Odd Glitches That Actually Made Video Games Better
Almost every gamer has encountered an infuriating glitch that forced them to begrudgingly reset the game. However, some goofy programming bugs can actually make their games better. Beneficial glitches, such as the following, may give a player enhanced abilities, allow them to bypass a difficult level, or simply add to the entertainment value.
Super Mario 64: glitching up the endless stairs
Super Mario 64 players will recall that you must collect a certain number of stars to unlock new areas of the game. You need at least 70 stars, for example, to access the final boss fight with Bowser. If you don't have them, then the staircase to the fight will be endless, much like Return of the King. You can access the fight with less than 70 stars, however, by exploiting a glitch. Make a backward long-jump up the stairs and continuously tap the A button on the controller when Mario lands. This will cause Mario to rapidly butt-scoot up the stairs, and for the entrance to the boss fight to load. Bowser's magic is no match for backwards momentum.
Fallout 4: trashcan jumping
Perhaps the most coveted, and difficult to obtain, items in Fallout 4 are the Freefall Legs. Located in a small room at the top of the Mass Fusion building, the boots prevent the Sole Survivor from suffering any falling damage. Ostensibly, the only way to acquire them is to use a jetpack-equipped suit of power armor. You can save the caps — and yourself the controller-throwing frustration — with a jumping glitch. First, pick up one of the metal trash cans lying around the Mass Fusion offices. Place the Survivor with his or her back against a wall. While looking down at the trash can, start jumping. It may take a few tries, but eventually the glitch will kick in, and you will begin to rapidly ascend the wall. With some practice, the Freefall Legs will be yours. Just remember to equip them for the long fall down. Although this is technically a glitch, we prefer to think of it as an incredibly specific, radiation-induced mutant power.
Mega Man 3: Immortality
Are Dr. Wily's gang of murderous robots giving you trouble in Mega Man 3? Then use this glitch to make the titular Blue Bomber invincible! Get your little brother — or better yet, a brick — and hold down Right on the second controller's D-Pad. This causes Mega Man to jump higher than normal. This ability alone is quite useful, but to become invincible, you need to jump down a pit while holding Right. You can then jump back up to safe ground. Afterward, Mega Man will be invincible until the end of the level, as long as you don't collect any health. You also cannot use your main weapon, but the special weapons you acquire from bosses (Gemini Laser, Needle Cannon, etc.) will still function.
Super Mario Brothers: 99 extra lives
No one discovered this glitch from the original Super Mario Brothers until 2014, which isn't surprising, considering the intricate number of steps you must follow. First, you must beat the game once. Then, restart the game with two players on the more difficult mode. In this mode, Bowser seemingly laid off the Goombas and replaced them with tougher-to-kill (and we speculate, lower-salaried) Buzzy Beetles. Take Mario to World 1-2 and die immediately (ensuring that Mario restarts that the beginning of the level). As Luigi, proceed to World 1-2, and warp to World 5. Proceed to World 5-2 and find the hidden beanstalk. As the beanstalk is growing, commit suicide via the nearby Hammer Brother. The game will then switch back to Mario in World 1-2. At the beginning of the level, the beanstalk from 5-2 will miraculously begin growing from the ground. Climb up the beanstalk and wait for the two Buzzy Beetles to approach. While on the beanstalk, hit one of them on top of the shell. You can now push one of the beetles' shells against the nearby wall, stopping it each time it ricochets back at you. Eventually, as your points add up, you will begin to gain extra lives, and you can continue doing so until time runs out.
Mario Kart 64: Wario Stadium super-shortcut
Mario Kart 64 contains many shortcuts that you could employ against your soon-to-be-former friends. Many of these shortcuts were glitches that players found and then passed to one another via the then-nascent internet (thanks, AOL!) Perhaps the best — or most infuriating, depending upon your perspective — was the shortcut glitch in the Wario Stadium level. Hitting the left stadium wall in a precise spot, near the the beginning of the race, allows your racer to bounce over and land much further along the track. You can then turn around and flip over the wall again to complete the lap. If you're good enough, then you can win the race in a matter of seconds.
Heavy Rain: "Shaun!"
Heavy Rain has an unquestionably gloomy story. Luckily, you can add some levity to it, with this glitch. During the story's final act, one of the game's floating dialogue boxes may continuously appear. This allows the main character, Ethan, to scream the name of his missing son Shaun at inappropriate times. The most amusing part of the glitch isn't the sound, but that it causes Ethan's mouth to move as he bellows the name. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way for players to purposely activate this glitch. It will appear at random, so be prepared to celebrate whenever it does.
Diablo: duplicating items
The first Diablo game contained a famous, game-breaking bug that allowed players to easily duplicate items. You could then trade these items with other players on Battle.net, or use them to make your character into an unstoppable killing machine, akin to The Mountain from Game of Thrones. All you have to do is drop the item you want to duplicate on the ground, and walk to pick it up. As you pick up the item, click on something in your inventory. If you pick the item up and select another from your inventory simultaneously, then the game will create a duplicate copy of the "ground" item.
Red Dead Redemption: flying men
This glitch doesn't make Rockstar's western-themed game, Red Dead Redemption, any easier to complete, but it sure makes the quest more entertaining. For some reason, you may encounter human beings flying in the sky like birds. They even flap their arms like wings! Either this is a glitch, or someone slipped main character John Marston some seriously strong peyote.
Crysis: the land sharks
The sharks from Crysis must be fans of Sharknado. In some cases, the undersea predators can float out of the sea and chase the player around the beach. Apparently their hunger — or hatred — is so intense, that it causes them to spontaneously evolve lungs and hovering abilities. Humankind is doomed.