Explainer
How Cheat Codes Work: Game Genie, Action Replay and the Konami Code
How video game cheat codes work, from the Game Genie to the Konami Code, with real examples: most of our cheats change only one or two bytes of a game.
Yes This Game Blog
Guides from the people who build the games on this site. When we give a tip, we test it first on the real levels, and we show the numbers.
Game list
9 Retro Games to Play Online Free, With Optional Cheats
Nine classic games from 1982 to 1996 that run free in your browser: River Raid, Battle City, Contra, Street Fighter II, Metal Slug and more, each with cheats.
Game guide
River Raid Tips: How Long a Full Tank Lasts and Why Flying Fast Saves Fuel
River Raid tips from the game's own code: a full tank lasts about 34 seconds at any speed, a depot fills you in 2 seconds, plus scores and extra jets.
Game guide
Battle City Power-Ups: What Each One Does and How Long It Lasts
Every Battle City power-up explained from the game's code: helmet and clock about 10.6 seconds, shovel about 21 seconds, and what the three stars do.
Game guide
Contra Cheats and Tips: The Konami Code for 30 Lives, Weapons and Stages
Contra cheats that work: the Konami Code gives 30 lives (we read the game's life counter to check), plus every weapon, the eight stages and 7 tips.
Game guide
Metal Slug Tips: The Real Length of the Timer, Weapons, Prisoners and the Tank
Metal Slug tips for beginners: the 60-step timer really lasts about 4 minutes 20 seconds (we measured it), plus every weapon, the prisoners and the tank.
Explainer
Colors That Go Together: A Simple Guide for Coloring, Nails and Cakes
Which colors go together and why: the color wheel, four easy schemes, the 60-30-10 rule and our test of 435 color pairs for contrast. Palettes to copy.
How-to
How to Make a Drip Cake: Ganache Ratios, Temperature and Tips
How to make a drip cake that drips just right: ganache ratios for dark, milk and white chocolate, about 90°F (32°C), a cold cake and one test drip.
How-to
Easy Nail Art for Short Nails: 8 Designs for Beginners
Eight easy nail art designs for short nails with tools you already own: bobby pin dots, a mini French, stripes, an accent nail and more, step by step.
Game guide
Color by Number Tips: How to Finish Every Picture Without Mistakes
Color by number tips tested on 12 pictures and 202 numbered areas: find every area, swipe instead of tapping, use hints well and keep three stars.
Game guide
Cake Decorating Game Guide: All 12 Sweet Cake Shop Orders
How to bake all 12 Sweet Cake Shop orders for three stars: three swipes frost any tier, which extras cost a star, and every order step by step.
Game guide
Nail Art Game Guide: All 12 Nail Art Studio Clients, Step by Step
How to earn three stars for every client in Nail Art Studio: two strokes paint any nail, what each look needs and what one slip costs. Tested in the game.
Measured
How to Play Arcade Games in Your Browser: Coins, Controls and Save States
How browser emulators run classic arcade and Mega Drive games: inserting coins, keyboard and phone controls, save states, and how much each game downloads.
Explainer
Sonic 3 vs Sonic & Knuckles: What Is the Difference?
Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles are two halves of one 1994 game. Zones, characters, saving, lock-on cartridges and how to tell which one you are playing.
Game guide
Why Is Cadillacs and Dinosaurs Called Mustapha? The Arcade Classic Explained
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is the 1993 Capcom arcade game many players know as Mustapha or Mustafa. Where the name comes from, the four heroes and how to play.
Game guide
Street Fighter 2 Moves: Every Special Move and How to Do It on a Keyboard
Every special move in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, from Hadouken to Spinning Piledriver, with simple steps for doing each one on a keyboard or phone.
Fix
Browser Game Not Loading? 9 Fixes, Tested on 51 Games
Why a browser game stays black or stuck on loading. We broke 51 games on purpose: without WebGL 24 refused to start. Nine fixes in the order to try them.
Measured
How Much Data Do Browser Games Use? We Measured 51 Games
We measured 51 browser games: the first visit downloads 13 KB to 96 MB, playing uses almost no data and a second visit is nearly free. All the numbers inside.
Game guide
Gate Runner Games: How to Pick the Right Gate Every Time
The math behind number gate runner games: when ×2 beats +n, why ÷2 almost always loses, and what 144 gate pairs in Run for Love showed us.
Game guide
Coreball Tips: How to Beat Every Level Without a Miss
Coreball tips tested on all 60 levels: why you must aim ahead of the spin, how far the core turns while a pin flies and how to handle each spin pattern.
Game guide
Tank Game Tips: How to Win Every Mission in Tank Battle Arena
Eight tank game tips tested by a bot in Tank Battle Arena: why sidestepping cuts turret hits from 62% to 6%, which upgrade to buy first and all 12 missions.
Puzzle guide
Water Sort Puzzle Tips and Tricks: How to Solve Any Level
Nine water sort puzzle tips tested on 19,631 pours: which moves cause dead ends, when to use the empty tube and a step-by-step way to solve any level.
Puzzle guide
Seat Jam Puzzle Guide: Rules, Tips and How to Stop Getting Stuck
How to play Seat Jam and stop getting stuck: the rules, plus three seating rules that lift first-try wins on the hardest buses from 2% to 53%.
Puzzle guide
Sliding Block Puzzle Strategy: How to Solve Unblock Puzzles Step by Step
A step-by-step strategy for sliding block and unblock puzzles, tested on 60 levels: work backwards from the exit and move the key piece back when you must.
Troubleshooting
Arrow Keys or Space Bar Scroll the Page in a Browser Game? Here Is the Fix
Arrow keys or the space bar scroll the page instead of moving your character? Why browsers do it, the quick fix for players and the code fix for developers.
Game list
Chromebook Games With No Download: 9 Free Browser Games That Just Work
Nine free games that run on any Chromebook right in the browser: no download, no sign-up, no ads inside the game. With controls and file size for each.
