For me cheat codes represent a form of whimsy. Like I’m sure some of the cheats were originally dev codes for testing that they made available for users but the rest just have to be for the lols. Especially given the time and testing that would be required for to implement them. It’s just a bit of fun and I wish they were more common again.
I also wonder if the attitude has changed because sometimes using cheats prevents achievements get disabled and that puts gamers off.
You know, I was thinking about this too on and off - where have the cheat codes gone? I suspect one reason is that they technically aren't needed anymore. On older, cartridge consoles, I assume the dev tools for building games were not sophisticated enough to play test. So I assume codes were built in (like level selects) so that a tester could quickly jump to an area. I suppose with modern game engines that is no longer an issue.
But the cheat codes built into a game give it a sense of identity too. I remember how Goldeneye would work the "cheats" into something for you to achieve, by setting time limits to complete a mission. And some of those were hard! Yet there were still long button combos to enter too, revealed much later. It kept people engaged though, asking around if there were codes, more secrets to discover, that's how a community built up around it. In a game like that where it was semi-serious spy gameplay, it was wonderful to see the developers wanted to have fun too by making Big Head Mode and letting you carry two rocket launchers at once.
The act of locating these cheat codes and secrets - magazines, FAQs, websites, asking around - that's all gone now, and I agree that something is now missing because of it.
Oh this took me back to the good old days. I vividly remember playing GTA Vice City with friends and entering the cheat code for a tank over and over again, and watching the tanks falling from the sky as we reveled in the chaos. We didn't even do anything with those tanks, just the fact that we could enter the cheat code and cause such chaos was the fun part.
I also remember the Sims having very fun cheat codes. I know that my friend who played the Sims just for the building and designing aspect (and spent so many hours on it) used those cheats a lot and now she's a pretty successful architect!
I think breaking a game and playing it in an unintended way is actually very fun (part of the reason why I'm a game tester now haha), and cheat codes serve as a great way to achieve this. I don't know if they will actually bring them back, but I will be all for it!
I’m with Alex, they are a form of whimsy, and there ain’t enough whimsy in the world right now!
I remember in Super Smash Bros Brawl, there’s a mode where you can turn things on and off, like make everyone really tiny and have 400% on them so one hit will send them flying. I’d play with my friends at a party and we’d just turn everything on and play like 5 second matches absolutely laughing our asses off. So yeah, I’m in. Bring back cheat codes!
I remember Dlh98, where I’d search for Cheat Codes or Trainers, to make games easy, silly or straight out bonkers 😆 Big Heads and Big Feet anyone?
Invisibility, invincibility, & infinite lives. No clipping, all weapons and unlimited ammo… bringing Photon Men to Age of Empires, Flying Cars in GTA, and Disco Mode into Turok... Those were the times! We Truly Need Cheat Codes Back!
Thanks for bringing back some of those memories. 😁
For me cheat codes represent a form of whimsy. Like I’m sure some of the cheats were originally dev codes for testing that they made available for users but the rest just have to be for the lols. Especially given the time and testing that would be required for to implement them. It’s just a bit of fun and I wish they were more common again.
I also wonder if the attitude has changed because sometimes using cheats prevents achievements get disabled and that puts gamers off.
You know, I was thinking about this too on and off - where have the cheat codes gone? I suspect one reason is that they technically aren't needed anymore. On older, cartridge consoles, I assume the dev tools for building games were not sophisticated enough to play test. So I assume codes were built in (like level selects) so that a tester could quickly jump to an area. I suppose with modern game engines that is no longer an issue.
But the cheat codes built into a game give it a sense of identity too. I remember how Goldeneye would work the "cheats" into something for you to achieve, by setting time limits to complete a mission. And some of those were hard! Yet there were still long button combos to enter too, revealed much later. It kept people engaged though, asking around if there were codes, more secrets to discover, that's how a community built up around it. In a game like that where it was semi-serious spy gameplay, it was wonderful to see the developers wanted to have fun too by making Big Head Mode and letting you carry two rocket launchers at once.
The act of locating these cheat codes and secrets - magazines, FAQs, websites, asking around - that's all gone now, and I agree that something is now missing because of it.
Oh this took me back to the good old days. I vividly remember playing GTA Vice City with friends and entering the cheat code for a tank over and over again, and watching the tanks falling from the sky as we reveled in the chaos. We didn't even do anything with those tanks, just the fact that we could enter the cheat code and cause such chaos was the fun part.
I also remember the Sims having very fun cheat codes. I know that my friend who played the Sims just for the building and designing aspect (and spent so many hours on it) used those cheats a lot and now she's a pretty successful architect!
I think breaking a game and playing it in an unintended way is actually very fun (part of the reason why I'm a game tester now haha), and cheat codes serve as a great way to achieve this. I don't know if they will actually bring them back, but I will be all for it!
I’m with Alex, they are a form of whimsy, and there ain’t enough whimsy in the world right now!
I remember in Super Smash Bros Brawl, there’s a mode where you can turn things on and off, like make everyone really tiny and have 400% on them so one hit will send them flying. I’d play with my friends at a party and we’d just turn everything on and play like 5 second matches absolutely laughing our asses off. So yeah, I’m in. Bring back cheat codes!
I remember Dlh98, where I’d search for Cheat Codes or Trainers, to make games easy, silly or straight out bonkers 😆 Big Heads and Big Feet anyone?
Invisibility, invincibility, & infinite lives. No clipping, all weapons and unlimited ammo… bringing Photon Men to Age of Empires, Flying Cars in GTA, and Disco Mode into Turok... Those were the times! We Truly Need Cheat Codes Back!
Thanks for bringing back some of those memories. 😁