Cheating in video games takes a number of forms. On the one hand games developers routinely include codes which allow for infinite lives or infinite weapons. These codes are included to allow the games testers to easily explore all aspects of the game without having to restart if they die. These codes are generally passed on to the specialist Video Games magazines who publish them for their readers. This cheating is regarded as being fairly benign, closely related to playing a game on the "easy" setting for example. The code to posess the maximum inventory of weapons in Tomb Raider consists of entering the following sequence of button presses: L1, Triangle, R2, L2, L2, R2, Circle, L1
Another form of cheating is the use of specially designed devices which are attached to a games console. There are quite a number of these devices available. By downloading a code (typically a string of numbers and digits) players are able to gain access to the hidden aspects of games. The advert for the "Action Replay" cheat device boasts that it offers access to :" Infinite lives, hidden levels, extra vehicles, infinite health and extra characters." These devices can serve another purpose, for example the afore-mentionesd "Action Replay" also offers the facility to play pirated games as it fools the console into thinking it is playing as legal product. Tricking the video game retailers out of money is surely the ultimate expression of the urge to cheat.