GoldenEye 007 Cheats & Secrets

Originally released on August 25, 1997, GoldenEye 007 is the groundbreaking Nintendo 64 first-person shooter title developed by Rare and published by Nintendo as a first-party title. Despite other first-person shooters arriving on the console first, GoldenEye 007 would come to be one of the definitive Nintendo 64 exclusives, selling enough copies to become the third-best-selling title on the console and redefining the first-person shooter genre for an entire generation of players. The game is based on and closely follows the storyline of the James Bond film of the same name, originally released in 1995, and utilizes the likenesses of many of the film’s main actors.

As both a Nintendo 64 title and a first-person shooter, GoldenEye 007 would prove to be a pivotal title and one of the most important games of the 1990s. Along with its impressive single-player campaign — which notably introduced several immersive sim elements into the standard first-person shooter gameplay ahead of genre pioneers like Thief or Deus Ex — GoldenEye 007‘s multiplayer mode continues to serve as many players’ gold standard for split-screen competitive multiplayer, ushering in a whole new era of console FPS titles and proving that the genre could more than have legs outside of its traditional PC home.

GoldenEye 007 Premise

Much like the film it’s based on, GoldenEye puts players into the shoes of the infamous MI6 super spy James Bond. Across more than 15 single-player missions, Bond must defeat enemies and complete increasingly complex objectives that change in both number and difficulty depending on the game mode players select. The default options for each mission are Agent, Secret Agent, and 00 Agent (with an unlockable 007 Agent bonus difficulty), with each increase in difficulty resulting in more complex and tenuous objectives with thinner margins for error, as well as greater enemy counts and increased damage for Bond.

Outside its phenomenal single-player story mode, GoldenEye 007 features one of the most popular and groundbreaking split-screen multiplayer modes of any first-person shooter of the era. Players can eventually choose from more than 30 characters from across the James Bond film franchise, some of which give an unfair advantage thanks to their size or movement speed. In addition to the standard “deathmatch” style modes, there are custom game types that limit players to using only Remote Mines or bare-handed combat (“Slappers Only”). Up to 4 players can play competitively at once, making GoldenEye an innovative console shooter for the era and catapulting it to become one of the Nintendo 64’s “must-have” titles.

GoldenEye 007 Main Characters

The story of GoldenEye 007 closely follows the events of the 1995 film of the same name, which is the first to feature Pierce Brosnan in the starring role as Agent 007: James Bond. When MI6 agent Alec Trevelyan defects and steals a Soviet-developed superweapon capable of wiping out all electronic devices (essentially, a giant EMP), Bond sets off on a globe-trotting quest for revenge that pits him against a former ally. While the graphics of the Nintendo 64 release are fairly primitive in terms of 3D models, the game does utilize the likenesses of the actors who portrayed the film’s main characters. Main characters in GoldenEye 007 include:

• James Bond: MI6 super spy with the code name 007, James Bond is the main protagonist and hero of Ian Fleming’s novels. He’s a super cool, super suave agent whose skill is practically unmatched.
• Alec Trevelyan: The former Agent 006, Alec Trevelyan, is a longtime ally of James Bond and a veteran MI6 agent who goes rogue to commit an act of global terrorism using the GoldenEye device.
• Natalia Simonova: Natalia is a programmer at the GoldenEye control center and one of the only survivors of Alec Trevelyan’s attack on the facility. She is James Bond’s main love interest in the film.
• Boris Grishenko: Boris is a computer technician at the GoldenEye control center and one of Alec Trevelyan’s henchmen.
• General Arkady Grigorovich Ouromov: General Ouromov is a corrupt Russian general in league with Alec Trevelyan, who helps him steal the GoldenEye device.
• Xenia Onatopp: A Russian fighter pilot and assassin who works for Alec Trevelyan and uses her charms against James Bond in an attempt to kill him.

Games Based on or Featuring Ian Fleming’s James Bond: 007

The James Bond film franchise is one of the most important and successful film franchises in history, with most film critics crediting the first film (Dr. No) with creating the modern Action film genre. Accordingly, Bond has been a central figure in the world of video games almost as long as the medium has existed, with GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64 kicking off a resurgence in popularity of both the character and games featuring him. Modern games featuring James Bond include:

• GoldenEye 007 (Nintendo 64, 1997)
• James Bond 007 (Game Boy, 1998)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (PlayStation, 1999)
• The World Is Not Enough (Nintendo 64, PlayStation, 2000)
• 007 Racing (PlayStation, 2000)
• The World Is Not Enough (Game Boy Color, 2001)
• James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire (PlayStation 2, 2001)
• James Bond 007: Nightfire (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, 2002)
• James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, 2004)
• GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, 2004)
• James Bond 007: From Russia With Love (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, 2005)
• 007: Quantum of Solace (PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2008)
• GoldenEye 007: Reloaded (PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, 2010)
• James Bond 007: Blood Stone (PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2010)
• 007 Legends (PC, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, 2012)
• Project 007 (TBA)

GoldenEye 007 Cheats & Secrets

There are several cheats available for GoldenEye 007, regardless of which version you happen to play. However, only the original Nintendo 64 release and the Switch Online emulated version of that release contain the ability to use cheat codes to unlock those cheats preemptively. The version available on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S via Game Pass or the Xbox Marketplace only features the ability to unlock cheats the normal way: by beating each of the game’s stages on specific difficulty levels and within certain time limits.

