Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1988 side-scroller developed by Advance Communication Co. and published by Bandai and Toho across different regions. Released exclusively for the NES, the game is based on the story of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Time has not been kind to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Initially met with a mixed reception, it has since gone on to be known as one of the worst video games ever made, and certainly among the worst released on the NES. While its commercial performance was never publicly discussed by its developer or publisher, the lack of a sequel makes it clear that it wasn’t a success by any metric.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Premise
©Screenshot from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The basic gameplay of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is extremely simple. Perhaps, too simple for some. It’s a side-scroller, where you play as Dr. Jekyll. You walk through six levels (Town, Cemetery, Town, Park, Cemetery, and Street), each filled with enemies. As Jekyll, you must walk to the right and try to avoid your enemies, as you can’t actually attack them.
When taking any form of damage, Jekyll’s health will be depleted. Reaching zero health results in a game over. At the same time, taking damage also increases Jekyll’s stress meter, which turns him into Mr. Hyde when reaching zero. The Hyde sections of the game transports you to a demonic world, where you must fight against waves of enemies in order to decrease Dr. Jekyll’s stress and come back to the real world.
Ultimately, the main objective is to play as Dr. Jekyll for as long as possible, while minimizing your time as Mr. Hyde. This is where part of poor reception came from – the Hyde sections where you fight against monsters are a huge part of the appeal, but the game looks to make sure that happens as little as possible.
The game’s ending depends entirely on who you’re playing as when you happen to reach the church. While you’re supposed to reach the church as Dr. Jekyll, you’ll be granted an interesting alternate ending for reaching it as Mr. Hyde.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Main Characters
©Screenshot from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
As Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is already based on a book, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the game has a wide cast of characters. However, because of how limiting the gameplay is, you only really get to meet Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde, who is on their way to Miss Millicent’s wedding.
- Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde: As portrayed in the novella, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are one and the same. They’re just two sides of the same coin, with Jekyll being the more approachable, upstanding gentleman, while Hyde is an agent of chaos and evil.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Titles in the Series
©Screenshot from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
It should come as no surprise to learn that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde did not spawn a franchise after its release. The poor reception meant it was always going to struggle to find an audience, despite being based on a timeless story.
Throughout the 80s, the NES had its fair share of throwaway cash-ins, and they weren’t always successful. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has to join this list as one of the very worst.
While the story of Jekyll and Hyde has a ton of potential for a horror title in the modern era, it’s hard not to think that no one has managed to get the best of what this particular tale has to offer.
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1988)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Cheat Codes
©Screenshot from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
In the base game of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, there is just one cheat to speak of, and it’s a pretty cool one. This is a level skip cheat, but you’ll need two controllers to pull it off. To do this, hold B on controller 2 on the title screen, then press Up, B, Right, Left, Down, Right, Left, A, B, Right, Select, B, Down, and Start on controller 1. Then when you’re in-game, press either A or B on controller 2. This will skip your current level.
If this isn’t enough for you, there’s another way to cheat in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If you choose to play the game on an NES emulator such as Mesen, you’ll be able to use Game Genie cheats to alter a ton of the game’s features. These are entered in the Cheats section of your chosen emulator.
Here are all the Game Genie cheats available for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Game Genie Codes
| Cheat Code | Cheat Code Effect |
|---|---|
| ANVVIXPN AEVVTZLA | When you collect coins and become Dr. Jekyll, you’ll advanced further in the level. |
| AEKUXLLA | Bees disappear from the game. |
| ALOXEVTP | Makes bomb explosions last longer. |
| YAOXEVTO | Bombs disappear. |
| YPOXEVTP | Bombs now do less damage. |
| ZPOXEVTP | Bombs now do way less damage. |
| AOKUVZEP | You no longer need coins to bribe the singing lady. |
| AEETYKYP | Makes it easier to gain Hyde Points. |
| INUTLZSV KVUTGZXT | You now gain Hype Points instead of coins. |
| GAPEZG PAPELK PLYEPL | Gives you infinite coins. |
| AEUTXPPA | Gives you infinite Hyde time. |
| NXNSZEOO | Instant game restart. |
| AUSSGAEY AUOGKTEY AOVNLAEI SZUNTEVV VGUNYAES SAKYPESX | Gives you invincibility. |
| NKNGVYUK PXNKENOK PENKOYGA ENNKXYEI PENKSYAA OUNKNYUK | Allows you to jump while in mid-air. |
| GXNLKVSE | Allows to keep coins from previous saves. |
| SZXVPSVV SZXTTSVK | You’ll now never turn into Mr. Hyde. |
| EYKPLIEI EYEPGYEI | Fireballs are now a one-hit-kill. |
| KAUXIOSE GESNEYPA IPKKOAZX | You can press the Select button to skip the current level. |
| AXUSPEVT INUSZAVE KVUSLAGA | You can press the Start button to immediately fill the Hyde meter. |
| TEESIZPA | You automatically start on the last level. |
| KENLKVSE | Allows you to start the game with 16 coins. |
| GAEVTLAA | Allows you to start the game with 44 coins. |
| AXUSPEVT IXUSZAVE OKUSLAGE AXUSGESZ IXUSIAVE OKUSTAGE ENUSYEPZ AEKIAAPE ESKIPESA TEKIZAVA | Gives you turbo run while playing as Dr. Jekyll and holding Start (do not use this as Mr. Hyde, as it can crash the game). |
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Cheat Code FAQs
©Screenshot from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
What is the Invincibility Cheat in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
To become invincible in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you need to enter the cheat code “AUSSGAEY AUOGKTEY AOVNLAEI SZUNTEVV VGUNYAES SAKYPESX.” This should make you invincible against all forms of damage in-game, making it much easier to complete.
How Do You Skip The Current Level in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
There are actually two ways you can do this. The first, as described earlier, can be done on any version of the game, as long as you have two controllers to hand. This method goes as follows: hold B on controller 2 on the title screen, then press Up, B, Right, Left, Down, Right, Left, A, B, Right, Select, B, Down, and Start on controller 1. Then when you’re in-game, press either A or B on controller 2.
Alternatively, you can achieve the same effect via the Game Genie code, “KAUXIOSE GESNEYPA IPKKOAZX,” then pressing Select while in-game to skip the level This is good as you don’t need the second controller to complete this version of the code.
Can I Stop Myself from Becoming Mr. Hyde With Cheats?
Yes! By using the Game Genie code “SZXVPSVV SZXTTSVK,” you’ll no longer turn into Mr. Hyde at any point during gameplay. This obviously isn’t how the game is meant to be played, but it works as a change of pace if you’ve already completed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Does Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Have Achievements?
No. You’re not going to find any NES game with official achievements due to that feature not being invented yet. However, some gamers have taken this into their own hands. Over at RetroAchievements, the community for the game has created its own achievements list for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for you to tick off after you complete them.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Screenshot from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde..