If you grew up playing video games in the 1980s, 1990s, or early 2000s, chances are you remember cheat codes.

Sometimes they gave you extra lives. Other times they unlocked secret characters, new levels, special abilities, or just something completely ridiculous.

And, of course, there was always that one friend who somehow knew a code nobody else had heard about.

So what happened to video game cheat codes?

Cheat Codes Weren't Always Created for Players

Some of the earliest cheat codes weren't originally intended to be cheats at all.

Developers needed ways to quickly test different parts of a game without playing through the entire thing every time. Special codes could give them extra lives, skip levels, or provide other shortcuts during development.

Some of those codes remained in the finished games and were eventually discovered by players.

Before long, secret codes became part of gaming culture.

The Konami Code Became a Gaming Legend

Few cheat codes are as recognizable as:

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A

Known as the Konami Code, it appeared in numerous Konami games and became one of the most famous button combinations in video game history.

For many players, memorizing a cheat code was almost as much a part of the game as actually playing it.

How Did We Find Cheat Codes Before the Internet?

This is something younger gamers may have a hard time imagining.

You couldn't simply pull out your phone and search for the answer.

Players found cheat codes through:

• Video game magazines
• Strategy guides
• Friends
• Schoolyard rumors
• Game tip books
• Video game stores

Sometimes a code worked perfectly. Sometimes the friend who swore it worked had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

That was part of the fun.

Some Cheats Were Just for Laughs

Not every cheat code was designed to make a game easier.

Some changed the appearance of characters, unlocked strange modes, altered the game speed, or added funny effects.

Developers sometimes hid secrets simply because they knew players would enjoy discovering them.

Finding one could make you want to go back through the entire game just to see what else might be hidden.

Then the Internet Changed Everything

As internet access became common, finding secrets became much easier.

Instead of waiting for the next gaming magazine or asking a friend, players could search online and quickly find lists of codes, walkthroughs, secrets, and Easter eggs.

At the same time, video games themselves were changing.

Online multiplayer, downloadable content, achievements, regular game updates, and more complex game systems all became increasingly common.

Traditional button-combination cheat codes gradually became less prominent.

Cheat Codes Didn't Completely Disappear

The idea behind cheat codes is still around.

Modern games may include hidden modes, developer options, console commands, Easter eggs, unlockable content, or special settings that change the way a game plays.

But there's something different about remembering a long button combination, entering it at exactly the right screen, and waiting to see if it worked.

Part of Retro Gaming History

Cheat codes remind us of a time when discovering a game's secrets often happened away from the screen.

Maybe you found a code in a magazine. Maybe a friend wrote it down for you. Maybe you kept a notebook filled with codes, passwords, and game tips.

Those little pieces of information became part of the experience and part of the memories we still associate with classic video games.

At Game Repair, we've watched gaming change for more than 36 years, but those memories are one of the reasons we still love retro games today.

Do you still remember a cheat code from years ago? You might be surprised how quickly those old button combinations come back to you.