Many of you probably know that the N64 version has 2 exclusive cheat-unlockable characters. Those cheats did (to my knowledge) never work on PC.

I'm working on OpenSWE1R, which is a project to understand / reverse engineer the game and make an Open-Source port / rewrite, for Mac, Linux and also Windows.
(Please join our chat; especially if you want to help us - beginners welcome).

As part of my research, I was looking at the hidden character data recently. I therefore knew they existed in the game (and that there are functions which enable them).
However, I thought that this was old-code from the N64 version which was not reachable on PC.

Today, I've looked into the code which enables the characters again and realized that it's actually code which exists in the PC menu code. So it's very PC specific code (the menus on N64 and PC differ).

So needless to say, I'm absolutely baffled about my findings. - To my knowledge I'm the first to document the following behaviour publicly..

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The combinations to enable the characters are as follow:

- Cy Yunga (replaces Bullseye Navior): Left-Ctrl + C + Y keys (no confirmation)
- Jinn Reeso (replaces Mars Guo): Right-Ctrl + N + K keys (you get a sound as confirmation)

(Hold the keys at the same time in the character select screen)
(The changes are not permanent, so when reloading the game, the characters are gone again)

it looks like there are more combinations like this. I'll document them on the OpenSWE1R wiki soon.

I had forgotten all about those N64 character unlocks. Good find.

That's awesome! I remember entering the cheat to play as Jinn Reeso back on the N64 as a kid. Very cool that you found the PC cheats!

Very cool!
So does it work with the GOG version of the game? And where you have to enter the code, in the selection of podracer?

I tried to unlock on the GOG version but without success. Holding the keybords touch as indicated in the character select screen
Is anyone managed to unlock the secret podracers?

Yeah, I did. I don't think you are supposed to hold ALL FOUR at the same time.

Hold Left + Contrl and while doing that then push C and THEN push Y. Don't hold down C and Y at the same time.

I was able to unlock both secret characters. Are you sure you have Bullseye Navior and Mars Guo unlocked? The codes won't work otherwise.

Hold the Left Control, NOT Left and Control. The Control on the left of the keyboard. Hold it down, keep it held down, press C and then press Y, but keep the Control down the whole time.
Good luck
Great game but obviously a little funky and runs differently depending on your computer.

As far as I remember, the code has no way of buffering the keys. So you must hold them at the same time; do not press them one after another. Hold them at the same time.

Shit, you're right, it is all at the same time.

I think his problem was confusion with Left Control. He was pushing Left and Control, NOT the Left Control.

Is everyone good and confused by now? :P

Wow... if the cheats have been hidden on PC for all this time, i wonder if they are also hidden inside the Dreamcast version... like LT+X+Y or something from the character select screen. Might have to get the old dreamcast out of the box lol

Thank you very much man! I love this game since the release ... I knew all the racers by heart! But in general was not aware of the fact that there are secret racers! I bought the game again in GOG, and now I played the game and in the credits of the voice acting I saw unfamiliar characters!
Got to google and found your post ... everything works!
This is very cool ... thank you again!