Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run: 30-Year-Old Secret Unlocked

After nearly thirty years, a long-held mystery within the Super Nintendo classic Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run has been solved. Latest cheat codes have been discovered, allowing players to unlock four previously hidden teams.

Decades-Old Secret Finally Revealed

The discovery was made by TakuikaNinja, a contributor to the retro game preservation website The Cutting Room Floor. The codes were first spotted by Rare Gamer on X, who announced, Breaking News! After 30 years, the biggest mystery of Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run was solved by a player named TakuikaNinja. Thanks to his efforts, everyone can now play Secret Team on the SNES, including the N64 Secret Team.

A Blast From the Past

Released in 1996 by Rare and published by Nintendo, Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run was a popular baseball simulation featuring Major League Baseball stars, including its namesake.

Retro gaming enthusiasts and modders were already aware of the existence of these secret teams through data mining of the game’s code. These teams included the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Team Nintendo, and Team Nintendo 64.

Previously, unlocking these teams required significant effort – grinding through MLB seasons on hard mode and unlocking a secret cheat menu. Now, the process is significantly streamlined.

How to Unlock the Secret Teams

To access these hidden teams, players must start a two-player or exhibition match and navigate to the team selection screen. Although on the screen displaying the team logos, hold down either the L or R shoulder button on the SNES controller and enter the corresponding code:

• Tampa Bay Devil Rays: X, X, X, Select
• Arizona Diamondbacks: A, A, A, Select
• Team Nintendo: B, B, B, Select
• Team Nintendo 64: Y, Y, Y, Select

A confirmation sound effect will play if the code is entered correctly. These inputs can also be performed for a second player, though duplicate teams are not permitted.

Unique Rosters

The inclusion of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks is notable, as both teams joined Major League Baseball as expansion teams in 1998. Team Nintendo features Nintendo of America executives, including President Minoru Arakawa and Chairman of the Board Howard Lincoln.

Perhaps the most intriguing team is the Nintendo 64 squad, comprised entirely of developers from Rare who worked on iconic titles like GoldenEye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie. Notably, the team includes David Doak (Dr. Doak) and Chris Sutherland. Interestingly, Dr. Doak was a reliever in Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run but was actually an NPC in the next GoldenEye 007, which was released in 1997 for the N64.

Where to Discover the Game

Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run is available for purchase on Amazon.

FAQ

• What is Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run? A baseball simulation game released for the SNES in 1996.
• How do I unlock the secret teams? By holding L or R and entering the specific code on the team selection screen.
• Who discovered the codes? TakuikaNinja, a contributor to The Cutting Room Floor.

This discovery offers a fresh way for retro gaming fans to experience Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run and appreciate the hidden details within this SNES classic.