Homebrew How to use Cheats with GBA Virtual Console

[Sourenics]

Rename "agbasav.bin" to "anything.sav"

Thanks, but doing the process on part 1 is to be able to continue your saved game on the patched ROM? So the process deletes your saved games for the VC? Don't understand that part.

Edit: Okay so using GodMode9 you can select de agba.bin and dump a XXXXXXXX.agbavc.sav file into sd:/gm9/out. So I understand sav files are stored into this .bin. Then you can modify the sav (using a HEXeditor maybe?) And inject it back to the .bin file.

 

[FitBoyAwe]

Even though this topic has already been brought up (https://gbatemp.net/threads/any-wany-to-use-cheat-codes-on-a-gba-virtual-console-game.425490/) this method is still unknown to many users. So, I've decided to make an easy-to-follow guide on how to use cheats with the GBA Virtual console for 3DS.

For starters, you will need a few files:
GBAATM: https://gbatemp.net/threads/gba-auto-trainer-maker-gbaatm.99334/ (download link is down, linked below.)
Ultimate GBA VC Injector: https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-ultimate-gba-vc-injector-for-3ds.438057/
And some cheats, linked below is a collection of .cht files that are compatible with GBAATM (they are translated from chinese, please forgive the broken english.) You can also use codebreaker codes, though most codebreaker codes will not work unless they don't have a master Pokemon fire red cheats (The RNG Kill Code in Pokemon does not count).

Now, onto the tutorial!
Part 1, Backing up your saves (optional):
1. Go into your 3DS, and launch the game that has the save you want to back up
2. Reboot, and open GodMode9
3. Open SYSNAND VIRTUAL (Drive S: ), and copy the gbavc.sav (not agbsave.bin).
4. Create a separate folder somewhere on your SD card for the save, and paste it inside that folder.
5. Repeat for all your GBA games.

Part 2, Using GBAATM:
1. Open GBAATM and select the ROM you want to patch
2. Most of the settings are already configured for you, such as what ram to use, etc. Just make sure that "Code Type" shows "Codebreaker/GS 3".
3. Under patches, check Trainer (cheats option). *You can also check "slow motion" if you want...*
4. Make sure Enable/Disable is checked, then configure it how you want. *I personally just have "Enabled at start?" checked, and leave the key-combos alone. As using the menu in-game has a tendency to cause temporary graphical corruption...*
5. Under Settings, check Trainer menu. Here, you have a lot of interface options to mess around with, though they're pretty useless besides just looking nice. As long as you have Trainer menu checked, you're good.
6. Finally, onto the good stuff! You can either paste your Code Breaker cheats into the text box (make sure they don't require a master code) or select Load cheat file. Each of your cheats should look like this:
Cheat name:
Cheatcode

WARNING! DO NOT USE ANY CHEAT CODES IF THERE IS A CORRUPTED OR MISSING CHEAT NAME, THANK YOU!

7. Once you have everything input, and you have your cheats set up and renamed the way you want it, it's time to save. Choose where you want it to be output, you can do this under the Save As option. *I personally would keep your clean and patched ROMs seperate, as the cheats may not always work properly. The cheat module may also mess with Ultimate GBA VC Injector's auto save type detection.*
8. Click Patch Game, and it will be exported to your desired location
9. Repeat for all the games you want to use cheats with
10. (optional) Test all of the ROMs and cheats in an emulator, some may not work or may not have been patched properly.

