GBA SharkPort Tutorial

Author: Kyuubi of the Gameshark forum

System Requirements

The gameshark sp sharkport application is not compatible with:

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Mac OS

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Linux

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Windows Vista or later*

*The application will install on the windows vista operating system however the USB cable lacks drivers for the operating system. Support is not offered for this operating system. Compatibility on

Windows7 will require business edition or higher in order to access windows XP virtualization options.

Getting Started

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Connect the USB cable to both the computer & the GBA via the link cable socket.

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Turn on the GBA with the Gameshark SP activated.

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Select the PC application (making sure it's been installed onto your computer already), and run the application.

Start → Programs → Fire International → Gameshark SP

This is the default window that first opens. For both Gamesaves and Cheats the left panel displays those which are stored on the computer's hard drive, and those listed in the right panel are stored on your gameshark cartridge.

Toggle between the Cheats and Saves listings by clicking either of these buttons.

Restoring saves to the GBA

(1) Choose the corresponding title that matches the game you have inserted in your GBA , and double click on the matching title. highlight the gamesave and then click on the

(2) COPY-->GBA button at the very bottom left corner.

The save will be copied to the GBA

(3) Click on the UPDATE button on the lower right side to complete the transfer.

To import saves from the Gameshark SP to the PC the process is the same.

(1) Click on the game title that appears on the right side window, and highlight the save file.

(2) Then click on the COPY → PC button to transfer a copy of the save to the PC.

(3) Click the UPDATE button to complete the process.

Restoring codes from the

PC into the GBA gameshark.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Double Click on the matching game title for which you'd like to use codes on. The list of codes will drop down.

Then, check off all those codes that you want to imprt.

Click on the COPY → GBA button to copy the codes to your GBA gameshark

Click the UPDATE button to complete the changes.

Downloading Codes From the Internet

Please keep in mind that current owners of the Gameshark sp MUST download the patch posted in this topic in order to access the online cheat database... Follow the instructions given and install it...

A common error received by users when trying to update their code list is due to using the wrong internet button, the following image displays the correct button to press in order to access the online database.

What if the online cheats list doesn't reflect the current listing on the website?

This fix was submitted by Gameshark member mbruno

This fix involves editing the webcheats.fcd file in the Sharkport's program directory. WARNING

follow this procedure carefully as accidentally removing program files can render the program unstable.

Navigate to the file directory shown above

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Open the file with notepad and clear the content. Save the file and close.

*Be sure to create a backup copy of this file beforehand.

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After deleting the file contents connect to the database using the following working

Replacement Details:

Username: testuser1

Password: userpass1

Email: [email protected]

Prod Key: 4171 6135 1081 2726

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Try logging back in and after the the list of cheats shows up, you can switch back to your original user details.

Manual Use of the Gameshark SP

Adding a new Game

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Boot up your GBA and wait for the game list to appear.

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At the very top you will see ADD NEW GAME

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Scroll up to it, and press The B button.

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Enter the title of your game, by using the D-pad to scroll through the letters, numbers, spaces... etc. (Use the L+R buttons to back up or move foward in the title Entry)

Once done press the Start button to continue

Manually entering Codes

When you initially finish entering the game title you'll automatically be taken to a screen to enter the master code (This code MUST be entered for all others to work properly)

For other codes

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When you enter a new code scroll to the bottom of the game entry

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Select ADD NEW CHEAT (accessible by pressing the B button.

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Enter the title of the cheat as you would when entering the game title (see instruction on how enter the game title).

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When done press the START button to continue to the code entry screen...

In the code entry screen you will notice to the right side that there will be a text box showing:

1234

5678

90AB

CDEF

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Use the D-pad to navigate to the proper letter or number in the box and press A to enter the numerical or alphabetical character into the 12-digit entry...

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Press the start button to add the code (it'll be added into the box at the bottom left)

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If the code consists of more than one line, then continue to do this until you've finished entering the code...

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When the entry is complete press the Select Button to finish.

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To save the new entries back out of the game entry & press the start button to load the game... the GS will save the changes automatically.

Turning codes on & off

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Press the A button and the cheat name should start flashing

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If you wish to turn the code off before booting the game then simply press the A button again

Deleting Game & Code Entries

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Scroll to the game title (or code entry)

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Press the select button

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Confirm your decision

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Back out of the game entry and press start to load the game & save the changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section is dedicated to answering some frequently asked questions regarding problems encountered while using the Gameshark sp manually

My gameshark only takes 8 characters per line what do I do?

