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| The Complete Cheat Code Compendium from GameShark, which recently surpassed its Kickstarter funding goal. |
By Jon Scarr
Cheat codes still matter, and the response to GameShark’s latest project makes that clear. GameShark has confirmed that The Complete Cheat Code Compendium is now fully funded on Kickstarter, passing its original goal in just one week.
The campaign set out with a $10,000 USD target and has already raised more than $76,000 USD, showing there’s still strong interest in the history of cheat codes and the culture that grew around them. For many people, cheat devices and secret codes were a defining part of growing up with games, and this project is clearly tapping into that nostalgia.
My friends and I spent years using GameShark across just about everything we owned, from the N64 and PSX to the PS2, GameCube, Xbox, and handhelds like the Game Boy Advance and PSP. Cheat codes weren’t about skipping games. They were how I explored them, pushed past difficult spots, and got more out of the games I already loved.
The Story Behind The Complete Cheat Code Compendium
The Complete Cheat Code Compendium is being created by InterAct Accessories co-founder Todd Hays, who helped build GameShark into one of the best-known cheat device brands. The book aims to document the rise and fall of video game cheating, starting with early level selects and sound tests, through to the peak years of cheat devices like GameShark and Game Genie. The story is told through interviews and first-hand accounts from developers, journalists, and people who were directly involved during that era.
According to Hays, the goal is to show how cheat codes once helped make games more accessible and more playful, while also sharing the behind-the-scenes stories that came with them. That includes clashes with console makers and the creation of famous codes that became part of gaming history.
Writing duties on the book are being handled by Cyril Lachel of Defunct Games, alongside a group of contributors made up of developers, historians, and long-time fans of cheat codes. Together, the team is aiming to preserve a part of gaming history that often gets overlooked as modern games move away from traditional cheat systems.
Alongside the book, GameShark Labs has also revealed a new online project called GameShark Code Vault, which is positioned as a dedicated database for cheat codes. This is the first in a line of upcoming projects tied to the GameShark brand, including the previously announced RetroShark hardware, with more details expected in the months ahead.
Pre-orders for The Complete Cheat Code Compendium, as well as access to the GameShark Code Vault, are currently available through the Kickstarter campaign.
View the Kickstarter campaign here.
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