What Are the Cheats on CheatMSX and How Do You Use Them?

Updated

CheatMSX's "cheats" are game-specific codes and modifications for MSX titles — things like invincibility, infinite lives, level skips, and password generators — not general strategy guides. You find them by browsing the site's A–Z title index (plus a 0–9 section) or searching for a specific game, then apply the code in an MSX emulator or on real hardware. They only work if the code matches your exact game version and region.

What counts as a "cheat" on CheatMSX

The site separates several kinds of game-modifying content, and the distinction matters when you're looking for the right thing:

Category What it is When to use it
Cheats Codes and modifications for specific games You want invincibility, extra lives, level select, etc.
Peeks & Pokes Memory address reads/writes You're comfortable editing memory values directly
Emulator Cheats Cheats formatted for emulator cheat engines You're running the game in an emulator that supports cheat files
Online Password Generators Tools that produce level or save passwords The game uses a password system instead of a save file
Maps Level and world maps You're stuck navigating
Walkthroughs Step-by-step completion guides You need strategy, not code
Manuals Scanned or transcribed game documentation You need original control schemes or story context
IPS Patches ROM patches applied with an IPS patcher You want a permanent modification to the ROM

If you searched for "cheats" but actually need to get past a puzzle, a walkthrough or map is the better fit. If the game saves via passwords, the password generator is usually faster than a cheat code.

How to find cheats for a specific game

  1. Identify your game's exact title. MSX libraries include regional and re-release variants, so note the full name as it appears on your copy.
  2. Use the A–Z index. The site organizes titles alphabetically, with a separate 0–9 section for games starting with numbers. Click the first letter of your game's title.
  3. Or search directly if the site offers a search field for your game.
  4. Open the game's page and look for the cheats entry. Related resources for the same title (maps, walkthroughs, passwords) are usually listed alongside.
  5. Check the category. A code listed under Emulator Cheats may be formatted differently from a general cheat, and Peeks & Pokes require manual memory editing rather than a simple code entry.

How to apply a cheat

The exact method depends on whether you're on an emulator or real hardware.

In an emulator:

  • If the cheat is written for an emulator cheat engine, load the game first, then add the code through the emulator's cheat interface.
  • If it's a Poke (a memory address and value), open the emulator's memory editor, navigate to the address, and write the value.
  • Some emulators accept cheat files; check whether the code you found is in that format before entering it manually.

On real hardware:

  • Peeks & Pokes generally require a cartridge or device capable of memory editing, or a trainer-loaded version of the game.
  • Password generators work independently of hardware — generate the password, then enter it at the game's password screen.

Expected result: the effect described on the cheat's page (for example, infinite lives) appears immediately or after the next game event, depending on how the code hooks into the game.

When a cheat doesn't work

Most failures come down to a mismatch, not a bad code:

  • Wrong game version. A code for the original release often fails on a re-release, translated version, or budget reissue.
  • Wrong region. European, Japanese, and Brazilian MSX releases of the same title can have different memory layouts.
  • Wrong emulator. A cheat written for one emulator's engine may not load in another.
  • Wrong category. Trying to enter a Poke as a standard cheat code, or vice versa, won't work.
  • Timing. Some codes must be entered before the game starts or at a specific screen; entering them mid-game does nothing.

If a code fails, confirm the version and region first, then try the same game's entry under a different category (for example, Emulator Cheats instead of Cheats).

What you won't find here

CheatMSX is an MSX-specific retro resource. It doesn't cover modern consoles, PC games, or non-MSX platforms, and the cheats are tied to MSX game titles rather than being general-purpose codes. If your game isn't in the A–Z index, the site likely doesn't have content for it.