HAL's HyperZone is one of those SNES titles which didn't set the world alight at the time of release but has nonetheless built up a cult following in the years following its release. Much of the game's appeal is down to its innovative use of Mode 7 effects to present a realistic impression of 3D movement, but HAL had plans to make the visual impact even more pronounced.
You see, HyperZone contains stereoscopic 3D support, but it can only be enabled by inputting a cheat code and Nintendo never got around to releasing the hardware needed to make this effect work. This type of visual trickery requires a set of 'active shutter' glasses like the ones released for the 8-bit Famicom in Japan, so it could be that Nintendo initially had plans to release a pair for the SNES, but never did so.
However, it's actually possible to play HyperZone in true 3D – but to do so, you'll need quite a lot of equipment.
The code required to turn on the 3D mode is:
Select, Select, A, B, Select, Select, X, Y, Select, Select, L, R, Up
If entered correctly, the HyperZone title text will change from orange to red. You can then turn the effect off and on again by pressing Select. The catch – beyond the large outlay required to obtain all of the necessary equipment – is that the game contains slowdown which means the 3D effect falls out of sync with the glasses (thanks, Chris Covell). Still, it's pretty neat, right? What an icebreaker at parties this will be!
While the existence of the 3D cheat code has been known for a while, this is the first time we've personally see someone mention that the game is also capable of supporting the 'Famicom 3D System' glasses, too.
Did you already know about the 3D cheat? Did you also know that the 3D Glasses could be used with the game? If so, let us know, smarty pants.