Cheat Mode: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 20:34, 28 June 2025

Cheat mode button inputs. The first half sets cheat mode to `true`. The second half sets cheat mode to `debug`.

Cheat mode is a variable in the game code that can be toggled between true, false, and debug using specific controller inputs. When enabled, it allows the player to access a variety of cheat functions, such as unlocking power cells, flying, activating free camera mode, and more. The code exists in all retail copies of the original Jak and Daxter trilogy, as well as Jak X: Combat Racing, and can be activated in each game.

When *cheat-mode* is set to true, it is referred to simply as cheat mode.

When *cheat-mode* is set to debug, it is referred to as debug mode.

A list of known cheats and button combinations can be found here on the Jak and Daxter Technical Wiki.

Technical

Cheat Mode

On retail game copies, the *cheat-mode* variable is set to false by default. By holding R3 on the controller then inputting Up > Up > Down > Down > Left > Right > Left > Right > Cross > Cross > Square > Circle > Square > Circle, cheat mode will then be set to true.

Debug Mode

Once set to true, performing the cheat mode sequence in reverse while still holding down R3 will change the value to debug, enabling debug mode.

Developer Mode

On a related note, two additional codes are activated when the game boots with extra debugging memory allocated. This unlocks the advanced in-game debugging tools and menus, commonly referred to as dev mode.

Discovery

The existence of cheat mode was initially discovered by Luminar_Light and ImJustATester.

On March 3, 2018, Kuitar discovered the button sequence to enable cheat mode via the game controller.

Later on that same day, Kuitar and Vaser would discover the secondary button sequence to enable debug mode.

Glitches, Bugs, Exploits, and Secrets
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy	Audio Pause Glitch • Boat Pause • Bridge Blast • Cheat Mode • Dark Glitch • Developer Mode • Developer Pictures • Dupe State • Easter Eggs • Flut Flut Escape • Game Crash • Ghost Glitch • Hard Fish • Idle Deload • Line Glitch • Moon Walk • Orb Duplication Glitch • Pause Buffer • Pause Cutscene Trigger • Punch Glitch • Statue Glitch • Texture Corruption • Void Out • Walking While Talking • Zombie Glitch • Zoomer Escape
Jak II	Cheat Mode • Developer Mode • Developer Pictures • Easter Eggs • Game Crash • Ghost Town • Invisibility Glitch • Invulnerability Glitch • Line Glitch • Orb Duplication Glitch • Pause Buffer • Peacemaker Stacking • Punch Glitch • Stadium Bug • Statue Glitch • Zombie Glitch
Jak 3	Cheat Mode • Developer Mode • Developer Pictures • Easter Eggs • Game Crash • Invisibility Glitch • Invulnerability Glitch • Line Glitch • Orb Duplication Glitch • Peacemaker Stacking • Punch Glitch • Statue Glitch • Zombie Glitch
Jak X: Combat Racing	Autosave Bug • Cheat Mode • Developer Mode • Easter Eggs • Line Glitch
Daxter	Dream Orb • Easter Eggs • Palace Vase Orb • Teleporter Menu Storage
Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier	Easter Eggs • Scene Player Skip

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Cheat-mode-button-inputs.png|thumb|right|Cheat mode button inputs.]]
+[[File:Cheat-mode-button-inputs.png|thumb|right|Cheat mode button inputs. The first half sets cheat mode to <code>true</code>. The second half sets cheat mode to <code>debug</code>.]]
-'''Cheat mode''', sometimes incorrectly called '''[[Debug Mode | debug mode]]''', is a way to enable various cheats in-game that were only meant for use by the game developers. By performing a long sequence of controller inputs, cheat mode can be enabled on all retail copies of the Jak and Daxter trilogy.
+'''Cheat mode''' is a variable in the game code that can be toggled between <code>true</code>, <code>false</code>, and <code>debug</code> using specific controller inputs. When enabled, it allows the player to access a variety of cheat functions, such as unlocking power cells, flying, activating free camera mode, and more. The code exists in all retail copies of the original Jak and Daxter trilogy, as well as Jak X: Combat Racing, and can be activated in each game.
+When <code>*cheat-mode*</code> is set to <code>true</code>, it is referred to simply as '''cheat mode'''.
+When <code>*cheat-mode*</code> is set to <code>debug</code>, it is referred to as '''debug mode'''.
+A list of known cheats and button combinations can be found [https://jadtech.miraheze.org/wiki/Cheat_Mode#Known_Button_Combinations here] on the Jak and Daxter Technical Wiki.
+== Technical ==
+=== Cheat Mode ===
+On retail game copies, the <code>*cheat-mode*</code> variable is set to <code>false</code> by default. By holding R3 on the controller then inputting Up > Up > Down > Down > Left > Right > Left > Right > Cross > Cross > Square > Circle > Square > Circle, cheat mode will then be set to <code>true</code>.
+=== Debug Mode ===
+Once set to <code>true</code>, performing the cheat mode sequence in reverse while still holding down R3 will change the value to <code>debug</code>, enabling debug mode.
+=== Developer Mode ===
+On a related note, two additional codes are activated when the game boots with extra debugging memory allocated. This unlocks the advanced in-game debugging tools and menus, commonly referred to as '''[[Developer Mode|dev mode]]'''.
+== Discovery ==
+[[File:Kuitar Discovers Cheat Mode Sequence.jpg|thumb|right|Kuitar shares his discovery of the cheat mode button sequence in the Jak Speedruns Discord server.]]
+The existence of cheat mode was initially discovered by Luminar_Light and ImJustATester.
+On March 3, 2018, Kuitar discovered the button sequence to enable cheat mode via the game controller.
+Later on that same day, Kuitar and Vaser would discover the secondary button sequence to enable debug mode.
+{{Glitches}}