Cheating for the first time in aGTAgame is a defining experience and unlocked a core gameplay memory for many.
Whether it’s to get a lifeline during a five-star police chase or save the mission from failing, the best GTA cheat codes are essential in any GTA session, no doubt.
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In addition to their effectiveness, theseGTA cheatscan lead to some of the most hilarious moments in gaming, thanks to codes that allow for flying cars, mega jumps, and the ability to spawn tanks out of nowhere.
While there are numerous codes throughout the series,some cheats have become truly iconicand created unforgettable moments in gaming history.
12Replenish Ability Meter
Unlimited Special Power For The Trio
Cheat Code
The POWERUP cheat replenishes the special abilities ofGTA V’s trio: bullet-time for Michael, berserker rage for Trevor, and slow-motion driving for Franklin.
POWERUP instantly refills that ability meter and lets you keep using it without waiting for a cooldown.
It’s one of the most useful cheat codes in GTA V, especially when replayinghard story missionsand wanting to speed up the process. It’s also a great way to get a real-time advantage while drifting through traffic jams as Franklin.
11Spawn a Panzer
An Essential Part Of GTA’s Open-World Experience
Before jetpacks and flying cars, chaos in GTA started with a tank rolling through the streets of Liberty City. This cheat transformedGTA IIIfrom a mission-focused driving game into something much more and transformed it into a sandbox of destruction.
The Rhino tank was indestructible and armed with a cannon that not only obliterated everything in its path but also doubled as a boost when fired backwards.
Although the cheat itself evolved into WPRTON inGTA: San Andreas, it never lost its edge as an icon of destruction and power in the entire franchise. In every GTA game it appeared, it helped players live out the ultimate power fantasy and rendered five-star chases pretty easy.
10Sabre Tubro For Free
Gotta' Get There Fast
GTA Vice City
GETTHEREFAST
One of the best ways to roam aroundVice Cityand reach the mission dot on the map was to spawn a Sabre Turbo, which was one of the fastest and the most iconic cars in the game.
Although it later made its way to GTA V, Sabre Turbo was the car that became a symbol of Tommy Vercetti and his rise to power.
Alongside it being an iconic muscle car, it was ideal for speeding between missions and completing Stunt Jumps scattered around the city. It perfectly captured the game’s neon-soaked 80s vibe too.
9Rain Hell With The Annihilator
True Nightmare Of GTA IV’s Multiplayer Mode
359-555-0100
One of the best cheat codes inGTA IVlets you spawn the Annihilator, a heavily armed attack helicopter that really lived up to its name.
It was both a fast transport option and a tool of total destruction in Liberty City.
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Arguably, the Annihilator might be one of the best helicopters in GTA history thanks to its smooth and intuitive controls.
It also boasted four miniguns, which made it a total nightmare even for the veterans of the GTA IV multiplayer.
8I’m A Rocket Man
I’m Going To Get This One As A Tattoo
GTA: San Andreas
Frankly, I don’t think any moment in gaming history matches the raw and surreal freedom of strapping on a jetpack in GTA: San Andreas.
And for a game set against the backdrop of a fictional Los Angeles’ delving into themes of gang violence and street life, the ability to become a jetpack gangster flying around the hood is still incredibly hilarious.
Equipping two double-barrel shotguns and equipping a jetpack became a defining San Andreas experience. While not always practical, dodging police helicopters, exploring rooftops and simply soaking in the early 2000s skyline of Los Santos brought pure joy.
That’s why it’s one of the best GTA cheats in the entire franchise.
7Flying At The Speed Of Sound
Faster Traversal And Total Carnage
GTA: San Andreas spans three massive cities across a vast map that’s often a joy to explore. Cruising through the state with K-Rose blasting in the background is a core part of San Andreas’ charm, after all.
That being said, all that driving can slow down the action when you’re eager to jump into the next mission.
That’s where the JUMPJET cheat came in. Easily one of the best GTA cheat codes, it lets you spawn the Hydra, equipped with solid boosters that instantly cut down on travel time.
Without a doubt, the JUMPJET cheat code is one of the most used cheat codes in the game. In fact, starting a San Andreas session by spawning a Hydra right in the middle of Grove Street became a habit for many players, practically a square on every GTA: San Andreas bingo card.
It’s Jail Time! (Or Not)
FUGITIVE and LAWYERUP
Getting into five-star police chases is a gameplay trope that can be both exciting and frustrating at different sessions.
If you’re looking for some fast SWAT stand-off though, FUGITIVE makes the police furious at you, while the LAWYERUP renders them indifferent to your past psychopathic criminal actions.
Both of them are perfect if you want to test your survival skills against helicopters and tanks, and simply want them to back off once you’re done with the chaos.
They are the great-grandchildren of GTA: San Andreas’ AEZAKMI and BRINGITON.
5Refill Health And Armor
Next-Gen HESOYAM
GTA games don’t only offer you total player freedom in massive cities, but they also offer you a safety net by fast-typing weird words or moving the analog stick aggressively in various directions to get a lifeline.
In GTA V’s case, it is TURTLE, the cheat code that instantly replenishes both your health and armor and saves you from the dreaded wasted screen when you’re deep in a five-star chase or trying to survive waves of enemies during a mission.
Turtle is GTA V’s HESOYAM. Although it sounds less iconic, it’s easily one of the best and the most practical GTA cheat codes to date.
4Get Explosive Punches
A GTA Classic
Apart from driving and going from one orange dot to another orange dot on the map, GTA is all about wreaking havoc in its immersive open worlds.
While there are a mountain of cheats that accelerate this process, like spawning tanks and attack helicopters, this particular cheat allows you to take matter into your own explosive hands.
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Similar to the super-punches cheat in GTA IV and GTA: San Andreas, the HOTHANDS cheat in GTA V grants you explosive punches that can one-shot the inhabitants of Los Santos and explode vehicles with a touch of your finger.
Combined with the invincibility cheat, HOTHANDS was the shortcut to opening endless dopamine valves in your brain after achieving five wanted stars.
3Making Cars Amphibious
It’s A Boat!
GTA: Vice City
What makes Grand Theft Auto a household name in gaming is its near-perfect handling of driving mechanics.
Simply put, driving is always fun in a GTA game. And in a series built on cars and chaos, having a cheat that turns them into amphibious machines is just hilarious.
But that’s what the best cheats are all about. That’s probably why the first time I activated the amphibious cars cheat and cruised my Banshee across the ocean became an unforgettable moment and made for a defining GTA experience.