GoldenEye 007 Cheats (Xbox Version)

To unlock any of the following cheats, players will need to complete the corresponding level at a specific difficulty and within a specific time limit. After completing the requirements to unlock the cheat, it will appear in the game’s “Cheats” menu.

GoldenEye 007 Cheats (Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Switch)

The original Nintendo 64 version of GoldenEye 007 features several cheat codes that players can input to unlock cheats without having to complete any of the corresponding level challenges. Additionally, these cheats also work on the Nintendo Switch release of the game available via the Nintendo Switch Online service’s Classic Game Collections (which also requires having the Expansion Pack subscription tier).

When inputting any of the following cheats on the Nintendo Switch, note that the Nintendo 64 C-Button control inputs correspond to the Switch’s right analog stick and that any directional button inputs correspond to the D-Pad buttons and not the left analog stick.

Cheat Menu Unlock Codes

Using any of the following cheats will permanently unlock the corresponding cheat option in the game’s “Cheats” menu.

Gameplay Cheat Codes

Enter any of the following cheats during gameplay to temporarily unlock their effects. Note that these manual cheats will not permanently unlock the cheat option for toggling in the Cheats menu.

Level Select Codes

Enter any of the following cheats to unlock the corresponding level. Note that there is no cheat to unlock the Egyptian level and it must be unlocked using normal methods.

Multiplayer Codes

The following cheats are only applicable in Multiplayer mode.

GoldenEye 007 Secrets

Easily Beat the Aztec Level

Under normal circumstances, beating the secret Aztec level requires players to defeat Jaws, grab the keycard he drops, and rush back to the other side of the level to enter the locked room. However, there’s a trick to open this door without ever having to defeat Jaws. Stand at the glass door and shoot it to draw attention. Once the door next to you starts to open, hide behind one of the shelves in the room. A guard will walk to where you were just standing and open the locked door to continue looking for you. Charge at the guard as soon as he opens the door to get into the room before it closes.

Easily Escape the Train Level

At the end of the level, Bond will have a tense standoff with General Ourumov. However, Ourumov will not attempt to shoot Natalia until you target him or another guard, so you can use this to your advantage. Target the small metal bearings securing the exit hatch on the train first, so that when you do finally target Ourumov, your escape is swift.

Janus’ Alternate Speech

To hear a secret alternate speech from Janus in the Statue level, meet with him while unarmed.

Shooting Through Doors

While most weapons cannot shoot enemies through doors in GoldenEye 007, there are a select few that can. The Magnum, Silver PP7, and Laser can still hit enemies through doors, which makes them indispensable on higher difficulty levels.

GoldenEye 007 Achievements (Xbox Version)

Complete any of the following in-game tasks to unlock the corresponding achievement.

GoldenEye 007 Cheat FAQs

Are there cheat codes in GoldenEye 007 for Xbox?

Yes, the Xbox version of GoldenEye contains all the unlockable cheats as the Nintendo 64 original. However, these cheats cannot be manually activated using cheat codes. Instead, the Xbox version requires players to meet the various conditions for unlocking the different cheat menu options, most of which require beating certain levels on specific difficulty modes and within a set time limit.

What is the hardest cheat to unlock in GoldenEye 007?

The hardest cheat to unlock in GoldenEye is generally accepted as the Invincibility cheat, which requires players to beat the Facility level in 2:05 or less. The Xbox version makes a subtle nod to this lofty requirement in the achievement name for beating the Facility level.

How do you unlock the Aztec level in GoldenEye 007?

There are two secret levels in GoldenEye 007, “Aztec” and “Egyptian”, both of which require players to beat all regular levels on specific difficulty modes. To unlock “Aztec”, players must beat all other regular levels on Secret Agent difficulty or higher.

How long to beat GoldenEye 007?

In terms of just its single-player campaign, GoldenEye 007‘s length is fairly standard among first-person shooters. Most players will complete the game’s main story in 8-10 hours, with an additional 10-15 hours for those hoping to unlock all the game’s cheats. But when you factor in the game’s split-screen multiplayer mode, there are potentially hundreds of hours of gameplay in GoldenEye 007. That said, a completionist playthrough (unlocking all cheats and achievements for the Xbox version) will take most players 22-25 hours.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©GoldenEye 007 promotional image.