selectable. If nothing happens, back out and repeat from the initials screen rather than mixing SNES and Genesis inputs.
Do not enter all three letters and then try the combination from a different menu. The FAQ’s wording puts the special input on the third-initial position. Start with a clean character-selection attempt, watch the selector, and keep the required hold buttons down until the final button has registered.
Genesis input
On Genesis, hold Start and press the listed button: A, B or C. Keep Start held while pressing the final button. The table’s “A,” “B” and “C” entries are not the face-button labels from an SNES controller.
SNES input
On SNES, hold L, R and Start together, then press the listed final button: X or A. All three shoulder/start buttons are part of the documented sequence. A, B, X and Y used during a game to switch teammates are ordinary controls, not substitutes for this sequence.
The underscore in codes such as QB_ and UW_ is reproduced exactly as shown in the FAQ. Do not silently replace it with another character or assume it represents a blank in every release.
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Original NBA Jam hidden-character codes
These are the 12 entries reported as confirmed in the April 7, 1994 FAQ. “Genesis” and “SNES” refer to the final button used after the three initials are entered.
| Initials | Hidden character | Genesis final input | SNES final input |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARK | Bill Clinton | Hold Start + press A | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| NET | Al Gore | Hold Start + press B | Hold L, R, Start + press A |
| MJT | Mark Turmell | Hold Start + press A | Hold L, R, Start + press A |
| RJR | Jamie Rivett | Hold Start + press B | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| SAL | Sal DiVita | Hold Start + press C | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| AIR | Air Dog | Hold Start + press A | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| CAR | Chow-Chow | Hold Start + press C | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| QB_ | Kabuki | Hold Start + press A | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| ROD | Scruff | Hold Start + press B | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| SAX | Weasel | Hold Start + press C | Hold L, R, Start + press X |
| DIS | P-Funk | Hold Start + press C | Hold L, R, Start + press A |
| UW_ | Warren Moon | Hold Start + press A | Hold L, R, Start + press A |
The table gives inputs as transcribed from the FAQ. Because the source is a community-maintained document from 1994, treat “confirmed” as the FAQ’s status at that date, not as a modern test result on every cartridge or re-release.
How to read the table without mixing systems
Choose one row, write down its three-character entry and then use only the column for your system. For example, Kabuki is QB_. On Genesis you enter Q and B, move to the underscore position, hold Start and press A. On SNES you enter the same initials, hold L, R and Start, and press X. The character name does not change; only the final input does.
Several rows share the same final button. That is normal and does not mean the rows are duplicates: the initials select the entry, while the held-button combination confirms it. Conversely, an identical character name found in a Tournament Edition or arcade list is not proof that the original home sequence is valid there.
Step-by-step: unlock a hidden player on Genesis
- Start the original Genesis version of NBA Jam and reach player selection.
- Select the first two initials in the desired code using the normal character-entry controls.
- Move the selector to the third initial. For example, the Kabuki code is
QB_: enter Q, then B, then move to the underscore position. - Hold Start on the Genesis controller.
- While holding Start, press the code’s Genesis button (A, B or C).
- Release the buttons and check the roster. If the player does not appear, restart the sequence and make sure you did not use the SNES shoulder-button combination.
Genesis control-setting detail
The Genesis manual describes a setting that determines whether you control one player while the computer controls the teammate, or control both players yourself. A second human can join according to the game’s multiplayer setup. This option affects ordinary play; it does not change the hidden-player button table.
If a teammate appears unresponsive after an unlock, first inspect that control option before assuming the code failed. The setting governs who receives control during a match; it is separate from selecting a hidden roster entry.
Step-by-step: unlock a hidden player on SNES
- Launch the original SNES version and open the character-selection screen.
- Enter the first two initials normally.
- Move to the third initial. Preserve the underscore shown in
QB_orUW_when using those entries. - Press and hold L, R and Start at the same time.
- While continuing to hold those buttons, press the code’s SNES final button, X or A.
- Return to the roster and select the newly available character if the input was accepted.
SNES controls that are easy to confuse with the cheat
The SNES instruction manual says A, B, X or Y switches which teammate you control during play. That is a normal gameplay function, not the unlock sequence. The same manual says pressing Start on a controller lets a player join a game already in progress. Neither instruction replaces the requirement to hold L, R and Start while pressing the final code button at character selection.
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Use the controller’s printed labels rather than assuming the physical position of a button. X is the upper face button on a standard SNES pad, while A is the lower face button. If you are using a modern adapter or a remapped controller, verify which physical input is being sent as X or A.
Normal NBA Jam controls by platform
Controller labels and player-control options differ, so use the manual for your edition when a button appears not to respond.
| Platform | Documented ordinary control | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| SNES | Press A, B, X or Y to change the teammate you control. | During a match, these buttons switch controlled players; they are separate from the hidden-character input. |
| SNES | Press Start on a controller to join an in-progress game. | Useful for two-player starts or joining after the match has begun. |
| Genesis | A control option lets you control one player while the computer controls the teammate, or control both players. | Check the selected option before assuming the second player or teammate is responding incorrectly. |
These are gameplay controls, not a universal control map for every NBA Jam release. A Tournament Edition manual has its own “Jam Controls” section, and an arcade panel can use entirely different labels. Use the table only to understand the original SNES and Genesis manuals described here.
Troubleshooting failed codes
Nothing happens after the final button
- Confirm that you are playing the original NBA Jam, not Tournament Edition.
