PCSX2 Cheats Guide Simplified [2024]

Are you having fun while using the PCSX2 emulator to play PS2 games on your PC?

Probably not!

The reason being, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea to use cheats. So, in this post, I’ll try to simplify the complete process.

But first, let me kickstart this guide by answering the most common question –

Can You Use Cheats with PCSX2?

Yes, you can use cheats with the PCSX2 emulator.

The process involves several steps including converting cheat codes to a format recognized by PCSX2, and then adding those codes to a .pnach file which corresponds to the game you want to cheat on

How Does PCSX2 Cheats Work?

The process involves converting cheat codes to the PCSX2-compatible format and then adding them to a .pnach file that the emulator can read.

To use cheats, you first need to obtain the correct CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) code for your game, which can be found in the console log when you boot up the game on PCSX2. With the right CRC code, you’ll create or modify a .pnach file with your desired cheat codes.

Remember, using cheats can affect how games play and interact, so it’s worthwhile to proceed with caution and make sure that you’re entering the correct codes for the specific game you’re playing.

How to Use Cheats with PCSX2?

Here are the exact steps you need to use with PCSX2:

Open PCSX2:

• Start by launching the PCSX2 emulator on your computer. In the guide, we’ve used the nightly edition of PCSX2.

Access Cheats Directory:

• Go to Settings.
• Select the Folders option to display your cheats directory. This directory is used for storing .pnach files that contain the game cheats.

Enable System Console:

• Head over to the Tools tab.
• Select the option to Enable System Console. This is crucial for generating the .pnach file necessary for enabling cheats.

Launch Your Game:

• From PCSX2, open the game you want to cheat on, such as “Twisted Metal: Head-On – Extra Twisted Edition,” and perform a fresh boot.

Find the CRC Code:

• As the game boots, watch the system console for a series of lines being generated.
• Scroll up to the beginning of this output to find a section indicating the game version and including the CRC code, which is essential for creating your .pnach file.

Create a New Text Document in the Cheats Directory:

• Within the cheats directory, right-click and create a new text document.
• Name this document using the CRC code you found earlier. It may be case-sensitive, so ensure accuracy. The file name should look something like 3DC2FE45.

Change the File Extension:

• Change the text document’s extension from .txt to .pnach. Windows will prompt you to confirm this change. Agree, as this is necessary for PCSX2 to recognize the cheat file.
• If you cannot see the file extension, go to the View tab and ensure “File name extensions” is checked.

Input Your Cheat Codes:

• Open the newly created .pnach file using a text editor.
• Add your cheat codes. Note that codes need to be in a specific format for PCSX2 to use them. For instance, if you’re using a generic weapons rapid-fire code, you must adapt it to the PCSX2-accepted format.

Save the .pnach File:

• After entering the cheat codes in the correct format, save your .pnach file.

Enable Cheats in PCSX2:

• Go back to PCSX2 settings.
• Navigate to the Emulation Settings section.
• Ensure the Enable Cheats option is ticked. This tells PCSX2 to apply the cheats you’ve specified.

Verify Cheats are Active:

• Start or resume your game. The system console should display a message indicating that cheats are active.
• Enjoy your game with the newly activated cheats!

Additional Tips:

• For codes that are not in raw format, you can convert them using a tool like OmniConvert, especially if they’re formatted for GameShark, Action Replay MAX, etc. OmniConvert allows you to adjust input and output formats to make the codes PCSX2-compatible.
• The success and stability of using cheats can vary. Some cheats may not work as expected or could potentially cause issues with game performance.

This step-by-step guide should help you comfortably use cheats in PCSX2 to enhance your gameplay experience.