Cheat codes have largely gone away in the modern gaming landscape. With the advent of online multiplayer, achievements, and trophies, getting an advantage by putting in a code seems unfair. However, a select few games still carry on this tradition, either as a way to unlock everything without doing the work or by giving the characters buffs to make the game easier.
Grand Theft Auto: 10 Best Cheats In Franchise History (& How To Do Them)
As fun as GTA is on its own, adding in cheats to the equation makes things even better.
Some modern titles have cheat codes in some capacity, which give the player an upper hand. The ethics of using them are debatable, but as long as they don't interfere with someone else's enjoyment of the game, then it shouldn't be the worst thing in the world to use them. It's a shame that modern games with cheat codes have become a rarity, which is why it's important to pay attention to the titles that give this classic video game element the respect it deserves.
Updated on February 05, 2025, by Gerardo Molina: Using cheats in a game is one of the oldest matters of debate among the gaming community. While some say that there's nothing wrong with it, as it can help make the experience more complete and entertaining, others argue that it takes away from the challenge and the fun that can be had normally. In any case, it would seem that through the years, fewer and fewer games include the possibility of using built-in cheats. Luckily, there are still some developers who prioritize this option, leaving full control in the hands of players. Some of the titles on the list allow for modest cheats, whereas others can turn the game into something completely different.
29 ARK: Survival Evolved
Types Of Cheats: Invisibility, Flying, God Mode
ARK: Survival Evolved
- Released
- August 29, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Ark: Survival Evolved pits players against insurmountable odds, which is part of the experience and the challenge that, consequentially, provides the fun. However, those looking to shake up their playthrough and make things more interesting can use the various cheats available in the game.
Some of the most popular cheats out there allow players to fly, activate God Mode, and even remain undetected by enemies. These kinds of cheats are recommended for those who already beat the game and want to try new things, as otherwise, the experience is simply not as satisfying.
28 Stardew Valley
Types Of Cheats: Unlimited Money, Free Items, Extended Fishing
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Simulation
Like other farm life simulation RPGs, Stardew Valley tasks players with exploring the world, performing various actions, and gathering and managing as many resources as they can. This is what makes the game entertaining, but if players want to avoid the hassle of having to do this manually, they can always use cheats to get unlimited money, free items, and even make fishing more efficient.
As is the case with other games on this list, the experience that Stardew Valley provides can suffer from using too many cheats. So, if players want to have as much fun as possible during their first playthrough, they should avoid cheating as much as they can.
27 Dead Space
Types Of Cheats: More Nodes, More Credits, Refill Isaac's Energy
Dead Space
- Released
- October 14, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Visceral Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The Dead Space remake is a great upgrade from the original, but there's something about the 2008 classic that makes it well worth checking out even now. Players need only take a look at this game to understand why many fans felt that a remake was completely unnecessary, with Isaac Clarke's mute adventures being a blast to experience even now.
Not only was this title captivating and immersive in its twisted way, but it's also a game with cheat codes that players can use to mess around with its systems. With these cheats, players can refill the energy Isaac uses for his powers, get more Power Nodes to spend on Isaac's upgrades, and gain credits that turn the game's economy into a joke.
How to Cheat
Players must input relevant button presses to enjoy the benefit of a cheat code in Dead Space, as is the case in most classic video games. These cheat codes can only be activated in the pause menu.
26 Bully
Types Of Cheats: Unlimited Ammo, All Weapons, Full Health
Bully
- Released
- October 17, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
Rockstar has developed some of the best open-world games ever, and many of them have been updated in some form or another so that modern gamers can experience them. So, it's rather puzzling to see why Bully hasn't enjoyed the same level of attention, barring a Scholarship Edition release that added to the title's many engaging gameplay elements.
It's one of the better games with cheat codes that players can check out, which makes sense considering Rockstar's tendency to load their state-of-the-art video games with such exploits. These include health refills, unlimited ammunition, and everything else along the same lines.
How to Cheat
Players must input relevant button presses to enjoy the benefit of a cheat code, as is the case in most classic video games. With Bully, however, a second controller must be connected to the device on which the game is being played, and the cheat codes must be activated using this controller.
25 Batman: Arkham City
Types Of Cheats: Unlock Every Skin, Big Head Mode
Batman: Arkham City
- Released
- October 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rocksteady Studios
- Platform(s)
- PS3, PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Switch
Arkham Asylum came out of nowhere and established itself as one of the best superhero video games of all time, introducing a revolutionary melee combat system that was replicated time and time again by other imitators with varying levels of success. It was clear that expectations were high for the sequel, and fans were glad to see that Arkham City blew expectations out of the water.
