Cheats are special options in Perfect Dark that affect appearances or gameplay when enabled, usually to make the game easier. Only one cheat - 'Velvet Dark', is available and on by default (though this one isn't a true cheat). Some of these cheats such as 'DK Mode' originated from the game's spiritual predecessor, GoldenEye 007.
The DK Mode cheat makes getting headshots much easier.
Cheats may be unlocked when its criteria are satisfied, but most are usually when the player completes a mission under a certain time limit and/or difficulty. In the original Nintendo 64 version, if the player owns both the Game Boy Color version as well as the N64 Transfer Pak, they can use the GBC game to unlock some of the harder-to-aquire cheats immediately. In the XBLA remaster, if the player owns a physical copy of Perfect Dark Zero, they can install the game onto the Xbox 360's HDD to unlock the same cheats.
Perfect Dark 64 cheats fun Full game (ALIEN INVASION) xD
Gameplay video of using various cheats
Like in GoldenEye, when any cheat is enabled, mission stats will not be saved and locked cheats won't be unlocked even if the criteria to earn them are met. Plus, in the XBLA version, Leaderboard Crowns will also not be earned. The game modes in the Perfect Menu, except Carrington Institute, will display "Cheat", before them. The 'Velvet Dark' cheat is the only exception to this, as it is always available by default.
When completing a mission, the Mission Status and Agent Status will say "Cheated" and "Dishonored", comically used by Rare to discourage players from cheating.
Note: Cheats marked with a (+) wil be automatically unlocked when using the Transfer Pak or Perfect Dark Zero method.
List of Cheats[]
| Cheat | Mission | Time | Difficulty | Category | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Mode (labeled as Monkey Mode in XBLA version due to licensing reasons) | Chicago: Stealth | N/A | Any | Fun | All characters have big heads and long arms, similar to Donkey Kong from the Mario series (whose character frequently featured in prior Rare games). |
| Small Jo | G5 Building: Reconnaissance | N/A | Any | Fun | Joanna is smaller than a Maian and moves slower. In the cutscenes, Joanna floats in mid-air. |
| Small Characters | Area 51: Infiltration | N/A | Any | Fun | All characters are smaller than Maians and move slower. In the cutscenes, the characters float in mid-air. |
| Team Heads Only | Air Base: Espionage | N/A | Any | Fun | Enemy guards' heads are changed only to the main development teams' heads. |
| Play as Elvis | Area 51: Rescue | 7:59 | Perfect Agent | Fun | Joanna is replaced with Elvis. This cheat does not affect the storyline in any way. |
| Slow-mo Single Player | DataDyne Research: Investigation | N/A | Any | Fun | Solo Missions run at half speed. The Combat Boost's primary mode becomes useless, but the secondary temporarily returns the game to normal speed. |
| Invincible | Area 51: Escape | 3:50 | Agent | Gameplay | Joanna never takes damage. However, she can still die by falling into a bottomless pit. |
| Cloaking Device (+) | G5 Building: Reconnaissance | 1:40 | Agent | Gameplay | Joanna starts with a Cloaking Device. |
| Marquis of Queensbury Rules | DataDyne Central: Defection | 1:30 | Special Agent | Gameplay | All characters except Joanna are Unarmed. They will still drop whatever weapons they normally would carry when killed or knocked out. |
| Jo Shield | Deep Sea: Nullify Threat | N/A | Any | Gameplay | Joanna starts with a Shield. |
| Super Shield | Carrington Institute: Defense | 1:45 | Agent | Gameplay | Joanna starts with a stronger Shield that has twice the strength. |
| Enemy Shields | Carrington Institute: Defense | N/A | Any | Gameplay | All NPCs start with a Shield. |
| Enemy Rockets | Pelagic II: Exploration | N/A | Any | Gameplay | Replaces the weapons of armed enemies (and allies) with Rocket Launchers. Characters dual-wielding weapons will dual-wield Rocket Launchers. This also affects armed enemies in cut scenes. However, Joanna cannot dual-wield Rocket Launchers herself. |
| Perfect Darkness | Crash Site: Confrontation | N/A | Any | Gameplay | The map is pitch black and Joanna is provided with Night Vision. The storyline and AI are not affected. |
| Rocket Launcher | DataDyne Central: Extraction | N/A | Any | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with a Rocket Launcher. |
| Sniper Rifle | Carrington Villa: Hostage One | N/A | Any | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with a Sniper Rifle. |
| SuperDragon | Area 51: Escape | N/A | Any | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with a SuperDragon. |
| Laptop Gun | Air Force One: Antiterrorism | N/A | Any | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with a Laptop Gun. |
