The Hidden Secrets of Lotus Turbo Challenge 2
Introduction
In the early 90s, many games on the Amiga included hidden extras beyond gameplay. Some were simple messages, others were full features buried in the code. Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 is one of the best examples of this.
The game contains multiple easter eggs, including a hidden bonus game, a concealed audio message, and a long developer text left in the code.
Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 Overview
Released on the Amiga, Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 became known for its fast racing, split-screen multiplayer, and music composed by Barry Leitch.
Behind the main game, however, the developers added several hidden features that were not documented in the manual and went unnoticed for years.
Easter Egg 1 — Hidden Bonus Game (Kwazy Kwaks)
One of the most well-known secrets is a hidden bonus game inside Lotus 2.
This extra game is based on Kwazy Kwaks, an earlier title created by Shaun Southern for the Commodore VIC-20 in 1984. It features a simple arcade setup with a bouncing duck character.
To access it, players enter the password:
DUX
This unlocks a completely different gameplay mode hidden inside the racing game.
A message buried in the code references it directly:
“Hope you like the ‘free’ bonus game. Now you don’t think I’m going to tell you the password, do you?”
It confirms the feature was intentionally hidden for players to discover.
Easter Egg 2 — Hidden Anti-Piracy Voice Sample
The game’s intro music contains a hidden voice sample that is easy to miss.
At around the 12-second mark, a faint voice can be heard through the left audio channel only. It says:
“You will not copy this game.”
The message is part of the soundtrack but is mixed at a very low level, making it difficult to notice during normal play.
When the music file is opened in a MOD tracker and the relevant channel is isolated, the voice becomes clear. The sample also appears in a hidden instrument slot within the tracker layout, suggesting it was deliberately concealed in multiple ways.
Easter Egg 3 — Hidden Developer Message
Inside the game files is a large text message written by Shaun Southern. It goes far beyond standard credits and documents the development process in detail.
The message includes:
- Development setup details
- Software tools used
- Personal notes and daily life during coding
- References to friends, music, and food
- Gameplay tips for specific tracks
- Thoughts on a possible sequel
The hardware and tools listed include:
- Amiga 2000
- 5MB RAM
- 25MHz accelerator
- 40MB hard drive
- Devpac 2
- Deluxe Paint 3
- Audiomaster II
- Action Replay cartridge
The message also includes personal remarks, including a note about multiplayer performance:
“Don’t play in four player mode cause it’s SLOOOW…”
Near the end, there is also a joke reference to a possible compilation titled Lotus 1-2-3. Lotus 1-2-3 was a spreadhseet software at the time of the games release.
Why These Easter Eggs Matter
These hidden features were not added for marketing. They were included by developers who expected only dedicated players or future fans to find them.
Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 is not just a racing game. It also preserves a record of how it was built and the people behind it.