For many gamers the ability to access cheat codes and game hacking is either a system seller or a deal breaker. The ability to utilize cheats on the Nintendo Wii through the homebrew channel has certainly added a wealth of replay value to the otherwise excellent console. The same effect can be seen with the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 owners haven’t had much to rely on in terms of cheating devices. For PS3 owners, that has finally changed.
While visiting my local gaming shop, Replays, I happened upon the recently released Hyperkin Playstation 3 Game Genie. Naturally curiosity got the better of me and I purchased this $30 USB device. I have fond memories of Gameshark, Action Replay, Codebreaker, and Game Genie and was dying to see if this too would prove enjoyable.
The little orange USB flash drive is quite appealing to the eye. I like the orange/white color scheme and the material it is made out of is durable. I also offer my compliments to the iconic Genie logo on the side. I really have to say that from the moment I opened the box, I was quite happy with the Game Genie’s aesthetics.
This is where things get a little complicated. The PS3’s incarnation of the Game Genie is a different beast from earlier incarnations. In order to dodge potentially being blocked by the PS3’s firmware updates, Hyperkin has opted to cheat through save file manipulation as opposed to real-time code selection. This smart move should be noted by those worried about any effort by Sony to potentially brick the device.
The fact is that unless Sony chooses to completely lock save files to the PS3 console there’s little chance of them rendering the Game Genie unusable. With that said, what do potential buyers have to look forward to should they invest in this handy device? Mainly a growing list of cheat supported PS3 games. I emphasis the word ‘growing’ as it currently is only hovering under 100 titles.
Hyperkin insists that the number is going to steadily increase, but this is still a serious issue for early adopters. The most recent total is sitting at 81 games equipped with 3408 cheats. The problem here is the chance for an endless negative cycle. Gamers may delay purchasing the unit due to the low number of supported titles while Hyperkin may be put off on continuing support of the product due to floundering sales. Let’s hope this is avoided as, even in its current state, the PS3’s Game Genie is an impressive accessory.
I was fortunate enough to own several games supported and had a blast sampling them with Game Genie features. After copying my save to the USB device I just had to connect it to my PC and edit the files to my desire with the included program. The system is quite similar to the Action Replay Powersaves on the Nintendo Wii- although without the need to totally replace the file. Also included is a HEX editor for confident hackers- which I am not.
In my experience, exclusives like Yakuza 3 & 4, Disgaea 3 & 4, and White Knight Chronicles I & II benefited solely from Max Money codes. While a bit boring, it is quite practical. Further examination revealed this to frequently be the case. The PS3’s Game Genie is in many ways a glorified Max Money device. This comes across as a bit disappointing after spending so long Moon Jumping and Character-Swapping on my Nintendo Wii’s Homebrew Channel.
While the majority of the supported games simply offer Max Money, the other most common cheats are a bit of a letdown. Unlock All and Reset Game Time are frequent entries. This is something of a downer as many gamers (myself included) like to actually beat the game with cheat codes as opposed to having a ‘you win’ option. While the code variety certainly leaves something to be desired, the program itself is easy to use and is an excellent investment for PS3 owners tired of playing by the rules.
