VIDEO GAMES Know the code for cheats

Codes also unlock some cool bonus material.
By TOM HAM
WASHINGTON POST
You might think you're a pro at video games, but sooner or later you're going to get stuck -- whether it's that last track on "Need for Speed: Underground" or that one particular level in "Tony Hawk's Underground" that you just can't complete. But there's help available, help in the form of cheat codes.
What are cheat codes? Cheat codes are little bonuses or surprises that help players when they're stuck. Just about every game has cheat codes; the trick is knowing how to use them. Want to know how? Keep on reading.
Cheat codes come in many forms. Some will make you "invulnerable," meaning nothing can hurt or kill you. Others can unlock additional levels and characters. A popular cheat is the Level Skip cheat. Most level-based games, such as "Tony Hawk" and "Lord of the Rings," require you to play through the game from beginning to end -- level after level in order. But what if a particular level is too difficult and, no matter how many times you play, you just can't get by it? A Level Skip cheat would make your game a lot easier.
Inputting
How do you input the codes? The most common way is with a password. Many games have a feature that allows players to save their progress in the game. Sometimes developers have passwords that will unlock features. Simply go to the password screen, put in the special password and -- voil & agrave;! -- it's done.
Another way to input cheats is with unique button patterns on the controller. Do you know how many buttons a PS2 controller has? (No looking.) There are 16: L1, R1, L2, R2, L3, R3, Square, Circle, Triangle, X, Left, Right, Up, Down, Select and Start. Pressing some of these buttons in a specific order can activate cheat codes. Patterns can be simple or really complicated. To make things even harder, sometimes there's a time limit for entering the codes.