Batman: Arkham Origins – 7 Things The Game Does Better Than Arkham City
Despite creating a lack of buzz among Batman fans, Batman: Arkham Origins does a few things better than even the best Batman games.
The open-world approach was lauded by many fans, with Arkham City's suite of gameplay improvements doing a great job of establishing this title as one of the greatest sequels ever made. Players who have played this title to death can use numerous button input combinations to make this game with cheat codes more fun to play with, especially for those who feel like they've seen all the tricks that the Dark Knight can pull off.
How to Cheat
Players must input relevant button presses to enjoy the benefit of a cheat code, as is the case in most classic video games.
24 Kerbal Space Program
Types Of Cheats: Infinite Fuel, Infinite Electricity, Unbreakable Joints
Kerbal Space Program
- Released
- April 27, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
The idea of experimenting with space travel while also adding a fair bit of comedy along the way is what makes Kerbal Space Program such a fun game to play. Constructing spaceships and the like is a ton of fun, even if the learning curve for this game can be a bit too much for most people to bear.
Thankfully, there's a debug mode that players can enable to enjoy a wealth of cheats that make it easier to go through the game. Stuff like unbreakable joints and infinite fuel will go a long way in ensuring that players can enjoy a successful spaceship launch that isn't marred by technical faults.
How to Cheat
Players need to press Alt+F12 to bring up the debug console and gain access to a wealth of cheats that make the game easier.
23 Celeste
Types Of Cheats: Unlock All Levels
Celeste
- Released
- January 25, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Celeste is one of the best platformers that gamers can check out, featuring satisfying movement, challenging gameplay, and a story that is way more engaging than most people would assume. The simple act of climbing a mountain draws parallels to a person's battle with depression and how every accomplishment should be cherished.
Players who want to experience everything Celeste has to offer without being railroaded by its difficulty spikes can use cheat mode to just unlock every level and enjoy the story at their own pace. It may not be the most legit way to play the game, but it does offer accessibility for players who find the platforming to be a bit too hard.
How to Cheat
Players need to input a certain set of button presses in the Prologue chapter with the car to unlock cheat mode.
22 Axiom Verge 2
Types Of Cheats: Invincibility, Higher Weapon Damage, No Cooldown
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
- Released: August 11, 2021
- Developer: Thomas Happ Games LLC
Axiom Verge is one of the most underrated classic Metroidvanias players can check out, and this statement applies to the sequel, too. Featuring various improvements to the formula, Axiom Verge 2 is one of the best Metroidvania games fans of the genre will have a great time with.
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If players want to make things easier for themselves or just wish to mess around in Axiom Verge 2, they can check out a wealth of cheats that help facilitate the same.
How to Cheat
Players need to find certain passcodes in the game that can be entered into the passcode tool to enjoy a wealth of benefits.
21 Red Dead Redemption
Types Of Cheats: Infinite Ammo, Infinite Dead Eye
Red Dead Redemption
- Released
- May 18, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar San Diego
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Android, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Adventure
Red Dead Redemption is one of the greatest open-world games ever made, and fans were glad that this title was finally ported to modern consoles after a long time, even if the cold shoulder hurt PC fans quite a bit. John Marston's tale of trying to redeem himself is a melancholic one that hits even harder with the existence of Red Dead Redemption 2.
The open world is still impressive for its time, and some people will love the less rigid approach to gameplay as compared to the sequel. Cheats disable achievements in the game, but most players won't mind as long as they have the opportunity to mess around in this title and experience something different.
How to Cheat
There's a Cheats tab in the Options menu where players can input the cheat code of their choice. All Red Dead Redemption codes can be found here.
20 Sonic Mania Plus
Types Of Cheats: Unlock All Moves, Infinite Lives
Sonic Mania
- Released
- August 15, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
After a string of mediocre releases, Sonic fans were glad to experience a great modern Sonic game that harkened back to the classic age. Sonic Mania was made by a team of fans who were hired by Sega to feature the blue hedgehog in a game that fans could be proud of, and many people argue that the title succeeded in that sense.
On top of its excellent platforming gameplay and level design, Sonic Mania Plus also features cheats that players can use for a bevy of effects. It's just one of the many ways in which this title harkens back to the good old era of video gaming when Sonic was at the very heights of its powers.
How to Cheat
Players need to unlock the Level Select menu, go to Sound Test, and play sounds in a specific order to do everything from unlocking all Sonic moves, and Chaos Emeralds, to getting infinite lives.