Cheat Mode

This page is a work in progress. To do: Give better descriptions to "debug texts". Indicate what works in "limited" cheat mode, and what requires full cheat mode.

Cheat Mode is a feature in the first four Jak and Daxter games that unlocks the ability to activate debug text or abilities by pressing buttons.

Activation

Not all Jak and Daxter builds allow their cheat modes to be activated with a button sequence. Also, some of them require you to use the "alternate" sequence. You can find information about the cheat mode of specific Jak and Daxter builds in the Game Build Database.

The code has two parts, but you can input it in one go and it will work fine. Inputting the first part will only give you a limited cheat mode, while also inputting the second code will fully unlock it. You will hear sounds when you successfully input a code (in case you are inputting the full code, you will hear a sound at the middle and at the end).

On the Vita, use the rear touch pad to replace buttons: Top left - , Bottom left - , Top right - , Bottom right -

To fully deactivate cheat mode, just enter the first part of the code.

Activation Tips

Try these if you are having problems with activating cheat mode:

• Input the two parts of the code separately.
• Try inputting the codes in the pause menu or the "Press Start" screen.
• Do not move while holding down .

Normal Sequence

This is what the majority of builds are using.

First part: Hold then press

Second part: Hold then press

Full code: Hold then press

Alternate Sequence

Some builds are using an alternate, shorter activation sequence. An example is the Jak 3 (September 2004 Preview), which has the same cheat mode features as retail Jak 3.

First part: Hold then press

Second part: Hold then press

Full code: Hold then press

Known Button Combinations

The button combinations below are confirmed to be working on the following platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita.

There is no known way to use the second controller combinations on the PlayStation Vita.

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

First controller:

• : Push Jak, Zoomer or FlutFlut upwards, you can hold it down to ascend endlessly.
• (while or after bumping into something or giving/taking damage): Restores 1 health. You can also restore health if Jak is dying, which means that you can avoid death.
• + + + : Enter free camera mode. Also disables Jak, and doesn't prevent the loading of levels as long as you are not going out of bounds too much.
• + + + (while in free camera mode): Exit free camera mode. Respawns Jak in front of the camera, and also sets a checkpoint which immediately gets overwritten by an in-level checkpoint in most cases.
• Hold and then press : Restart the game. If you are in free camera mode then it only resets your current game state (clears everything) and doesn't restart the game.
• + (while in pause menu on the power cell screen): Awards the selected power cell to the player. While this does increase the power cell counter, it doesn't get removed from the world and collecting it won't increase the counter any further.
• + (while next to an active warp gate): Unlock all warp gate destinations. You need to press when you can see the "PRESS TO USE." message. You can start holding before that.
• (while standing on a trans-pad): Spawn the Zoomer or FlutFlut that should be on the trans-pad you are standing on.
• (hold while standing on the Fisherman's boat or the gondola): You will see the "PRESS TO USE." message as long as the button is held down. Allows you to use them before unlocking them.
• (during autosave): The game will show auto-save/ get-heap 0-3 (depending on location of save file), then auto-save/ save done above the autosave icon
• (hold while paused in the power cell menu): Display death counter: "fcd: X"
• (while game is paused and the button is held down): The game advances 1 frame then pauses itself. If is not held down, then the game will unpause itself, but only if you can see the text "PAUSE" on the screen.
• (during credits): Skip the credits.

Second controller:

• : Toggle debug text.
• (hold): Display debug text.
• (during Boggy Billy's game): Win the minigame.
• (hold during the Plant Boss): Force Plant Boss to go into its vulnerable state.

Jak II

First controller:

• + + + : Enter free camera mode. Also disables Jak, and doesn't prevent the loading of levels as long as you are not going out of bounds too much.
• + + + (while in free camera mode): Exit free camera mode. Respawns Jak in front of the camera, and also sets a checkpoint which immediately gets overwritten by an in-level checkpoint in most cases. Game can get messed up when you exit free camera mode without entering into it while the game is paused with the button, use "Restart Mission" to fix it. Pausing, entering free camera mode, then exiting is also a fix if you forgot to pause the game before entering free camera mode.
• (while or after bumping into something or taking damage): Restores health. You can also restore health if Jak is dying, which means that you can avoid death. You can also walk on damaging surfaces uninterruptedly if you hold down this button.
• + (hold while in the pause menu): Reveal hidden pause menu options.
• + (while on foot): Activate flying.
• + (while in Titan Suit or playing as Daxter): Push Titan Suit or Daxter upwards.
• (while flying): Descend.
• (while flying): Ascend.
• or (while flying): Exit flying.
• Hold and then press : Restart the game. If you are in free camera mode then it only resets your current game state (clears everything) and doesn't restart the game.
• (during a cutscene): Slow cutscene down.
• (during a cutscene): Speed cutscene up.
• (during a cutscene): Resets cutscene speed if it is not at the default value. If it is at the default speed already then it just pauses the cutscene.
• (during a minigame): Lose minigame.
• (during a minigame): Win minigame.
• (while game is paused with ): The game advances 1 frame then pauses itself.

