When I was a kid, I bought issue #3 of Game Pro.  I read the thing from cover to cover, and dreamed about all of the games that I wanted to play.  It also featured the WORST COMIC BOOK EVER!!  At the very end of the magazine, there was a section called "S.W.A.T."  I read through the section and my heart stopped beating. 

Sixty four lives in "Bad Dudes" for the Nes.

HOLY SHIT!  I HAD BAD DUDES!  I broke the game out, punched in the code, and kicked some Ninja ass!!   Later, I learned of the Konami Code, Sound tests in Castlevania III, continue codes in Super Mario Bros., and a plethora (the first time I've used the word "Plethora" in my entire life) of other codes for other great games.  I felt like I was given top secret information.  I bought pretty much every gaming magazine there was since then, and cheating always had a special place in my heart.  I even went out of my way to buy Codebreakers, Action Replays, and Gamesharks for the majority of my consoles (Nude code in Leisure Suit Larry made it all worth while!).  I did things in games that were impossible.  Laura Croft could climb walls like Spider-Man in Tomb Raider 4.  I could watch hidden video footage in Resident Evil on the PS1.  It was awesome.

Now in the age of Online consoles and DLC, we usually have to pay for cheat codes and  hidden content.  Before, it was just a push of a few buttons or the entering of a password that would give you a new quest or a bonus costume.  I can understand why.  But I miss the days of cheat codes.  Don't you?  Also, I miss cheating on my girlfriend.  It was fun while it lasted. 

lol, brilliant.

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a haha

I didn't really cheat a whole lot in games. The only cheats I can even remember using- the Contra one and the unlimited items in Pokemon red/blue.

Cheating is bad. And it hurts your girlfriend. You should just stay faithful and be happy. How would you feel if she did it to you?

Did anyone in this world ever finish Contra without the 30 lives cheat?

I had the Goldeneye invincibility cheat memorised.

Also there is a cool thing to do in the level where you save Natalya (or it might have been the one before it in the samme place) If you have all weapons on (and infinite ammo) and you remote mine the two "chandeliers" of TVs in the main room at the same time so they all explode at once, from then on all projectiles will just stick in mid air where you fired/threw them.... so fire a rocket and it just stays where you were.

Cheating online is the most fun , I used to cheat in loads of MMORPG's and Age of Empires until i realised it took the competetive edge (and the fun) out of gaming.

Good old up,up,down,down,up,up,up,up cheat in Sonic 3 on the genesis was brilliant.
I share the same sentiments as the OP, I think we as gamers should have the option to cheat if we want to play that way.

And cheats weren't always about making the game easier, in adding extra content it played a great role. I have fond memories of unlocking that kangaroo in Streets of rage 3 :)

↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → b a select start 30 lives each mofos!

I remember cod 1 cheat.

You could play any mission but if you didn,t finish it you went back to your last mission.

That was on ps2. Happy days.

Funny enough, that's why I like Paradox real-time strategy games... the scripting is open-source, so you can tweak what you like, and it's pretty easy. Even a novice could figure it out.

@Crashstart

select, then start after the whole up, up, down, down thing is only for those wishing to play 2 player.

Either way, I was getting ready to type that the moment I saw the thread title.