Part 3, using Ultimate GBA VC Injector:
1. Open, and select your patched ROM.
2. It should auto-fill the ROM Size and Save Type options. If it doesn't, open it with the clean ROM first, and then input the correct save type after re-opening the patched ROM (do not change the rom size).
3. On the next screen, fill out all the information about the game and choose an icon image.
4. Same with the next screen
5. On the VC Parameters screen, it should do most of the work for you. Configure the game to your liking, just remember to randomize the Product Code and Title ID for every game. However, do not check anything under Game patches & extras. All the patches under this section may interfere with the cheat menu.
6. Install the .cia files on your 3DS

Part 4, Restoring your saves (only if you did Part 1):
1. Launch the GBA VC on your 3DS that has the save you want to restore.
2. Reboot, and open GodMode9
3. Find the gbavc.sav for your game
4. Go back, and open SYSNAND VIRTUAL (drive S: )
5. Paste your save in there
6. Enter the key combo when prompted
7. Reboot, and repeat for all the games that have saves you want to restore


Now, when you open your games, you will be greeted with a cheat menu. Here are the controls for the menu:
Press A on a cheat to enable it (you can tell because there is a letter beside the name, and it will change from N to Y when enabled)
Press B on a cheat to disable it (you can tell because the Y will change to N when disabled)
Press Up or Down to navigate the menu
Press Start to start the game

Notice: You may notice a few graphical glitches when cheats are enabled (mostly in cut scenes, such as the intro to Pokemon Fire Red), these are temporary and do not mean that there's something wrong with the game. The only time I would be concerned is if your game was acting up all the time and was unplayable...

Credits: Myself (for creating this tutorial), @Ray2R (for suggesting the idea), @Asdolo (for developing Ultimate GBA VC Injector), @cracker (for developing GBAATM), and @d0k3 (for developing GodMode9)

Let me know if this has worked for you, if you have problems, or if you have suggestions for this thread

Fun fact: The list of cheats below is actually the GBA cheat database from GBATemp before it went down, it is still the best collection of .cht files I could find

Edit: I am very serious when I say to ask if you're having trouble. If I didn't want to help out then I wouldn't have made this guide...

Is there any way I could make cheats for this? I'm attempting to create some for Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green, but the.cht files in this have different confusion formats, lol. Is it necessary to use codebreaker codes and then convert to a specific format? I'm usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out, but I'm at a loss here.

 

[Arecaidian Fox]

Is there any way I could make cheats for this? I'm attempting to create some for Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green, but the.cht files in this have different confusion formats, lol. Is it necessary to use codebreaker codes and then convert to a specific format? I'm usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out, but I'm at a loss here.

In this case, you want your cheats to be in CodeBreaker format. In my experience, they're the only ones that work with the patcher, from what I recall. There's lots of conversion tools online that should be able to change their formats, or even standalone software like AR Crypt and CBA Crypt. GameHacking.org is another great resource and can convert cheat formats in their collection for you (I think their "libretro" format is the same as old GBA CodeBreaker, I miss when they had the old format types).
At any rate, you might get more mileage just copy-pasting your cheats into GBAATM, instead of trying to load a cheat file into it. I remember it can get pretty cranky about those.

 

[Chumnik]

I am looking in my SYSNAND VIRTUAL but there is not a gbavc.sav file only agbsave.bin? What is happening? What can I do to resolve this?

 

[Arecaidian Fox]

I am looking in my SYSNAND VIRTUAL but there is not a gbavc.sav file only agbsave.bin? What is happening? What can I do to resolve this?

I think some titles only have the file written when actually saving in-game, not just starting it up and turning it off? It's been a bit since I dumped my saves.

 

[Pokemonfan6498]

what if i don,t get gbavc.sav?

 

[FitBoyAwe]

Can somebody tell me how to make cheats for this? The.cht files in this have different confusing formats, which is frustrating because I'm trying to build some for Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green. Do I have to convert to a particular format after using codebreaker codes? Normally, I'm pretty good at figuring stuff like this out, but I'm at a loss.

 

[Arecaidian Fox]

Can somebody tell me how to make cheats for this? The.cht files in this have different confusing formats, which is frustrating because I'm trying to build some for Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green. Do I have to convert to a particular format after using codebreaker codes? Normally, I'm pretty good at figuring stuff like this out, but I'm at a loss.