Second controller:

• : Toggle debug text.
• (hold): Display debug text.
• + : Toggle debug text.
• + : Toggle debug text.
• + : Gives 1000 Skull Gems, 1000 Precursor Orbs, all guns, the Jetboard, refills some ammo, and refills Dark Eco.
• + : Toggle debug text detailing cutscenes appearing during cutscenes.

Jak 3

First controller:

• + + + : Enter free camera mode. Also disables Jak, and doesn't prevent the loading of levels as long as you are not going out of bounds too much.
• + + + (while in free camera mode): Exit free camera mode. Respawns Jak in front of the camera, and also sets a checkpoint which immediately gets overwritten by an in-level checkpoint in most cases.
• (while or after bumping into something or taking damage): Restores health. You can also restore health if Jak is dying, which means that you can avoid death. You can also walk on damaging surfaces uninterruptedly if you hold down this button.
• + (hold while in the pause menu): Reveal hidden pause menu options.
• + (while on foot): Activate flying.
• + (while in Dark Maker Mech or playing as Daxter): Push Dark Maker Mech or Daxter upwards.
• (while flying): Descend.
• (while flying): Ascend.
• or (while flying): Exit flying.
• Hold and then press : Restart the game. If you are in free camera mode then it only resets your current game state (clears everything) and doesn't restart the game.
• (during a cutscene): Slow cutscene down.
• (during a cutscene): Speed cutscene up.
• (during a cutscene): Resets cutscene speed if it is not at the default value. If it is at the default speed already then it just pauses the cutscene.
• (during Eco Grid minigame): Change direction.
• (during a minigame): Lose minigame.
• (during a minigame): Win minigame.
• (while game is paused with ): The game advances 1 frame then pauses itself.

Second controller:

• : Toggle debug text.
• (hold): Display debug text.
• + : Toggle debug text.
• + : Toggle debug text.
• + : Gives 1000 Skull Gems, 1000 Precursor Orbs, all guns, the Jetboard, refills some ammo, and refills Dark Eco and Light Eco.
• + : Toggle debug text detailing cutscenes appearing during cutscenes.

History

Events strongly related to Cheat Mode's discovery, in chronological order:

• Luminar Light has found something that somehow activated full cheat mode in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. It was related to button inputs. He also told the speedrunners that there might be a way to activate full cheat mode in any Jak and Daxter game using button inputs, but they were not interested at that time.
• A way to activate Cheat Mode in any of the Jak and Daxter games and builds with memory editing was found by Luminar Light. He then started working on a trainer to eventually make it accessible for everyone in PCSX2 (a PlayStation 2 emulator).
• Luminar Light contacted ImJustATester about the discovery he made earlier. Together they figured out which buttons were needed for the Cheat Mode activation sequence, and also learned its length.
• Kuitar and Vaser have figured out the correct order of the buttons and got the Cheat Mode activation sequence.

Although the main person behind (re)discovering Cheat Mode was Luminar Light, there were several people who have helped him and/or are worth mentioning:

• DonkeyPlanet, using one of Luminar's methods, has found a way to activate Cheat Mode in the Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (Earlier Demo). This was triggered in a different way than Cheat Mode in all later builds we had/have access to, so this discovery did not help too much (because the buttons method did not work in the demo anyway, and the memory editing method was different in this demo). Still, this is worth mentioning, because this is the first known case of someone having access to Cheat Mode outside of the Naughty Dog dev team.
• ImJustATester helped with figuring out which buttons were needed for the Cheat Mode activation sequence, and also the length of the sequence.
• Kuitar and Vaser were the people who put the needed buttons into correct order for the first time.