Action Replay
The cheat cartridge
The hardware cartridge series that enabled game freezing, cheat creation, and memory manipulation across Commodore 64, Amiga, and consoles - controversial but widely used.
Overview
Action Replay was a series of cartridges and devices produced by Datel that enabled users to freeze running software, search and modify memory, create cheats, and save snapshots. Available for the Commodore 64, Amiga, and various consoles, it became the go-to tool for cheat creation and—controversially—software backup.
Fast Facts
- Manufacturer: Datel
- First version: ~1985 (C64)
- Platforms: C64, Amiga, SNES, Genesis, others
- Function: Freeze, cheat, backup
- Reception: Hugely popular
- Controversy: Piracy implications
Platform Versions
| Platform | Version | Era |
|---|---|---|
| C64 | Action Replay | 1985+ |
| Amiga | Action Replay I/II/III | 1988+ |
| SNES | Pro Action Replay | 1992+ |
| Genesis | Pro Action Replay | 1992+ |
Capabilities
| Feature | Use |
|---|---|
| Freeze | Stop any program |
| Cheat search | Find value locations |
| Poke | Modify memory |
| Save | Snapshot to disk |
| Monitor | Disassemble code |
| Fast loader | Speed disk access (C64) |
C64 Action Replay
The original version featured:
- Freeze button (asserts NMI on the 6510, capturing the running program's state into the cartridge's RAM)
- Fast loader (turbo tape/disk)
- Memory monitor
- Sprite viewer
- Cheat creation tools
The cartridge maps its own ROM and RAM into the C64's address space when the freezer fires, swapping back out on resume. Same architectural pattern as the Multiface for Spectrum.
Action Replay VI
The most comprehensive C64 version (Datel, 1989) bundled:
- 32 KB of cartridge RAM and 16 KB of ROM
- Full machine-code monitor with built-in disassembler
- Sprite editor and graphics viewer
- Disk fast loader (~5× speed)
- "Picsave" — convert any frozen screen to a multicolour bitmap file
- "Tapesave" — turbo tape backup of frozen programs
AR VI was the canonical late-era C64 cracker tool; many of the era's "+8" / "+12" / "+99" trainer versions were produced with it.
Amiga Action Replay
More sophisticated:
- Full 68000 monitor
- Disassembler
- Memory search
- Copper list viewer
- Disk tools
Console Versions
Adapted for different markets:
| Platform | Focus |
|---|---|
| SNES | Pre-made cheat codes |
| Genesis | Game enhancement |
| Later | Code entry, not discovery |
Cheat Discovery Process
Similar to Multiface:
- Note value (lives, energy)
- Search memory for that value
- Change value in game
- Search again
- Identify correct address
- Modify to desired value
Controversy
Action Replay existed in grey areas:
- Legitimate: Cheat creation, development
- Grey: Backing up owned games
- Illegal: Software piracy
- Response: Publishers hated it
Legacy
Action Replay democratised game modification, creating the cheat code culture that would eventually become mainstream through console devices like Game Genie. It proved there was demand for player control over game difficulty.