GameShark
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GameShark Pro V3.3 for the N64 |
The
GameShark is a tool for modifying the play of
video games, by unlocking various game modes and objects, using
codes, usually for the purpose of
cheating.
The GameShark works by changing binary codes stored at specific locations in a game's memory. Because of this, new GameShark codes can be created to affect essentially any part of a game.
A GameShark code consists of a memory "bank", a memory address, and a value to put in that address, in
hexadecimal. Most GameSharks have the ability to find the location in memory of any value so that one may discover new codes. For example, if you are playing a
first-person shooter and have 10 rounds of ammunition and want to change this to 255 rounds, you would normally activate your GameShark's menu system, and tell it to search the game's area of memory (
RAM) for the number 10, which is "A" in hexadecimal. Usually this will turn up more than one memory location, so you'll need to change the value being searched for, for example by using up some ammunition, and then use your GameShark once again to search the group of locations found last time for the new value. Eventually, you will have it narrowed down to one location (some codes may involve many more locations) and the GameShark will report the code for that location. In this case, assume it is "01FFA202". In our example, "A202" is the memory location, "FF" is the value stored therein, and "01" is the memory bank. Memory locations are split up into large chunks of the same size called memory banks. The most occurring memory bank is the very first, "01". Now we want to set our ammo to 255 (the maximum value that can be stored in this size memory location), so we change "02" to the hexadecimal version of 255, which is "FF".
The GameShark line was first introduced in
1995 by
InterAct Accessories. It was first released in Europe as the
Action Replay by the device's developer,
Datel; and InterAct distributed it and other Datel products under the "GameShark" name in America. It became largely popular because at the time few alternatives existed. InterAct continued releasing versions of the GameShark for several platforms. The first versions to be released were the Sega Saturn version and the Sony PlayStation versions.
After some legal disputes with InterAct, Sony eliminated the back-panel I/O port from the
PlayStation console in 1998, making it impossible to use the GameShark with any model made afterwards; this was followed by the GameShark CDX, an updated version of the PlayStation GameShark that no longer used the I/O port.
The GameShark eventually became less popular with the introduction of the CodeBreaker line by
Pelican Accessories.
InterAct Accessories ceased to exist in 2002 and the Gameshark was auctioned off by Interact's parent company Recoton to the highest bidder in January 2003. The bid was won by
Mad Catz who paid $5 million dollars for the Gameshark name and Web Site.
Mad Catz obtained the software from the same UK company that were at the time supplying
Pelican Accessories with Codebreakers. This is now the subject of an on-going legal dispute between
Mad Catz and
Pelican Accessories. Due to the fact that the software powering the GameShark was authored by
Datel, the new Mad Catz GameShark was incompatible cheat wise with the previous Datel version. Datel re-launched their product under its original European name of Action Replay making the cheat device market a three company split. The original, hugely popular, fan site of the GameShark called GameShark Code Creators Club eventually changed its allegiance to
Pelican Accessories' cheaper Codebreaker format. All three companies cheat devices are therefore, in most cases, incompatible.
One of the many Gameshark products was the one for the
Nintendo 64. The Nintendo 64 GameShark was the most popular cheating device available for the system, becoming popular after top-notch titles such as
GoldenEye 007 and
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time were released. Because of the in-depth nature of these games, it allowed for many aspects of them
(OoT especially) to be modified to produce unique effects.
The Nintendo 64 GameShark also had a good code-hacking system implemented that allowed users to hack their own codes easily. There was even a link port on the last models to allow a PC to be connected in order to transfer codes more rapidly. Using the code generator function and an Expansion Pak, one had quite a few tools to assist them in hacking codes, unlike cheat devices on earlier systems, such as the
Game Genie.
The GameShark Pro 3.3 improved on earlier cheat devices in every way software-wise. It had the ability to use hundreds of codes at a time, save thousands directly onto the unit, and various other options. The Game Genie, for example, was the primary cheat device system available for the
Super Nintendo one generation earlier. The Game Genie could only use a maximum of 5
codes at a time, and could not save them permanently like the GameShark could. It also lacked all the other tools of the Nintendo 64 GameShark, like advanced code hacking options.
Nonetheless, the N64 GameShark did have its flaws. While it was excellent software-wise, the device itself suffered from poor construction. It was prone to breaking due to cheaply made
components. It was made of a cheap plastic and was not nearly as durable as the standard Nintendo 64
cartridge, or earlier cheat devices like the
Game Genie. It also lacked a cartridge holder of some sort like the Game Genie had, which made it difficult to keep the cartridges inserted into the GameShark stable. Because of how cheaply the device itself was made, the consumer had to be extremely careful when handling it. Occasionally the GameShark would just stop working for apparently no reason. Nevertheless, if it is handled carefully, the N64 GameShark is quite usable. However, that lifetime can be cut short due to corrupted firmware. If power is lost for any reason while the GameShark is writing to the memory it will be rendered unusable. Also, if used improperly, such as entering an incorrect HEX code, the GameShark can either mess up, or erase saved data on one's game.
The GameShark is currently available for these platforms:
*
Game Boy*
Game Boy Advance*
Nintendo DS*
GameCube*
Nintendo 64*
PlayStation*
PlayStation 2*
Sega Dreamcast*
Sega Saturn*
XboxA version of the GameShark was also released for the
PC. However, because of the open-ended nature of PCs it was simply unnecessary because a user could just download a
trainer from the Internet for the game he or she wanted to cheat on.
*
Action Replay*
Game Genie*
GameShark.com The official GameShark website
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GSCentral.org Unofficial cheat device website, with several codes for all systems with cheat devices - including the GameShark line
*
CheatZILLA.com, one of the oldest collections of Game Shark codes on the Internet.
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Dreamcast GameShark codes A great collection of GameShark CDX cheat codes for SEGA Dreamcast.
