How we cheat at video games

For as long as there have been video games there have been people trying to cheat them. In its most primitive form, cheating can be anything from knocking the controller out of your opponent’s hands to pressing a combination of buttons to summon a speedboat out of thin air (in the game of course).

But things have evolved somewhat since then and cheating against the computer in order to beat the game has become the most popular format. In this article, we will examine how the way players cheat to win games has evolved during the last 30 years.

Cheat codes

The classic way to cheat is with cheat codes. Many games are built with special features that can be unlocked by entering a combination of buttons at a particular time, such as during the game’s intro sequence.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Mega Drive allowed players to select a level by hammering in a particular button combination at the title screen, while other codes have allowed players to unluck particular characters, upgrade their weapons or just become completely invincible.

Before the internet was accessible to the majority of gamers, cheat codes were often found in gaming magazines and dedicated cheat books. The codes were typically scrawled down in pencil by eager gamers and passed around the classroom at school, and it wasn’t uncommon to find loose bits of paper inside game cases featuring the combinations.

These days it’s all far less romantic, with dedicated sites across the internet offering practically every possible cheat code known. Often these websites are populated by gamers themselves, and the database gradually grows following a title’s launch date.

Recommend to read:

• CSGO unlimited time command – find out how to increase the duration of a round in the game;
• WallHack command CSGO – add the ability to look through walls;
• aimbot command CSGO – always win with one shot.

Extra hardware

Some gamers took things to another level with accessories such as the Game Genie. Depending on the console, the game genie would clip on to your game cartridge and manipulate the programming code to create new scenarios.

This helped boost the longevity of games by changing how they were played. The changes included altering the physics, changing the speed and even allowing you to manually tag on extra lives to help you through levels where you were struggling.

Specialized controllers featuring turbo buttons were also released throughout the 16-bit era, providing relief to players’ thumbs by replacing the button mashing with simple switches that would help you breeze through rapid-fire shooting or athletics games. The controllers are still popular today, with the Nintendo Switch boasting an impressive range.

Guides and walkthroughs

Perhaps the most honorable way to ‘cheat’ is through guides and walkthroughs. Back in the 90s and 00s, gaming magazines would publish extensive maps of games, with a particular focus on sprawling RPGs like Zelda and Pokémon.

Guides like this can be illuminating and enhance a player’s enjoyment of the games. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for the game publishers themselves to publish these guides, either online or in print, to help their customers enjoy the full potential of the products.

It’s a tactic that’s quite commonplace across other industries, with brands eager to help potential customers maximize their enjoyment. In the world of casino gaming, Casino Hacks helps its players learn how to make the most of games by sharing tips and insider knowledge.

Although the media has changed, it seems that cheating in video games, whether that’s through codes, extra gadgets, or just helpful maps, is here to stay. And despite the negative connotations of the word, it’s true that this has helped boost our enjoyment of our favorite games throughout recent history.