NBA Jam · Sega Genesis / SNES · 1993 · Cheat Code
Effect: Unlocks playable hidden characters including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and various Midway staff members.
NBA Jam was packed with unlockable hidden characters accessed by entering specific initials and a button combination on the player-select screen — a system that felt like genuine insider knowledge when players first discovered it. Hidden characters varied by platform and version but famously included then-President Bill Clinton (initials ARK), Vice President Al Gore (NET), game producer Mark Turmell, and other Midway staff. The codes spread primarily through word of mouth and magazine tip sections, and discovering a new hidden character became a major event in arcades and on the playground. The system established hidden celebrity cameos as a beloved tradition in sports games.