ActRaiser 2 Cheat Codes & Secrets
Complete collection of cheat codes, passwords, unlockables, and hidden secrets for ActRaiser 2 (1993).
No Password System — Battery Save Only
ActRaiser 2 uses a battery-backed SRAM save system built into the cartridge, so there are no level passwords in this game. Progress is saved directly to the cartridge after completing each stage. If you are looking for a password entry screen, none exists — the game’s save slots are accessed from the main menu.
Sound Test
ActRaiser 2 includes a Sound Test accessible through the built-in Options menu, making it one of the more straightforward audio unlocks on the SNES.
| Step | Input | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Press Start at the title screen | Opens main menu |
| 2 | Select Option | Enters the options screen |
| 3 | Navigate to Sound Test | Use Up/Down on the D-Pad |
| 4 | Press Left/Right to cycle tracks | Covers all BGM and SFX |
| 5 | Press A to play selected track | Loops until stopped |
All music and sound effects from the game are accessible here, including the full Yuzo Koshiro / Motoi Sakuraba composed soundtrack. This is a fully supported developer feature, not a hidden code.
Difficulty Modes
The game ships with two selectable difficulty levels on the Options screen. Hard mode is available from the start — no unlock required — and represents a significantly different gameplay experience with increased enemy aggression and damage values.
| Difficulty | Access Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Default selection in Options | Standard enemy HP and damage |
| Hard | Select in Options menu before starting | Enemies deal more damage; recommended for veterans |
There is no separate “Easy” or “Beginner” difficulty mode in the SNES release.
Stage Select
A stage select function is accessible via the Options screen before beginning a new game. The method documented in Japanese strategy guides and confirmed by speedrunners is as follows:
| Step | Input | Screen |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | From the title screen, enter Option | Title / Main Menu |
| 2 | Highlight the Sound Test entry | Options Screen |
| 3 | Hold L + R simultaneously | Options Screen |
| 4 | While holding L + R, press Start | Triggers stage select overlay |
| 5 | Use Left/Right to choose a stage | Stage names cycle through |
| 6 | Press A to confirm and begin | Drops you at stage start |
Note: This code is region-sensitive and behaves most reliably on the Japanese Super Famicom version (published as ActRaiser 2: Chinmoku e no Seisen). Behavior on the North American SNES cartridge may differ depending on the revision. Test on emulator first if you are unsure of your cartridge’s region.
Beneficial Glitches and Exploits
ActRaiser 2’s engine has several documented physics interactions that experienced players use to their advantage.
Wing Hover Cancellation
The Master’s wing-hover ability (activated by pressing and holding A after a jump) can be cancelled and re-initiated mid-air by quickly releasing and re-pressing A. This allows players to significantly extend horizontal travel distance across gaps and is particularly useful in the Zeppelin-style sky stages.
| Technique | Inputs | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Hover re-trigger | Hold A → release → press A again | Resets hover momentum; extends airtime |
| Hover-cancel attack | Hold A → press B | Cancels hover into a downward strike immediately |
Magic Meter Conservation
If you take damage during the magic casting animation — specifically in the first three frames of the cast — the spell’s MP cost is consumed but the projectile is not generated. This is a harmful quirk to be aware of rather than an exploit, but knowing the timing helps avoid wasting MP on large boss hitboxes where you may get clipped.
Boss Room Ledge Abuse
Several mid-game bosses (notably the Pharaoh-type encounter and the ice stage boss) have collision geometry on the room’s upper ledges that allows The Master to attack from positions the enemy’s hit patterns cannot reach. Standing at the far edge of the platforms and using the projectile magic forces the boss AI into a passive pattern in many cases. This is not a glitch — it is geometry exploitation within intended bounds.
Sword Hitbox Extension
The overhead slash (press Up + B while grounded) has a hitbox that extends slightly behind The Master’s sprite. This allows it to hit enemies that have passed through The Master horizontally, which is useful against fast-moving smaller enemies in the later stages. The backward hitbox is roughly one-quarter of the sword’s forward reach.
Hard Mode Completion Reward
Completing the game on Hard difficulty triggers an alternate ending sequence with additional text and a slightly extended credit sequence. There is no separate unlockable character or bonus stage — the reward is purely narrative. Both the Normal and Hard endings use the same final boss fight, but the epilogue text diverges.
Developer Notes and Regional Differences
ActRaiser 2 was notably stripped of the city simulation gameplay present in the original ActRaiser. Internal debug remnants for a mode select screen have been identified in the ROM data by disassemblers, but no functional input sequence activates this mode on retail cartridges — it appears to have been disabled before release. The Japanese Super Famicom version contains slightly more verbose in-engine text in the attract sequence referencing development notes, but these are cosmetic and not interactable.
The North American localization (Enix America, 1994) adjusted several enemy hitbox values downward compared to the Japanese release, effectively making Normal mode slightly easier. If you are playing the NA version and find the difficulty underwhelming, the Hard mode setting on the NA cart more closely approximates the Japanese Normal experience.