Note: This section is largely deals with using a real Game Genie on a Genesis/Mega-Drive.
You may find one or two of the tips useful for using Game Genie codes in emulators though.

What is a Game Genie?

The Game Genie is a popular cheat system which was developed by Codemasters and distributed by Galoob for several different consoles. It usually comes as a cartridge which sits between the console itself and a game cartridge.

With the Genesis/Mega-Drive version game cartridges are plugged into the connector on the top edge of the Game Genie, with the both the labels facing the same way, as shown below.

IMPORTANT: THE FRONTS (TITLE LABEL SIDES) OF BOTH THE
GAME CART AND GAME GENIE MUST FACE IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
IF THE CONNECTION FEELS TIGHT, YOU MAY NEED TO PUSH HARD.

The Game Genie is then Plugged into the cartridge slot  on your Genesis/Mega-Drive, with both labels facing forwards as shown below, just like any other game cartridge .

IMPORTANT: TURN OFF THE GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE POWER BEFORE
INSERTING OR REMOVING THE GAME GENIE.

IMPORTANT: BE CAREFUL NOT TO ROCK THE GAME GENIE AND GAME
CART BACK AND FORTH WHEN THEY ARE IN YOUR GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE.
PUSH STRAIGHT DOWN TO INSERT AND PULL STRAIGHT UP TO REMOVE.

Remember, when you want to play another game it is recommended that you remove both the Game Genie and the game from the Genesis/Mega-Drive before changing the game cartridge, and as with any other cartridge the power on the Genesis/Mega-Drive should be off before inserting or removing the Game Genie.

When using Genesis/Mega-Drive emulators which have a Game Genie function you do not need to do anything to your games to use Game Genie codes. The Game Genie function is built into the emulator itself almost as if the Game Genie cart was permanently plugged into a real Genesis/Mega-Drive.

Powering Up.

With Game Genie and the Game Cart plugged into your Genesis
/Mega-Drive, move the EFFECTS ON/OFF SWITCH on the left side of the Game Genie to the UP (ON) position as shown on the right.

Turn on the Genesis/Mega-Drive power. The green EFFECTS ACTIVE LIGHT on the Game Genie will light up, and instead of the game starting, you will see the Game Genie Code Screen as shown below.

IF THE GREEN EFFECTS
ACTIVE LIGHT DOES
NOT LIGHT, CHECK THAT
THE GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE
IS PLUGGED IN AND THE
RED POWER LIGHT IS ON.

IF THE CODE SCREEN DOES NOT APPEAR, OR THE SCREEN IS BLANK OR BLINKING:
  • MOVE THE GAME GENIE EFFECTS ON/OFF SWITCH TO THE UP (ON) POSITION
  • PUSH GAME GENIE ALL THE WAY INTO THE GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE.
  • TURN GENESIS/MEGA_DRIVE POWER OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN.
  • TURN OFF GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE POWER, REMOVE AND RE-INSERT THE GAME GENIE.
     

IF THE GAME GENIE CODE SCREEN STILL DOES NOT APPEAR:

  • REMOVE THE GAME GENIE, UNPLUG THE GAME CART, AND TEST BOTH THE GAME CART AND THE GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE BY PLAYING THE GAME IN THE NORMAL WAY. IF BOTH THE GAME CART AND GENESIS/MEGA-DRIVE ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THEN RE-INSTALL THE GAME GENIE AND TRY AGAIN.

IMPORTANT: SOME GAMES MAY BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH GAME GENIE
AND THE CODE SCREEN WILL NOT APPEAR, OR THE TV SCREEN WILL BLINK.