Retroid Pocket 2, RG351

Guide: RetroArch Cheats on Handheld Devices

by Russ

Last updated: 21APR2021

In today’s quick guide I will show you how to use cheats on a lot of today’s best retro handheld devices. This method will work on any number of RetroArch-capable systems, such as the RG351P or RG351M (or similar devices like the RGB10, OGA, RK2020), the Retroid Pocket 2, and even a hacked PS Vita.

How to manually load cheat files

If you do not have internet access on your device, or if you use an operating system that doesn’t enable the cheats downloader function (like 351ELEC), you can still load cheats offline. This only needs to be done one time.

First, go to this GitHub page and click on the green “Code” button, and select Download Zip. Download that file, and unzip it. Inside you’ll find a folder named “cht”, and within that, a bunch of game system folders. Grab the game system folders for the systems that you want to enable cheats for, and place those folders in the bios/cheats folder on your SD card (you’ll need to make the “cheats” folder yourself).

Open up RetroArch (without loading a game), then navigate to Settings > Directory > Cheat File, and then navigate to the bios/cheats folder, then select <Use This Directory>. To save this setting, go to Main Menu > Configuration File > Save Current Configuration. Now, whenever you try and load cheats, it will default to the bios/cheats folder to find your cheat files.

6 thoughts on “Guide: RetroArch Cheats on Handheld Devices”

  1. MEEEE LIKEY!!! Now I don’t have to look on Gamefaqs for cheats anymore! I mostly used them on Tony Hawk and Twisted Metal games to unlock everything. My first test’s gonna be: God Mode for Doom, and whether Ninja Gaiden cheats work on NES Deadpool! (Rubbing my hands together and maniacally laughing) Muahahaha!!!!! I have The Keys to The Kingdom Now!!! Thanks Russ!

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  2. Hi, thanks for making written guides!! I have a question about gameshark codes. If I have some old gameshark codes for different games, can retroarch use those directly? or is there some way to convert them?

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  3. hey, i do have a bios folder but it not showing with retroarch menu?
    i can not find the cheats even after i uploaded the folder to the sd card in the bios folder, in retroarch i do not have the bios folder and the folders showing up in retroarch are not showing on my sd card, both of them

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  4. I tried this on Koriki/Batocera for my RG35xx, adding a Cheat folder into my BIOS folder manually. When I put the card back in, it erased all my roms! Glad I had it all backed up.

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  5. This guide was very helpful except there aren’t any for Mame 2003. There are only a handful of games that need cheats in Mame really that don’t let you continue on an extra quarter such as Contra for example. I haven’t found a guide that works for Mame on ArkOS. I’m aware you have to go into the mame menu while you’re in a rom as well but still can’t get the cheat files working. Any help?

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