Cheat Options are the settings in GoldenEye 007 which feature numerous cheat preferences that will most likely to drastically affect the way the game plays. While most only affect Solo Mode, some also affect Multiplayer mode, and very few are Multiplayer mode only. Attempting to obtain, as well as using these cheats, add to the game's replay value.
Cheats can be toggled on and off at will in the cheats menu before starting play, but are initially unavailable and must be unlocked by completing specific levels on specific difficulty settings, with most also adding a strict time limit that has to be cleared. It is also possible to unlock cheats on the original Nintendo 64 version of GoldenEye 007 through the use of push-button codes; most of the codes will immediately unlock a corresponding cheat option in the cheat menu, however some will give temporary access to otherwise unavailable cheats (see Unused Cheats).
Most cheats (specifically those for Solo Mode) significantly tip the difficulty of the game in the player's favor, and as a result, when cheats are active, the player will be unable to select any mission or difficulty setting they have not yet completed legitimately. It's also not possible to unlock new cheats, while cheats are active, even if all the criteria are met during play.
The list of only cheats that can be used in Multiplayer Mode:
- Invincible
- Infinite Ammo
- DK Mode
- Paintball Mode
- No Radar [Multi]
- Turbo Mode
Unlockable Cheats
There is a total of 23 unlockable cheats that can be unlocked in GoldenEye 007. To unlock these cheats, it's required to finish certain levels at the lesser time then needed, or just finish it. You will be eligible to unlock any cheats once you have met one or more of these parameters:
1. If Dam is completed within 02:40 on Secret Agent.
2. If Facility is completed within 02:05 on 00 Agent.
3. If Runway is completed within 05:00 on Agent.
4. If Surface 1 is completed within 03:30 on Secret Agent.
5. If Bunker 1 is completed within 04:00 on 00 Agent.
6. If Silo is completed within 03:00 on Agent.
7. If Frigate is completed within 04:30 on Secret Agent.
8. If Surface 2 is completed within 04:15 on 00 Agent.
9. If Bunker 2 is completed within 01:30 on Agent
10. If Statue is completed within 03:15 on Secret Agent.
11. If Archives is completed within 01:20 on 00 Agent.
12. If Streets is completed within 01:45 on Agent.
13. If Depot is completed within 01:40 on Secret Agent.
14. If Train is completed within 05:24 on 00 Agent.
15. If Jungle is completed within 03:45 on Agent.
16. If Control is completed within 10:00 on Secret Agent.
17. If Caverns is completed within 09:30 on 00 Agent.
18 and 19. If Cradle is completed on Agent within 02:15, but another cheat can be acquired if this stage is finished at all on any difficulty.
20 and 21. If Aztec is completed on Secret Agent within 09:00, but another cheat can be acquired if this stage is finished at all on any difficulty.
22 and 23. If Egyptian is completed on 00 Agent within 06:00, but another cheat can be acquired if this stage is finished at all on any difficulty.
After getting all of these cheats, it can be noticed that there is a spot for a 24th cheat. The 24th Cheat in GoldenEye 007, has been a target of many hoaxes. One example of such is the "All Bonds Mode".
Unused Cheats
In addition to the 23 cheats that can be unlocked normally, there are several additional, usually unusable cheats. These can be activated with push-button codes on the Nintendo 64, although they behave differently to the other cheats - they are not added to the cheat menu, they will be activated immediately upon entering the codes, and they will only last until the console is switched off or reset. These unused cheats can be added to the regular cheat menu with a cheat device (such as GameShark). All of these, with the exception of Line Mode, are called NO NAME in the menu.
- Extra Characters (Multi) - Allows the players to select the special characters and developers in multiplayer. The official name for this cheat is unknown.
- Maximum Ammo - Gives Bond maximum ammunition for every weapon he possesses. However, unlike Infinite Ammo, once the level starts ammunition is consumed as normal.
- Line Mode - Removes all textures and color from the game, rendering everything as a black and white line drawing. Unlike the other unused cheats, it seems likely that this was originally intended as the 24th unlockable cheat as it retains its name in the game (further evidence is that there appears to be one unused slot on the cheat menu when all other cheats are unlocked). It is not known why it was removed from the final build, or if this was intentional.
- Super x2 Health - Doubles Bond's health, allowing him to take twice as much damage he normally would.
- Super x2 Armor - Gives Bond full body armor that takes twice as much damage as normal.
- Super x10 Health - Allows Bond to take ten times as much damage he normally would.
- Extra Weapons - Bond starts every mission with a Cougar Magnum, Moonraker Laser, Golden Gun, Silver PP7, and Gold PP7 and maximum ammo for them. Interestingly these are the same guns available in the individual gun cheats.
- Invisible (Multi) - Makes players nearly invisible in multiplayer. Unfortunately this effect only lasts until a player respawns, at which point they will be fully visible again. The official name for this cheat is unknown.
- Debug Mode - Allows you to view your coordinates and direction in a map along with which room you're currently in. The feature is reliant on the debug menu embedded in the NTSC versions of the game. As a result, this cheat will not work on PAL copies.
Hoax Cheats
- All Bonds Mode - This is a cheat that was a target of many hoaxes. All Bonds Mode was supposed to be a cheat, that would unlock all incarnations (up to Bond movie GoldenEye.) of James Bond. This unused cheat has proven to be a hoax, as the data for the other incarnations has not been used and was removed, due to licensing constraint. There isn't solid evidence that this was legitimately an unused cheat.
- Dr. No - disables all armor in levels (Including Multi Mode.) Though, some sort of a hack kind-of exists of this cheat, it has not proven to be true.