Master Hand Playable WITHOUT Cheat Devices!

[Ren Nakora 28]

Super Smash Bros. MELEE ONLY!!!

On the Character Select screen, do NOT pick a character, but go to the Name Entry box.
You will need 0 or 1 names, no more, otherwise you will inevitably get kicked out to the menu.

Press B+A, keep holding B, go down to "Name Entry," and just before you get kicked to the menu, press A. The "back to menu" sound effect will play, but you will be at the Stage Select screen if done correctly.

Master Hand can only be controlled with a controller that is plugged into Slot 3, and his control scheme is very different from anyone else's.
You cannot control his movement, only his attacks.
Combinations of the D-pad and other buttons do various attacks.

The game will sometimes freeze at Stage Select, and in a VS. match, the game will always freeze after a winner is decided.
Master Hand is invincible unless a Stamina Match is going on.
One last thing...

Master Hand is, technically, tournament-legal.
(However, according to the rules, causing the game to crash results in disqualification, so you will lose by default by playing as him. It would be fun to freak someone out with it, though!)  

[Ren Nakora 28]

The timing is a little difficult, but there is another method.

At the character select screen in VS mode, have two controllers.
Place one of the hand cursors on the name box, press A, and scroll down to "Name Entry." Place the other cursor on the "Back" icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. Press A on both controllers, so that "Name Entry" and "Back" are selected at the same time.
If done correctly, you should be at the Stage Select screen, and everyone who did not pick a character will be Master Hand.
(Ren recommends that there is only one Hand. It is very glitchy otherwise.)
The game may freeze at the stage select screen, however.
If this happens, reset the game and try again.  

[Ren Nakora 28]

Has anyone tried this?  

[Zakuraii Koukiri]

Hm, didn't know about this one. I'll try it next time I play it.