Hyperkin Game Genie: Save Editor For PS3 Review (1 Viewer)

[Todd Erwin]

[SIZE= 15px]There is nothing more frustrating than playing a video game and arriving at a level that is virtually impossible to solve without first achieving certain strengths and abilities, and having to then waste more time playing to rack up the necessary XP to purchase those abilities. In the old days of NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and GameBoy, there was a device known as the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px], which allowed users to enter a [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]cheat code[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] during the booting of the console. The [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] eventually died out, partially from Nintendo’s persistent lawsuits against device seller Galoob, along with the cartridge-based game consoles. Hyperkin, who sells retro gaming console emulators and accessories, has now resurrected the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] for the PlayStation 3 (although the company states in the owner’s manual that it "is in no way related to the Lewis Galoob Toys Inc./Codemasters versions.").[/SIZE]


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008J16AGA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008J16AGA&linkCode=as2&tag=htfreviews-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008J16AGA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008J16AGA&linkCode=as2&tag=htfreviews-20
[SIZE= 15px]Setup was rather painless. Upon insertion of the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] into an open USB port on my Windows 7 PC, I opened up the drive and simply double-clicked on [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Setup.exe[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px], which launched the installation. Once installed, the program then downloaded the newest updates.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 15px]I then removed the USB drive from my PC, inserted it into an open USB port on my PS3, and backed up my game saves from the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Save Data Utility[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] on the PS3’s XMB to the USB drive. Then, I plugged the USB drive back into my PC, launched the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] software, and the program showed me what games I’ve played had available cheat codes (highlighted in orange).[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 15px]Double-clicking on the game then brings up a list of game saves that were backed up, and double-clicking on the game save file will bring up a checklist of available cheats. Simply check the cheats you want to apply to that save file, click [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Apply[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px], click [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Yes[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] on the overwrite warning, and your file is uploaded, the codes applied, and the file downloaded back to the USB drive. Close the program, remove the drive from your PC, insert the drive in your PS3, navigate to the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Save Data Utility[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] on the XMB, and copy your save game files with applied cheats back to the PS3.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 15px]When the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] first arrived for review on July 28 (11 days after street date), only two of my games had cheat codes available, with two more added just this week. At press time, according to [/SIZE]http://thegamegenie.com/ps3/

[SIZE= 15px]There is also an Advanced Mode, which is basically a HEX editor, for the not-so-squeamish hackers who want to try and create their own cheats from their saved game files. For me, that is just asking for trouble, so I did not even attempt to use this mode. One thing the [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] will not do is unlock on-disc DLC enhancements, and Hyperkin has stated that if they discover this has happened in any of the cheat codes in their database, the cheat will be removed.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 15px]In summary, Hyperkin’s [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] for the PS3 does as advertised, allowing users to access in-game enhancements to assist them in enjoying their game with reduced frustration. Although the database is somewhat limited (versus the number of games released on the PS3 platform), based on the number of additions since the product’s launch is encouraging, and I hope the manufacturer can keep up the pace of their updates. Hyperkin also makes a [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]Game Genie[/SIZE][SIZE= 15px] for the Nintendo DS/3DS platform.[/SIZE]

 

[Ruz-El]

Sounds dodgy! But then I was never a fan of the game genie. It's flat out cheating and cheaters never win. As a result I have a box full of games from the 80's I've never come close to finishing.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I have too many games and not enough time to play them. I've found that either cheating or playing a game on the easiest setting and blowing through it, ignoring all the bonus/side content, is the only way that I can come close to playing any of the games I have sitting in my "to play" pile. As much as I'd be annoyed to have to manually modify saves and all, the idea of a game genie sounds great. I would love to plow through FFXIII-2 by just beating all of the enemies in one hit.

 

[Sam Posten]

/facepalm

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I have too many games and not enough time to play them. I've found that either cheating or playing a game on the easiest setting and blowing through it, ignoring all the bonus/side content, is the only way that I can come close to playing any of the games I have sitting in my "to play" pile. As much as I'd be annoyed to have to manually modify saves and all, the idea of a game genie sounds great. I would love to plow through FFXIII-2 by just beating all of the enemies in one hit.

Preach it, brother! (I still play everything on "Normal" difficulty, though. I'm just a masochist and an optimist about my lifespan, I suppose.)
I think the absurdly uneven difficulty of Dragon Age is finally getting to me. . .last night I unwrapped Heavy Rain and my Move Nav and stuck my Move stuff in the charger. Dunno if I'd actually go to the trouble of buying something and futzing with my save files to get through it, though.

 

[Sam Posten]

I have now bought more games than I can play in my lifetime.
I will never use a cheat code.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I used a cheat code to finish the original Goldeneye, and I'm not ashamed to say it!
I'm sure I've used others, but I don't really remember. Usually I either just get through a game eventually or give up on it.

 

[Gary Seven]

I don't like cheating myself regardless how difficult or how long I've had the game. That said, I have no problem going online to see how it is done if I get to a point of not knowing what to do, but to just enter a code to bypass is no fun.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

If I want to play a Final Fantasy game but don't want to invest 80 hours into random encounters so I can level up enough to make it through the game....then why would I? If you're just cheating so you can basically skip to the very end of the game then that's one thing, but playing a game on an easier difficulty or using a code to be invincible in order to simplify the process isn't THAT bad.

 

[WillG]

I have too many games and not enough time to play them. I've found that either cheating or playing a game on the easiest setting and blowing through it, ignoring all the bonus/side content, is the only way that I can come close to playing any of the games I have sitting in my "to play" pile. As much as I'd be annoyed to have to manually modify saves and all, the idea of a game genie sounds great. I would love to plow through FFXIII-2 by just beating all of the enemies in one hit.

I'm with you on this. I know there are a lot of purists out there, but I'm also in the too many games, not enough time boat. Playing through a Final Fantasy game is brutal due to having to grind, amount of random encounters etc. There are certain types of games where I'll obsessively replay parts because I fear I used up too much ammo/healing items etc. And then there are the types of games where you have limited inventory slots and you have to keep managing what you're carrying. Eventually these things become more of an annoyance than a challenge.
Then there are the games you just had to give up on. Perfect example for me is BioShock 2. I eventually got to a part where I was pretty much out of ammo and money and being bombarded by enemies so I just had to let that one go. Something like this could get me interested in playing again just like emulators with save state capability got me back into playing old 8-bit/16-bit era games I could never finish originally.
I likely wouldn't use this for something like Call of Duty where the single player modes are usually pretty linear and not overly difficult to get through. Or something like portal where the whole point of the game is puzzle solving.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I'll sometimes look for tips online as well. I haven't used an actual cheat code in years.
I remember finishing Goldeneye using the invulnerability cheat, and thinking to myself over the last couple of levels "how the heck can anybody get through this without cheating???"