What Is Action Replay?

History and Overview

• "Action Replay" actually refers to a series of tools designed to allow users to easily cheat in video games, gaining unlimited health or powerups, unlocking secret levels and abilities, and so on. Unlike traditional cheat codes, the cheats used in an Action Replay device aren't officially sanctioned and rely on editing the actual code of the video game. Their manufacturer, Datel, got into the computer and video gaming business early; the first Action Replay device was designed for use with the Commodore 64 system in 1983, and Action Replay devices have been made for most video game systems since.

Compatible Systems

• Although Datel first started making Action Replay for the Commodore 64 computer, and later branched out to Windows-based PCs, it has become more closely associated with video game consoles. Action Replay cartridges were manufactured for Nintendo products like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super NES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii and several of Nintendo's handheld consoles like the Nintendo DS. Action Replay cartridges could also be used with Sega's consoles, including the Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, as well as the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.

How It Works

• Ordinarily, "cheat codes" are programmed into a game by the game's developers. If the developers choose not to create any codes for the game, it's not possible to cheat. Action Replay cartridges work by sitting between the game code and the console that interprets it. Action Replay devices are capable of directly editing the game's memory on the fly. For example, if the location of your character's health is stored in a particular location, the Action Replay can prevent the game from changing the value, effectively making you invincible. Alternatively, it can edit the code that controls your inventory, giving you new items or more ammunition.

Similar Products

• Video gamers looking to enhance their edge can find other products similar in scope and functionality to Datel's Action Replay. Codemasters, today a developer of video and computer games in their own right, created the "Game Genie" in the 1980s for use with the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Gear and Sega Genesis. Datel's Action Replay was also sold as InterAct's "GameShark," a cheating device designed for use with consoles like the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2. Pelican Accessory's "Code Breaker," which works in a similar way, is compatible with the PlayStation and PlayStation 2.