Like I was mentioning earlier, I wouldn't suggest loading in .CHT files directly, GBAATM doesn't seem to like it all the time. It's simpler to find CodeBreaker/Libretro cheats (GameHacking.org is a good resource for those), give them a quick formatting pass in a text editor, and copy-paste that text into GBAATM.
Your final formatting that you copy-paste into GBAATM would look like this...

Cheat Name 1
XXXXXXXX XXXX
Cheat Name 2
XXXXXXXX XXXX
Cheat Name 3
XXXXXXXX XXXX
XXXXXXXX XXXX

 

[coolbond1]

anyone know how to fix GBAATM crashing when i load a cheat table?
Specifically the pokemon emerald cheat table, 1986 - Pokemon - Emerald Version (UE)
Edit: managed to get it to work and i can see that its the table itself that has corrupted codes or atleast i assume its corrupted codes.

anyone got a unbuggered table?

after looking into it further it seems that its cause the table is using Chinese characters so i assume it was missed in the translation process

 

[Leon2000]

I dont know if this thread is still active but can anyone help me with my Patched Pokemon Emerald file?
When i boot up the game the cheat name is there and i can activate it, but i seem to not be able to use the cheat nor use the SSlow Down/Speed Up Keys.
I used GameHacks for the codebreaker codes and hoped it would work.
any help would be very appreciated

 

[The_lorax]

I dont know how to open the actual thing like i have the file but theres no app or anytrhing like it inside

 

[duckman1402]

can someone help me ?, i have a problem with cheats for metroid fusion, the cheats works but after a few minutes they just stop working

 

[Pakipika]

H4y I don't know if this thread is still alive, but I can't find gbavc.sav inSYSNAND VIRTUAL (Drive S: )?

edit: also tried all written here, the game I'm trying to use is pokemon unbound since rosalina doesn't work

 

[AWESOMEGAMER]

Is this what you mean by corrupted will try to find these but I think all of theses games have a MC
HM MFoMT
Harvest Moon More Friends of Mineral Town
All the cheat codes have no titles ;-/
-edit it looks likes this is libeto form GH :-< this has the MC i have been there for this game and these codes previously
FYI JIC
This is for this 3ds

 

[FECanary]

Huh.. it just turns my patched rom into a File.

Post automatically merged: Sep 18, 2023

Is this what you mean by corrupted will try to find these but I think all of theses games have a MC
HM MFoMT
Harvest Moon More Friends of Mineral Town
All the cheat codes have no titles ;-/
-edit it looks likes this is libeto form GH :-< this has the MC i have been there for this game and these codes previously
FYI JIC
This is for this 3ds

Also trying to do this with Hm MFoMT

 

[AWESOMEGAMER]

Me too again. I was playing another game,so I am back at it again.

 

[urbzfan]

I just wanted to leave a comment to help anyone else who's been struggling a lot with this with some tips I found, after a long while of trial & error to get a working patch of The Urbz, lol.

It's already been mentioned that a good source of Codebreaker codes can be found at GameHacking.org, but to add onto that:
- Search for your game, and make sure you select the GBA version of it
- You don't need any master codes
- Scroll for desired codes, and make sure they're labeled "Codebreaker"
- Use the decrypted version of the code, if there's an option

If you get a notice from GBAATM that your file was trimmed for being oversized and you can't get it to work, I suggest scrapping the trainer menu. In my case, scrapping the menu allowed me to make a file that didn't need trimming, and was the only thing that worked after a few hours of trial & error.
- Check "Trainer"
- Check "Enable/Disable" ("Enable at start?" is up to your preference)
- DON'T check "Trainer Menu"! Keep it disabled

Hopefully, these settings give you a file that doesn't get an oversize error. However, without the trainer menu, cheats are no longer toggle-able on boot. You can only enable all or disable all by using the button combo set under "Enable/Disable". This worked for me personally because I had very specific cheats that I wanted on at all times. It was also the only thing that's worked for me, and I suspect it's related to the 32MB threshold & not having space to inject the trainer menu on the game I was working with.