Are Secret Video Game Cheats Safe? Risks and Precautions

Safety depends entirely on source and type. No universal "safe" or "unsafe" — assess each.

Risk Spectrum

Type	Risk Level	Typical Dangers
Official Dev Codes (Konami code, dev console)	Zero	Built-in, tested, save-compatible.
Reputable Trainer (FLiNG, MrAntiFun, CheatHappens)	Low	False AV positives, game updates break them, single-player only.
Community Cheat Tables (Cheat Engine, Fearless Revolution)	Low–Medium	User scripts — may target wrong address, corrupt save. Verify checksums.
Random "Cheat Code" Sites / YouTube "Free V-Bucks" Generators	Extreme	Malware, phishing, survey scams, crypto-miners, RATs.
Multiplayer Hacks (Aimbot, ESP, Radar)	Extreme	Kernel drivers (Ring 0) = total system compromise. HWID/Account bans. Legal action (DMCA, CFAA).
Save Editors (PKHeX, Horizon, Gibbed)	Medium	Corrupted save if version mismatch. Online detection (checksums, impossible stats).

Use Virtual Machine or separate PC for unknown trainers.
Scan with VirusTotal (multiple engines).
Backup saves before applying (Documents/My Games / Steam/userdata / console cloud).
Restrict to single-player / offline modes.
Prefer open-source (Cheat Engine tables, WeMod open-source parts).

Single-player: your sandbox. Multiplayer: you're stealing others' fair experience. Most communities ban instantly.

When in doubt: don't run it. The game is better without it.

Wii Cheats