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Put simply, each version of the GameShark is compatible with more games than its predecessors. And, each version has more preloaded codes in its built-in code list than previous versions. GameShark Pro v3.0. GameShark was rebranded as “GameShark Pro” for v3.0, and not just for the sake of marketing hype.
- Regions
- GameShark codes
- Key codes
- List of known N64 GameShark versions
- List of competing cheat devices
- Opcode compatibility
- Parallel port
- Manuals
This page focuses primarily on NTSC-U (USA) systems. The same principles apply to NTSC-J (Japan) and PAL (Europe/Australia) systems as well, but those regions are not specifically discussed here.
Game cartridge versions
N64 games sometimes contained bugs that were discovered after release. When the developers fixed a bug, they recompiled the software and generated a new ROM. This frequently (though not always) caused the addresses of game data and instructions to change in both ROM and RAM. As a result, you typically need different GameShark codes for each version of a game (with the notable exception of several Perfect Dark assembly hacks). Using codes for the wrong version of a game will not work; it will either A) do nothing, B) freeze/crash the game, or C) corrupt your save data. (For example, at least one code for Super Smash Bros. is known to cause 1P Mode to only allow you to play as only Mario, regardless of which character you select, even when you're not using a GameShark anymore.) Most N64 games only have one version (e.g., Super Mario 64 and GoldenEye); some games have two versions (e.g., Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark); and a few games have three versions (e.g., Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire). According to GameShark.com, there was also a fourth version of Ocarina of Time (v1.3), but ZeldaSpeedRuns does not list it, and we have never encountered it. The three possible version numbers are: •v1.0 (unmarked on the back of the cart) •v1.1 (marked "A" on the back of the cart) •v1.2 (marked "B" on the back of the cart)
How do I know which game version I have?
You can find a game's version number in two places: 1.Most reliable: In the game's ROM, the version number is stored as a single byte at offset 0x3F (the value will be 0, 1, or 2). You can make a backup copy of your physical game cartridge using a Sanni Cart Reader or a GameShark Pro with a working parallel port and a compatible PC (see below), and examine the dumped ROM file in a hex editor. 2.Less reliable: On the back of the cartridge, there is a small, faint punch code. It is two random numbers, sometimes followed by "A" or "B". If the punch code is only two numbers, with no letter after it, the game is v1.0. If the two digit number has an "A" after it, it's v1.1, and if it has a "B" after it, it's v1.2. If you bought the game used, however, be aware that the outer shell of the cartridge may have been replaced by a previous owner, and might not match the actual version of the ROM inside it. The only way to know for sure is to make a backup copy of the game and examine the ROM. That said, punch codes can still be helpful when looking for a used game on sites like eBay. For more information, see: •Perfect Dark Version Differences from The Cutting Room Floor •Zelda Version Differences from ZeldaSpeedRuns
Known cheat code websites
•Project64 cheat database •RetroArch cheat database from libretro •GameShark.com (2004) •CodeTwink (2015) •CodeTwink (2018) •CodeTwink (live) •CMGSCCC (live) •HotCheats (2018) •Cheat Code Central •Super Cheats •GameGenie.com •Kai666 •GameHacking.org •Video Game Cheats •NintendoCC •Viper •BSFree
What are GameShark key codes?
All official N64 games contain a CIC security chip designed to ensure that only licensed games can be played on the N64. This can prevent the GameShark from booting properly if the wrong game is inserted into it. For NTSC games, there are 7 known CICs: 6102, 6101, 6103, 6105, 6106, 8303, and 5101. The N64 console won't boot if the GameShark tries to use a CIC that's different than the one in the game cartridge. The number of CICs supported by each version of the GameShark varies; see the tables below for a comprehensive list. Unfortunately, it was not possible for the GameShark to automatically detect which CIC to use on startup, because the GS firmware is not allowed to run until after the N64 console has verified the CIC - which can't happen until the GameShark decides which CIC to use. It's a chicken-or-the-egg problem. To work around this security limitation from Nintendo, GameShark v1.08 and newer support key codes, which are hexadecimal codes that allow the user to tell the GameShark which CIC their game is using so that it can boot properly. GameShark v1.07 and earlier do not support key codes; they are hardcoded to work only with CIC-NUS-6101 and CIC-NUS-6102 games, and will not boot games with other CICs. For a good overview of the purpose and function of the N64 CIC, watch Secrets of the Nintendo CIC Chip by Modern Vintage Gamer. For a technical deep dive, watch Reversing the Nintendo 64 CIC - REcon 2015.
