Every ’90s gamer should remember these legendary cheat codes

Unlimited lives. Unlimited ammo. A never-ending arsenal of weapons. The ability to fly, phase through walls, teleport, or one-shot anyone you see. Video games might never have given us all these abilities in their vanilla versions, but their cheat codes certainly have. That’s the beauty of cheat codes — they’ve always been tiny little nudges and winks from the devs, saying “hey, if you’re done having all the legal fun, go crazy with these cheats”.

From memorizing specific controller patterns to unlock secrets, to writing down a list of cheats for ammo, weapons, and the coolest cars on a sheet of paper to share with friends, we’ve really come a long way. Today, enabling cheats in single-player, offline games is as easy as installing Cheat Engine or software like WeMod, but back in the day, these were the greatest cheat codes that made us the rulers of the classics.

Doom 1993 – IDDQD

This was lore-accurate Doom Slayer

1993’s Doom was terrifying enough for kids — demons, devils, guns, and guts all around. It was an enjoyable game, yes, but it was also one of the greatest power trips ever made. In fact, that’s what the modern Doom games have continued to be, and there’s just nothing like being in the Slayer’s heavy metal shoes, ripping and tearing until the job is done. In 1993, that power trip came from five glorious, blood-soaked letters — IDDQD.

With this cheat code, you were untouchable. You were, as they say, a ‘lore-accurate Slayer’. Nothing could kill you, and even a room full of Barons of Hell became nothing more than a shooting gallery for target practice. With IDDQD, Doom became pure, unadulterated fun. It became all about killing demons and taking names, while being all out of bubble-gum. Heck, it even turned the Doom Marine’s eyes in the HUD yellow, which was such a fantastic call-back in the latest Doom: The Dark Ages, when the Slayer is under Makyr control.

DOOM + DOOM II

Released

August 9, 2024

ESRB

M

Developer(s)

id Software

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

Engine

Unity, KEX

DOOM + DOOM II brings the legendary first-person shooters to modern platforms. Relive the fast-paced action as you battle demons across hellish landscapes with upgraded visuals. These iconic titles offer non-stop, intense combat, classic weapons, and unforgettable levels, all in one collection.

Mortal Kombat on the Genesis – ABACABB

This is what made the Genesis the cooler console

Not only is this cheat code one of the most popular cheat codes of all time, but it’s also extremely significant in the gaming landscape. Back when Sega and Nintendo were head-to-head in the console wars, Mortal Kombat was one game that had everybody and their dog talking. It was about to come to home consoles, but every parent and politician was already against the violence in the game. That’s where Nintendo decided not to include any of the gore, blood, or fatalities in the game.

Of course, Genesis owners expected their edgier and ‘cooler’ console to still have blood in the game, but what they got instead in the base game was gray splatters, and, sadly, no fatalities. That was until they realized that the devs had worked in a secret cheat code — ABACABB. In the main menu, this cheat code let you unlock blood, fatalities, and all arenas in the game. That was the golden point that made the Genesis objectively the ‘cooler’ and more mature console. Of course, with that came the wrath of Congress, who rallied to get a parental guidance and ratings system, all thanks to Mortal Kombat and its bloodshed.

Mortal Kombat (1992)

Released

October 6, 1992

ESRB

m

Developer(s)

Midway Games

Publisher(s)

Midway Games, Acclaim Entertainment

Engine

Unreal Engine

Franchise

Mortal Kombat

• 

Mortal Kombat is a 1992 fighting game developed and published by Midway. It is the first entry in the Mortal Kombat series and was subsequently released by Acclaim Entertainment for nearly every home platform at that time.

The ultimate cheat code for all the weapons

Do I really even need to talk about this one at all? One of the most famous cheat codes of all time, NUTTERTOOLS in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City instantly spawned a military-grade arsenal in your inventory. Rocket launchers? Check. A minigun and grenades? Check. All of this ‘fun’ stuff would normally take you hours to grind for, and some kids like me would’ve never found it since our sole aim in Vice City was to goof around in cars, running over pedestrians and looting shops in the North Point Mall.

With NUTTERTOOLS, patience suddenly became optional. You could now pull out a rocket launcher while engaged in a five-star pursuit against the military, and instead of spamming LEAVEMEALONE to take a breath, your rocket launcher could just take care of the helis and tanks surrounding you.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Released

October 29, 2002

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence

Developer(s)

Rockstar Games

Publisher(s)

Rockstar Games

Engine

RenderWare

Franchise

Grand Theft Auto

“You’re all trapped in here with me”

Twisted Metal 2 was already a fever dream of car combat and explosions, but there was one cheat among its many that stood out, and I can guarantee that any Twisted Metal 2 player still remembers it. It was the code to unlock invincibility — up, down, left, right, right, left, down, up. This simple code, when put in while holding L1, L2, R1, and R2 on the PlayStation, gave you invincibility, making you nothing short of a force of nature on the arena.

Plus, you also got infinite ammo and turbo, making you the god on the arena. Pair that with invincibility, and the game essentially became a guilty pleasure power trip. Fun fact — in the Amazon Prime Twisted Metal show, this cheat code was referenced in the first season.

