Cheat Cartridges

A cheat cartridge is a device that connects to any sort of cartridge-based video game system, allowing the player to modify the game code either before or during its execution in order to manipulate the game in a way not permitted in its original programming. Cheat cartridges are usually used to gain infinite lives or items, or to perform other actions that would otherwise allow an unfair advantage. Some games may also have codes to activate secret levels or items that may not have been available normally, or allow the user to access debug menus used by programmers.

To use a cheat cartridge, the user inserts it into the console port, and then plugs the game cartridge into the device itself using another identical port. When the power is switched on, the console will run the software stored on the cheat device, which modifies different values within the game's code as it passes through the device. Cheat cartridges usually come pre-loaded with cheats for the popular games at the time of the device's release, whilst more advanced devices such as Action Replay for the Nintendo DS can download additional games and cheats from the Internet. Modern disc-based cheat hardware may be used for newer consoles; examples include Code Breaker and GameShark, which modify game code from a large database of cheats.