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nickybmon edited this page May 2, 2026 · 3 revisions

Cheat Codes

OpenEmu has a built-in cheat code manager. You can enter codes while a game is running — no cartridge swapping, no external hardware needed.

OpenEmu also bundles a curated database of verified cheats for many popular games. When you load one of those games, the built-in cheats appear automatically in the cheats menu — no typing required.

How to Add and Use Cheat Codes

  1. Launch a game in OpenEmu.
  2. Move the mouse over the game window to reveal the HUD bar.
  3. Click the Cheats icon (the magic wand) on the HUD.
  4. The menu lists any built-in cheats for the current game (if available). Toggle one on by clicking it — it takes effect immediately.
  5. To enter your own cheat, click Add Cheat…
  6. In the dialog:
    • Title — a label so you can identify it later (e.g. "Infinite Lives")
    • Code — the cheat code in the format your system supports (see the table below)
    • Check Enable now to activate the cheat as soon as you click Add
  7. Click Add Cheat.

Your codes persist between sessions and are saved per-game (matched by ROM hash). Closing the game, quitting OpenEmu, and reopening will keep your codes and their enabled state.

Tip: to toggle a code off later, open the Cheats menu again and click the cheat. The check mark next to it indicates whether it's currently active.

Supported Formats by System

The code format you enter has to match what the system's emulator core understands. Codes copied from the wrong format will be silently ignored — the cheat will appear in the menu but have no in-game effect.

System Supported formats Example
Nintendo 64 GameShark v1/v2 only — exactly 12 hex characters per code (8-char address + 4-char value) 8033B21D 0064
NES Game Genie (6 or 8 chars), raw hex XXXX:YY, compare XXXX?CC:YY, Pro Action Rocky SXIOPO, 0064:08
SNES Game Genie, Pro Action Replay DD62-6DDD, 7E0DBE:63
Game Boy / Game Boy Color Game Genie (with hyphens), GameShark (no hyphens) 01FF6FC1 (GS), 09A-B6F-FFB (GG)
Game Boy Advance GameShark / Action Replay (handled by mGBA) varies — see Game Boy Advance code databases
Genesis / Mega Drive / Master System / Game Gear Game Genie, Action Replay RYGA-A6X4
PlayStation GameShark varies

Multi-line cheats can be joined with + for any system. For example: code1+code2+code3.

If a code type isn't listed for your system, it isn't supported by the current core. Raw memory addresses (some online cheat databases publish those instead of formatted codes) are not supported except where listed above.

N64 cheats: a note on code formats

The most common pitfall is N64 codes. Modern cheat archives often publish GameShark Pro v3 or Action Replay codes for N64, which are 16 hex characters (8 address + 8 value). These look very similar to the 12-character codes that work in OpenEmu, but they're a different format that the bundled core (Mupen64Plus) doesn't understand.

If your N64 code is 16 characters per line (e.g. 031A5344 00004320), it won't work in OpenEmu. Look for a 12-character version (e.g. 8033B21D 0064) instead.

Where to Find Cheat Codes

Different systems have different reliable sources. Here's what works well for OpenEmu:

System Recommended source
Nintendo 64 GameGenie.com — N64 GameShark codes. Every code on the site is in the 12-character format that works in OpenEmu.
NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, GBA, etc. GameFAQs — search your game title, then look for the Cheats section. Most older-system codes from GameFAQs work as-is.
All systems (debug modes, dev cheats) TCRF (The Cutting Room Floor) — debug menus, developer cheats, and unused content
Built-in cheats OpenEmu ships with a curated cheat database for many popular games. If a game has built-in cheats, they appear in the Cheats menu automatically. These are always in the correct format.

When using any external source, make sure you're using codes for the correct region of your ROM (USA, EUR, JPN) and the correct format for your system. A code that works on the USA version of a game won't necessarily work on the European version.

Notes and Limitations

  • Timing matters. Some codes only take effect at a specific moment — for example, a code that sets your starting lives only works when you start a new game, not mid-session.
  • Codes are stored per-ROM. Switching cores for a system (e.g. between BSNES and Snes9x for SNES) shouldn't delete your saved codes, but a code written for one core may not work on another if the memory addresses or parser differs.
  • If a code crashes the game, disable it and reload from a save state or the game's own save system.
  • Save states with cheats active may behave unexpectedly when loaded with cheats later disabled. Consider taking a clean save state before you start experimenting.
  • No effect, no error. If a code looks "enabled" in the menu but isn't doing anything in-game, the most likely cause is a format mismatch — the core silently skips codes it can't parse. Double-check that the code matches the format in the table above.

Reporting Problems

If a cheat that should work doesn't, or you think a built-in cheat is broken, please open an issue and include:

  • The system and game name (with region)
  • The exact code you tried
  • Whether the cheat shows as enabled in the menu
  • Whether you're using a built-in cheat or a code you added yourself

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