From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A cheat cartridge is a device that connects to any sort of cartridge-based video game system. It allows a user to input special cheat codes to manipulate a game in a way not permitted by its original programming. Usually the effect is to gain infinite lives, ammunition, unlock secrets, or do things that would otherwise allow an unfair advantage. Some games even have codes to activate unreleased levels, weapons, or items that may not have been available normally, and some even have codes to access debug menus used by programmers.

Contents 1 Functions 2 Xbox 3 Game Boy 4 Cartridges 5 See also

A cheat cartridge's operation is simple. The device uses the same type of port that a normal game cartridge does, thus allowing it to be plugged into the console's game slot. The game to be cheated at is then attached to the device itself using another identical port.

When powered on, the console will run the software stored on the cheat device. This is usually a menu from which the correct game is selected, and various cheats toggled on or off. When the user is ready, the device then runs the actual game as normal. However, the activated cheats modify different values within the game's code as it passes through the device, producing various effects such as infinite lives and ammunition.

Cheats and games can usually be modified and added to the device through its software in hexadecimal format. However, only users with advanced computer knowledge can successfully do so, and entering in random values can produce strange or devastating results, or possibly no results at all. For this reason, cheat cartridges come pre-loaded with most of the popular games at the time of the device's release, and more advanced devices (such as Action Replay for the Gameboy Advance and Nintendo DS) can connect to a computer to download additional games and cheats from the internet.

The inclusion of a special hardware chip, or modchip, is the only way of allowing non-hard-programmed cheats on an Xbox. This modification allows users to perform acts such as copying entire games onto the hard drive, thus eliminating the need for a physical disc, and installing operating systems and software, which can allow memory editing to take place. Modification of the Xbox is considered by Microsoft and other companies to be illegal, and Microsoft claims they will ban anyone using a modded Xbox on their online gaming service, Xbox Live.

Cheat cartridges have been made for many Game Boy models before the system was discontinued in favor of the Nintendo DS. The most popular brand was GameShark, although an Action Replay Advance was released. These cheat cartridges granted the player access to a menu, which had a selection of games the player could activate cheats for. Extended use of these cheat cartidges could corrupt the game you used. The only means of fixing this problem is to erase your game file(s), which will rid the cartridge of any problems the cartridge might have caused.

Some well known devices include:

• Galoob's Game Genie

• Most likely the first cheat cartridge ever

• Datel's Action Replay

• Also referred to as 'Pro Action Replay' in cartridges starting from the 8-bit era)
• More recent Action Replay cartridges are simply save game transfer devices

• Datel's GameShark (distributed by Mad Catz.)

• Maker of only cheat cartridge/disk available for Nintendo 64, Xbox, and PlayStation 2

• Konami's Konami game master

• No longer developed, made for MSX Computer Standard

• Pelican's Codebreaker

• Manufactures cheating devices for most consoles

• Cheating (video games)
• Galoob v. Nintendo