How key codes work
13-byte key codes can be broken down into 3 sections - the ROM header CRC, the entrypoint, and a check byte - like so (example from firmware 3.3 (April); see below for how ROM and UI key codes differ): To explain what each section is used for, first consider why key codes are needed at all. What would stop a GameShark from being able to work with Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time with no differences? The answer: the CIC checksum in the ROM header. The GameShark is able to boot on an unmodified N64 by passing through the CIC chip and IPL3 from a retail game; but different IPL3s implement slightly different CRC algorithms, which would mean that CRCs that work for one IPL3 variant would not work for another. Thus, each key code contains a different CRC, calculated to work with the different IPL3 variants. Additionally, each key code contains a different entrypoint to go in the ROM header. Presumably, this is because different IPL3s also modify the address at which the entrypoint gets loaded and executed; however, the initial loader in the GameShark is position-independent and bootstraps the rest of the loader from anywhere in memory, making this part useless. This is trivial to prove, since restoring the default key code fails to overwrite the entrypoint, demonstrating that the CIC-NUS-6101/2 key code works with any of the included entrypoint addresses. The entrypoint is the part missing from 9-byte key codes. The final byte in the key code is a checksum, to verify that the key code is intended for the particular revision of GameShark firmware that it was used on. For 13-byte key codes, this is calculated as a simple big-endian 32-bit sum over each word of the checksum and the entrypoint of the key code, along with 4 words read from the GameShark ROM at 0x30..0x40, from which the low byte is taken. According to dlevere on the GameHacking forums: This appears to be incorrect; Ocarina of Time's "added protection" consists of simply clearing the entirety of the console's RAM on boot, and the bypass for this is included in the GameShark's firmware.
How to use GameShark key codes
Key codes are supported by GameShark v1.08 and above. To use them: 1.Boot up the GameShark (v1.08 or newer) with a CIC-NUS-6101 or CIC-NUS-6102 based game •Star Fox 64, Super Mario 64, and most other games not made by Rare or Factor 5 2.Select the correct key code from the GameShark onscreen menu •In v1.08, v1.09, and v2.0, you must press L+R at the main menu screen to display the key code menu 3.Turn the console power off (do NOT use the N64's reset button - it only power cycles the game, it doesn't reset the CIC) 4.Insert a game that matches the key code you just selected 5.Turn the console power back on 6.Select your cheat codes and start the game
According to posts in the Krikzz forum, vspolaris, Reddit, and GameShark.com, firmware versions 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, and 2.40 also exist, but we have not yet been able to verify them. The versions listed below are confirmed to exist.
If you have a GameShark with a firmware version not available for download here, and you’d like to include it in the repository, please contact RWeick on his user page at that link. He will assist you with extracting the firmware if you need help.
Xplorer 64 (aka Xploder 64)
Released in Europe only. Works with NTSC games/consoles as well as PAL. The Xplorer 64 supports all of the same key codes as the GameShark Pro, but they are activated differently. Instead of using the controller to navigate an onscreen menu, you push a physical button (similar to the "GS button" on GameSharks) on the front of the Xplorer 64 a specific number of times to activate the key code you want. See the Xplorer64 manual and Boot Modes for more information. Both versions of the Xplorer 64 have a parallel port in the back, similar to the GameShark Pro v3.1+. The PC utility software is available from NES World. See the GameHacking wiki entry on the Xploder for more information.
Equalizer
See the GameHacking wiki entry for Equalizer, Equalizer Hacked, and n64koder for more information.
Game Buster
See the GameHacking wiki entry for Game Buster.
The N64 GameShark Pro v3.1, v3.2, and v3.3* have a DB25 parallel port on the back that can be connected to a PC running Windows 98 SE** or Linux. This can be used to dump game ROMs, search/dump console RAM, upload homebrew games and software, download/upload cheat codes, reflash firmware, and a few other things.
* The final production run of the GameShark Pro v3.3 intentionally disabled the parallel port to reduce costs, so the parallel ports on those devices do not work.
Searchable flatbed scans of printed manuals:
•Media:N64_GameShark_v1.09_manual.pdf
•TODO: scan/OCR v2.1, v2.2, v3.0, v3.1
•Media:N64_GameShark_Pro_v3.2_manual.pdf
•Media:N64_GameShark_Pro_v3.3_manual.pdf
HTML transcriptions of printed manuals:
Aug 5, 2009 · If you’ve been hiding in an underwater cave for the past 20 years and need a primer, cheating devices like the GameShark work by modifying bits of memory or code in games.
GameShark is the brand name of a line of video game cheat cartridges and other products for a variety of console video game systems and Windows-based computers. Currently, the brand name is owned by Mad Catz, which marketed GameShark products for the Sony PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo game consoles. Players load cheat codes from GameShark ...
Jan 11, 2024 · GameShark was the most popular brand of cartridges, pre-loaded with thousands of cheats for select video games. Previously defunct, a new form of GameShark "game enhancers" are back in 2024 to aid players through AI.
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The following is a list of games we have GameShark Codes for on Nintendo 64 (N64) # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z. These codes were also known as Action Replay Codes in the and are compatible with both devices.
People also ask
Why do I need different GameShark codes?
What is a GameShark cheat?
How many codes does Gameshark have?
Is GameShark A real brand?
Apr 16, 2024 · Gameshark was the American brand name of the Action Replay Game Enhancer, originally. It originally focused on altering memory addresses to create cheat codes. InterAct was the original publishers of the GameShark until it went bankrupt.
