The 10 Most Famous Video Game Cheats Of All Time

The 10 Most Famous Video Game Cheats of All Time

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re using up, down, left, right, circle, circle, circle, x, to skip to the end of this video *play outro*. Today, we are looking at the 10 Most Famous Video Game Cheats of All Time. Let’s do it.

Blood Code

“Mortal Kombat” (1992)

Imagine playing Mortal Konbat today, and blood was removed! That’s like eating pancakes without maple syrup, driving a car without a steering wheel, going to the gym in a pair of jeans, what the hell are you doing? Despite its focus on gore and violence, the original Mortal Kombat didn't readily showcase blood. While the Super Nintendo version removed blood entirely, the Genesis edition allowed access to it through the code A-B-A-C-A-B-B. This code unlocked an abundance of blood, enabling players to emphasize their victories by flaunting the gore to their opponents, and flaunt it we did.

Zelda Skip

“The Legend of Zelda” (1986)

The Second Quest in The Legend of Zelda presents a formidable challenge, replaying the first half of the game with far harder parameters. If you find locating key items and dungeons challenging in the Main (First) quest, you're in for an even tougher time with the Second Quest. Opt for the name "Zelda" when inputting your name on the game's registration page to initiate the second quest instantly, instead of the first. Although this might create some confusion, given that your objective is to rescue someone else named Zelda, it's a minor inconvenience compared to the benefit of skipping half of the game, and getting to the point.

All Weapons

“Tomb Raider” (1996)

With its recent remaster for modern consoles, Tomb Raider is infamous for not only its groundbreaking gameplay and story, but one of the most infamous cheats of all time. When it was released on the PC, players could unlock all weapons in the game with a simple movement code which would end with the sound of a click, letting players know that it was time to lock and load because the game just got a whole lot easier. Some cheat codes are famous for just that, the cheat code, but this particular cheat code has become famous because players who attempted the same code in the following two games were met with an explosive demise.

Down+B

“Pokemon Red and Blue” (1998)

This cheat is somewhat infamous. As the only cheat on this list that was spread by word of mouth, it may not actually be a functioning cheat, it’s simply just famous because we want it to be. While there's no concrete evidence that this method is effective, many Pokémon players swear by it, and it certainly FEELS like it works. This simple trick involves holding Down on the D-pad and pressing B simultaneously after throwing a Pokéball to increase your chances of catching a Pokémon. I swear by it, you probably swear by it, and I will forever continue to do it until the day I die, alone, playing Pokemon in a king single.

Justin Bailey

“Metroid” (1986)

The identity of Justin Bailey remains a mystery, but he's credited with one of gaming's most famous cheats. Back in the '80s, players completing Metroid in under five hours discovered Samus's true gender. However, with this cheat, her identity was revealed from the start. Entering "Justin Bailey" on the password screen's top line and leaving the second line blank allowed players to journey through the game as Samus in a distinctive pink leotard. To this day, nobody has a solid theory or answer on who/what Justin Bailey means. There is no linkable real life Justin Bailey, and there is no code breaking answer theory either. Justin Bailey will forever remain a mystery, it seems.

Instant Mike

“Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! (1987)

Arguably one of the most famous fighting games of all time was Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out. Considering his name and face were plastered all over the game box, the game promo, and the game’s material, it was actually really really difficult to encounter Mike in the game (if you weren’t willing to put in the time to memorize the mind bending movements of the first 13 opponents). But, if players wanted to skip all that nonsense and get straight to the big man himself (and inevitably get absolutely throttled), they could input a code that would bring them straight to the final boss. Watch out, because it turns out Mike Tyson is ACTUALLY quite a good boxer… who’d have thought?

God Mode

“DOOM” (1993)

We love a God Mode. It allows us to take a break from thinking too hard in a video game and just blast our enemies away with minimal personal repercussions. Easily the most famous God Mode comes from the original 1993 DOOM release. Using the code ‘iddqd’ activates this mode, giving the player 100% health, and making them invulnerable to enemy attacks. Now go get amongst the mess, because there’s no way anyone is taking you down!

DK Mode

“GoldenEye 007” (1997)

The cheat known as DK Mode is forever linked with Goldeneye 007, ingrained in our memories whenever the game is mentioned, and putting a smile on our face from the mere memory of Oddjob with a giant head. As the name implies, activating DK Mode enlarges all characters' heads and arms, resembling Donkey Kong, you know? From Donkey Kong… God I’m funny. Aside from its comedic effect, the cheat offers a practical advantage by providing larger targets for landing headshots on the game's numerous enemies, enhancing gameplay in a humorous way. Nothing quite scratches the comedy bone like a 4-player match of GoldenEye in DK Mode.

Rosebud

“The Sims” (2000)

The Sims is a lot of fun for players when you take on the world as it was intended. Need money? You better get a job! But The Sims is also a lot of fun when you just want unlimited access to build your own little haven. For this we have the Rosebud cheat. Activating cheat mode in the game is as simple as pressing Ctrl+Shift+C and typing "Rosebud." This action grants your character an extra 1,000 Simoleons each time, allowing you to steadily increase your wealth by repeatedly entering the code. Now you can not only buy 1 pool table, but 25 pool tables, giving you more pool tables than anyone else on the street. You are now king of pool tables.

The Konami Code

Various Games

The renowned Konami Code, in its most iconic version, consisted of the sequence Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A. This code is forever etched into the memories of countless players. In Contra, entering this code granted 30 extra lives, without which conquering the game seemed nearly insurmountable. Even with the code, completing the game remained a formidable challenge. In Crash Bandicoot 2, the code would unlock a demo for Spyro the Dragon, and in Silent Hill 3, it gave Douglas an outfit much more akin to a flasher. While the code has made appearances in subsequent Konami titles, it's often integrated as an Easter egg rather than a conventional gameplay strategy.