Twisted Metal 2

Systems

Released

November 8, 1996

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Violence

Developer(s)

Sony Interactive Studios America, SingleTrac

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

Engine

Syrup Emulation Engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Franchise

Twisted Metal

• 

The world is at your disposal to blow away with destructive cars and explosive battlegrounds! Now with smarter, deadlier and deeper battles for world-wide creative killing behind the wheel.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 – Moon Physics

Throwing physics out of the window… straight to the moon

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games are legendary for being what the ‘cool kids’ played in the early 2000s, and I couldn’t be happier about the success of the fantastic remakes. Already, the game felt like it told you gravity was optional, especially when you chose Mr. Anthony himself as the player, but if you pressed X, Square, Left, Up, Down, Up, Square, Triangle, you’d unlock what’s called ‘moon physics’.

With moon physics, every ollie, kickflip, or grind sent you flying like a superhero, and levels became giant playgrounds where rules didn’t matter, and physics went flying out of the window, literally. This was about laughter more than realism or skill, and watching your skater spin endlessly into the sky and come crashing down remains a thrill to this day. If you knew this code? You were the life of the party.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (2020)

Released

September 4, 2020

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Vicarious Visions

Publisher(s)

Activision

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Contra – the Konami Code

One of the most popular cheat codes of all time

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A was the secret code you needed to know if you were a Contra player on the NES. This was the Konami code, or the Contra code, and it gave you thirty lives to get through all eight stages of the game, because let’s be honest — the three lives never cut it in such a brutal platformer. Having 30 lives after being shot down mercilessly with a single bullet felt like unlocking godhood, and the Konami code was nothing short of that.

This was the code that was passed around like a sacred mantra in school playgrounds and internet cafés, and when you finally found out about it, it felt like you were finally a part of some secret club. In fact, this code has even lived beyond Contra, popping up in other Konami titles, and before 0451 became the industry’s inside secret, it was the Konami code that ruled all.

Contra

Released

February 20, 1987

ESRB

e 10+ // Animated Blood, Mild Violence

Developer(s)

Konami

Publisher(s)

Konami

Engine

game engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Franchise

Contra

The universe teeters on the brink of total annihilation at the hands of the vile alien war monger, Red Falcon. Earth’s only hope rest with you, a courageous member of the Special Forces commando squad.

Metroid – JUSTIN BAILEY

Who Justin Bailey was never mattered, so long as you saw Samus in the bodysuit

The NES had some amazing superhero games, but no other game could stand toe-to-toe with Metroid‘s popularity, and for good reason. In fact, this was a game that featured alternate endings, in a way. Only here, instead of unlocking different endings or cutscenes, you would unlock new suits and appearances for Samus depending on how quickly you finished the game. Finish the game under 3 hours, and in your next playthrough, you could play as Samus in a bodysuit. Moreover, if you did it under an hour, you’d even unlock her in a swimsuit.

Still, for a brutally difficult platformer like Metroid, only a few could achieve this feat, unless you knew the secret cheat code, JUSTIN BAILEY —— ——. Inputting this code on the password screen unlocked Samus without her armor, in the bodysuit, and it even armed you with 255 missiles to boot. For those who didn’t even know Samus was a woman, this was downright shocking, and for that reason, this cheat code became folklore. Nobody knew who Justin Bailey was, either, and there are a ton of internet theories about the name, but did it truly matter when you could just enjoy the sight of Samus’s new ‘suit’ and have virtually endless missiles?

Metroid

Systems

Released

August 6, 1986

ESRB

E for Everyone: Mild Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

unreal engine

Franchise

Metroid

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – HESOYAM

I could probably type this faster than my own name

Inarguably one of the most famous cheat codes in modern gaming, HESOYAM in GTA San Andreas was the one code that everybody knew, even if they hadn’t played the game (I say this from experience). I myself found out about it from a friend on the school bus who admitted to never having played the game, but having memorized codes for his elder brother who played. To this day, I think I can type HESOYAM faster than my own name on the keyboard, and it’s for good reason. This code gave CJ full health, armor, and a fat stack of $250,000 every time you typed it in while playing the game. A quick trip to Ammo-Nation later, you were the king of the city, wreaking havoc the likes of which would make Godzilla jealous.

Plus, it even fixed your burning car, meaning you no longer had to jump out of that sweet ride you just rammed into a hundred trees. To be honest, HESOYAM became more of a ritual than a cheat code, because you’d be spamming it in-between cutscenes, or before the start of a mission to armor up, because why not?

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition

Released

November 11, 2021

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

Developer(s)

Grove Street Games, Rockstar Games

Publisher(s)

Rockstar Games

Engine

RenderWare

Franchise

Grand Theft Auto

Experience the blockbuster classic, updated for a new generation with across-the-board enhancements including brilliant new lighting and environmental upgrades, with high-resolution textures, increased draw distance, Grand Theft Auto V-style controls and targeting, and much more.

These iconic cheat codes ruled our childhoods

Cheat codes may have now faded into the background of modern gaming, being replaced by mods, Cheat Engine, or other software, but their legacy? It’s still permanent — ingrained into our brains after we lost the flimsy little notepad sheets we had written them on. For a while, these codes became part of the culture, as whispers passed between friends, or even penciled in on bathroom walls in school (true story, trust me).

They taught us that there was way more fun to be had in games after the credits rolled, and before we all began clamoring for New Game Plus modes in games, we simply started new playthroughs, armed with cheat codes to the teeth.