- Check the platform. Genesis requires Start plus A, B or C; SNES requires L, R and Start plus X or A.
- Make sure the first two initials were entered normally and that the selector is on the third initial before the held-button input.
- Repeat the entire sequence without releasing the required hold buttons early.
- Check the exact spelling and punctuation of the initials, including the underscore entries.
- Try a fresh character-selection attempt rather than adding the final input to a partially completed attempt.
The wrong player appears or the roster does not change
Do not substitute a similarly named code from another list. The FAQ’s 12 entries are platform-specific, and a button that is correct on Genesis can be wrong on SNES. Re-enter the initials from the beginning and use only the column for your controller.
The controls seem different during a match
That usually concerns ordinary control configuration rather than the cheat. On SNES, A, B, X and Y switch the controlled teammate. On Genesis, review the one-player-versus-both-players control setting. These settings do not alter the hidden-player code.
You are using a cartridge, compilation or reproduction
The 1994 FAQ does not establish compatibility with every later re-release. Region, cartridge revision, emulation layer and compilation software can affect timing or input handling. Treat the documented sequence as a starting point and consult documentation for that exact release if it fails consistently. Do not assume that an emulator’s button mapping matches the lettering printed on an original controller.
You are joining after the game has started
On SNES, the manual’s Start-to-join instruction is for entering an in-progress game. It is not the same as the L, R, Start plus final-button sequence at character selection. On Genesis, check the selected control option and multiplayer setup described in that version’s manual.
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Original NBA Jam versus Tournament Edition
Tournament Edition has its own SNES manual with a “Jam Controls” section and separate cheat listings. The available documentation supports treating it as a distinct edition, but it does not provide a complete code-by-code equivalence table with the original game. Do not copy an original-game entry into Tournament Edition and call it universal. Identify the edition on the title screen, then use a Tournament Edition-specific listing or manual.
The same caution applies to a later compilation that labels a game “NBA Jam” but changes menus, controller mapping or emulation. A familiar character name or initials list may look identical while the input routine differs. Record the exact edition whenever you compare instructions with another player.
What changes on arcade hardware?
Arcade cabinets have their own control panels, software revisions and operator documentation. An arcade reference listing includes secrets and an NBA Jam operations manual, but that evidence does not show that a Genesis or SNES home code works on a particular cabinet. If you are playing in an arcade, record the cabinet’s game title and revision and follow instructions for that hardware. Keep arcade inputs separate from the home-console table.
Do not press a home controller combination on an arcade panel expecting the same result: the cabinet has no SNES shoulder buttons or Genesis lettered face buttons. If a venue has multiple cabinets, verify each one independently rather than assuming the same revision is installed throughout.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you need a physical cartridge
Readers who do not already own the game may look for an “NBA Jam SNES cartridge” or a Genesis copy. A cartridge is optional if you already have lawful access to the game, and buying one does not guarantee that every reproduction or regional variant follows the 1994 instructions.
Before purchasing, verify the platform, region, condition and whether the listing is an original cartridge, reproduction or compilation. Check the seller’s current description and return terms; availability and eligibility for any merchant program can change. Specialist retro-game retailers may be useful, but no particular retailer or current inventory is established here.
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- Original Genesis: first two initials, move to the third, hold Start, press A, B or C as listed.
- Original SNES: first two initials, move to the third, hold L + R + Start, press X or A as listed.
- Tournament Edition: use edition-specific documentation; no complete equivalence with the original list is established here.
- Arcade: identify cabinet and revision; do not transfer home codes automatically.
- Any version: preserve the exact initials, including underscores, and remember that the list is attributed to a 1994 FAQ rather than verified on every modern re-release.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hidden-player codes are documented for the original home versions?
Dan Amrich’s FAQ, version 1.3, dated April 7, 1994, lists 12 secret-player codes for the covered Genesis and SNES releases.
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Do Genesis and SNES use the same final button?
No. Genesis uses Hold Start plus A, B or C. SNES uses Hold L, R and Start plus X or A. Use only the column for your platform.
Do I enter all three initials before holding the buttons?
Enter the first two initials normally, move to the third-initial position, then perform the platform-specific hold-and-press sequence.
What do the underscores in QB_ and UW_ mean?
They are reproduced exactly from the FAQ’s initials. Preserve the underscore position rather than replacing it with a guessed letter or blank.
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Will these codes work in NBA Jam: Tournament Edition?
Do not assume so. Tournament Edition has separate manuals and cheat listings, and a complete code-by-code equivalence with the original is not established.
Can I use a Genesis or SNES code on an arcade cabinet?
Not on the evidence documented here. Arcade hardware, control panels and revisions differ, so follow instructions for the specific cabinet and revision.
Why does Start not let another SNES player join?
The SNES manual describes Start as the join input for a controller entering an in-progress game. It does not replace the hidden-player sequence at character selection.
Why is my Genesis teammate not responding?
Review the Genesis control option. The manual distinguishes controlling one player with the computer controlling the teammate from controlling both players; that setting is separate from the cheat.
Are the 12 entries guaranteed on every modern re-release?
No. The FAQ records its confirmed set as of April 7, 1994. Region, cartridge revision, reproduction hardware, compilation software and emulation mappings may differ.
The Bottom Line
For the original Genesis game, enter two initials, move to the third, hold Start and press the listed A, B or C button. For the original SNES game, hold L, R and Start and press the listed X or A button. The 12-entry table comes from Dan Amrich’s April 7, 1994 FAQ; verify your edition before treating any code as universal.
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