Joe & Mac (SNES)

Joe & Mac is an SNES port of the arcade game where some cavemen fight dinosaurs using really nifty weapons.

Debug Mode $01
This first debug mode sets all stages to cleared, all locks opened, red eggs are always available, and enemy collision is disabled. Use Pro Action Replay code or Game Genie codes  +  +  to enable it.

Debug Mode $02


In this debug mode, Joe and Mac start a new game with 39 lives and 9 keys each, and all red stages are cleared. Unlike the first debug mode, the blue stages (which can only be played once) are still accessible.

To enable it, on bootup enter Pro Action Replay code or Game Genie code. Next, enter the sound test. Set A to, B to , X to , and press Select to exit.

The secret combination suggests it was once intended to be a player accessible cheat, but in the final version the game skips over the programming that grants the bonuses. A fragment from a prototype build contains a copy of the programming before the debug mode was disabled.

Sound Test


This sound test is available in the Japanese and North American versions, but not the PAL version.

On the title screen, move the cursor to Option. On controller 2, hold d-pad right and L shoulder button. On controller 1, hold d-pad left, R shoulder button, and press Start.

Use the d-pad to change the index values (the exact purpose of each setting is not yet clear). Press Start to transfer sound data? The A / B / X / Y buttons are used for playing songs and sound effects. Press Select to exit the sound test.

Also worth mentioning, the text string SOUND TEST located at SNES address (NA version) or  (JP version) is loaded but doesn't appear on screen.

Unused Sound Test entry point
Located at SNES address is the pointer  (NA version) or  (JP version), which also leads to the sound test. There is no programming that loads index and jumps to  (hex pattern ). This was likely a developer shortcut to access the sound test menu.

Alternate ending sequence


When the credits scroll pauses on Sound Creator Atomic Hanada as pictured in the screenshot above, the game checks if X + A + L + R shoulder buttons are held. If true, the game shows an alternate ending sequence of Joe and Mac being chased away:

(to skip instantly to the ending after the Data East logo in the NA version, use Pro Action Replay code or Game Genie code )

Weapon icons
These icons (or versions thereof) can be found in the game's graphics shortly after where the ones used in the final are stored.



A hammer, which is never found anywhere in the game.

Due to the very subtle differences, the following icons include the finals (left) for comparison purposes.



The boomerang, with slightly thinner outlining near the ends.



The stone wheel, slightly more darkened-in than the one in the final.

Unknown controller check
Located at SNES address (NA and JP versions) is two checks for the controller 1 R shoulder button being pressed or held while playing a level. However, the following branches have a distance of zero. The alternate code paths were deleted.

$08/C609 A5 54      LDA $54    [$00:0054] $08/C60B 89 10      BIT #$10 $08/C60D F0 00      BEQ $00    [$C60F] $08/C60F A5 50      LDA $50    [$00:0050] $08/C611 89 10      BIT #$10 $08/C613 F0 00      BEQ $00    [$C615]

Regional differences
In a 2-player game, a dead player can steal an extra life from the other player only in the Japanese version (indicated by PUSH BUTTON in the losing player's HUD). Also notice the HUD is moved down one tile in the western versions.