| Phoenix | Attack Ship: Covert Assault | N/A | Any | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with a Phoenix. |
| Psychosis Gun | Chicago: Stealth | 2:00 | Perfect Agent | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with the Psychosis Gun, which makes enemy AI characters turn against their teammates. |
| Trent's Magnum | Crash Site: Confrontation | 2:50 | Agent | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with the DY357-LX, which can kill any enemy in one shot. It is the game's equivalent to GoldenEye 007's Golden Gun and ironically based on the weapon's original depiction from the early James Bond series. |
| FarSight | Deep Sea: Nullify Threat | 7:27 | Perfect Agent | Weapons for Jo in Single Player | Joanna starts with the FarSight XR-20, which can kill any enemy in one shot and aims through walls. |
| PP9i | Receive gold medals for all 3 "Falcon 2" pistols. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the PP9i, which is GoldenEye 007's PP7. It is based on the Walther PPK. |
| CC13 | Receive gold medals for the MagSec 4, Mauler, Phoenix, DY357 Magnum & DY357-LX. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the CC13, which is GoldenEye 007's DD44 Dostovei. It is based on the Tokarev TT33. |
| KL01313 | Receive gold medals for the CMP-150, Cyclone, Callisto NTG & RC-P120. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the KL01313, which is GoldenEye 007's Klobb. It is based on the Skorpion VZ/61. |
| KF7 Special | Receive gold medals for the Laptop Gun, Dragon, K7 Avenger, AR34 & SuperDragon. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the KF7 Special, which is GoldenEye 007's KF7 Soviet. It is based on the AK-47, more specifically the folding stock variant. |
| ZZT (9mm) | Receive gold medals for the Shotgun, Reaper, Sniper Rifle, FarSight XR-20 & Slayer. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the ZZT (9mm), which is GoldenEye 007's ZMG 9mm. It is based on the Micro Uzi. |
| DMC | Receive gold medals for the Proximity, Remote & Timed Mine | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons. | Gives Joanna the DMC, which is the D5K Deutsche from GoldenEye 007. It is based on the MP5K. |
| AR53 | Receive gold medals for the Grenade, Laser & Combat Knife. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the AR53, which is GoldenEye 007's US AR33 Assault Rifle. It is based on the M16A2 service rifle. It no longer has the ability to penetrate. |
| RC-P45 | Receive gold medals for the Devastator, Rocket Launcher, crossbow and tranquilizer. | N/A | N/A | Classic Weapons | Gives Joanna the RC-P45, which is GoldenEye 007's RC-P90. It is based on the FN-P90. It no longer has the ability to penetrate. |
| Classic Sight | DataDyne Central: Defection | N/A | Any | Weapons | Replaces the aiming sights with the one used in GoldenEye 007. |
| Unlimited Ammo - Laptop Gun Sentry | Air Force One | 3:55 | Perfect Agent | Weapons | The Laptop Gun in sentry mode will never run out of ammo. |
| Hurricane Fists (+) | DataDyne: Extraction | 2:03 | Agent | Weapons | Unarmed attacks are three times faster. |
| Unlimited Ammo | Pelagic II: Exploration | 7:07 | Special Agent | Weapons | Weapons' reserve ammo will never run out, but reloading is still necessary. This does not affect the Psychosis Gun. |
| Unlimited Ammo, No Reloads | Air Base: Espionage | 3:11 | Special Agent | Weapons | Weapons' reserve ammo will never run out, and reloading becomes unnecessary (Bottomless Clip). This does not affect the Psychosis Gun. |
| X-Ray Scanner | Area 51: Rescue | N/A | Any | Weapons | Joanna starts with an X-Ray scanner. |
| R-Tracker/Weapon Cache Locations (+) | Skedar Ruins: Battle Shrine | N/A | Any | Weapons | Gives Joanna an R-Tracker that gives the location of all the weapon caches in the current level. |
| All Guns in Solo (+) | Skedar Ruins: Battle Shrine | 5:31 | Perfect Agent | Weapons | Gives Joanna every weapon in the game, including the Classic weapons, the DY357-LX, Farsight XR-20, and the Psychosis Gun, but somehow not the Slayer, unless she is playing in a level where the Slayer can be obtained. Ammo is not included. |
| Velvet Dark | Unlocked by default | N/A | N/A | Buddies | Co-op Buddy is Velvet Dark, who uses a Falcon 2. |
| Pugilist | DataDyne Research: investigation | 6:30 | Perfect Agent | Buddies | Co-op buddy is a man resembling Daniel Carrington and uses only his fists as weapons. |
| Hotshot | Area 51: Infiltration | 5:00 | Special Agent | Buddies | Co-op buddy is a CI soldier and uses a DY357 Magnum and DY357-LX. |
| Hit and Run | Carrington Villa: Hostage One | 2:30 | Special Agent | Buddies | Co-op buddy is a man resembling Mr. Blonde and uses a K7 Avenger. |
| Alien | Attack Ship: Cover Assault | 5:17 | Special Agent | Buddies | Co-op buddy is a Maian Protector and uses a RC-P120. |