Maybe not verbadem in context but I have seen numerous questions similar to this one. If your gameshark only accomodates eight (8) characters (letters or digits), then you're either using the DATEL version of gameshark or you're attempting to somehow use the codes on a competitor product. Keep this in mind, as it's been mentioned in the past on multiple occaisions, that the DATEL model, (which is in the form of a colorless transluscent cartridge, with a blue GS logo sticker on the front) is no longer supported here, and due to both this models's and the competitor's code entry format, none of the official gameshark codes listed either here or in the archives, will work. Please avoid discussion of these products since we cannot offer support for these, or any other competitor products.

Whenever I try to load my gameshark, I see the nintendo logo and then get nothing but a blank white screen, what happened?

-OR-

I boot the GBA with the GS sp turned on but it skips directly to the game, what do I do?

Well before I go into anything else first:

1: Make sure that all connections are sucure. (Game in gameshark, gameshark in GBA)

2: Make sure gameshark is on.

3: While turning on your GBA, hold down the two buttons on either side of the gameshark labeled "PRESS TO REMOVE."

4: Continue to hold down these two buttons until the gameshark main screen shows.

If these gameshark screen never apears, or it freezes up, return the gameshark or reflash the gameshark.

If all this fails to yield results, then continue reading...

From my own experience this most likely means you somehow killed your gameshark. This usually happens when you attempt to load an obscenely huge number codes, or simply something froze it as you tried updating the data in it, etc. Your best option is to simply return the product and either exchange it for a new GS or get a refund.

---->

BUT if for any reason you're unable to return it and you must buy a replacement then keep the dud and refer to the REFLASHING tutorial below.

I'm trying to use some existing codes for a game but they aren't working, what's the deal?

Well there are several psossibilities for why this could be happening.

--Above all make sure the (M) code is entered properly, usually if there's an error in the master code, then none of the codes will work properly.--

--Be sure that the code entries for each and every one of your codes are typo free... if there are any mistakes in the code entries this can cause glitches or bring undesired effects.--

--Also your game might be a different version than what was used to hack the original codes. If this is the case, then until Omen can obtaing the version in question there's not much that can be done

Does GameShark SP work with Game Boy Micro or the Nintendo DS?

The gameshark SP was designed purely with the GBA sp in mind. We can only assume that it'll work as long as the console can play GBA games. However, what has been confirmed is that you will not be able to use the sharkport application, since the USB cable that comes in the package was designed to link to the link cable port of the GBA SP. The Nintendo DS lacks the link cable port necessary,and the

GBA micro will require a link adaptor to link up with the older GBA sp models.

Can the Gameshark sp be used to cheat on game boy color games?

No, because the gameshark sp was designed only to recognize GBA games. It is not backwards compatable with the previous gameboy generations, and the older GBC gameshark is not supported.

I recently bought a gameshark sp model and I notice it does not come with the sharkport PC application, why is this?

The newest release of the gameshark no longer includes the sharkport PC application, as the GBA era is now starting to come to a close... While the Gameshark sp will continue to be produced while Nintendo still releases games for the GBA, the sharkport will no longer be included in the packaging.

Currently the only way to obtain the application is to download it via the GBA code request/status forum, however, without the USB cord that came with the previous GS sp models, users of the newest model will be unable to use it to import codes into their GS.

As a final note the new models comes in the form of a black, belt hook cartridge

If these don't provide you the answer to your dilemma then by all mean simply ask as you normally would :) This is mainly to kick start your memory of some possible causes based on my own previous experience...

MadCatz Product FAQs

Also be aware these are questions that have been resolved by Madcatz Tech support in the past. While some of the questions covered in this thread are also covered in the upcoming page, there are also several that are presently not and are best explained by those with official knowledge of the product:

MADcatz produced solutions to Frequently asked questions

Reflashing your Gameshark

Managed to kill your gameshark? Well you have two choices: A get a replacement, reflash the dud, and keep the new one as a back up, OR get a friends gameshark and use theirs to reflash yours.... Just follow the below instructions to reflash the gameshark you killed...

Make sure both GS's are turned to the on setting when reflashing...

Insert Working GS into GBA --> Insert dud into working GS --> Insert game into dud

As you turn on the game you need to hold down

L+A+Start

It'll ask you whether you want to program the dud, say yes, it should clone the programming of the working GS into the dud... turn the dud off then on as it instructs, and BAM, you're done...

For additional information, you may refer to the Madcatz produced solution to this problem:

I used too many codes and now my Gameshark SP does not work. Can this be fixed?

and to evaluate some additional options to those listed here.

Acknowledgements

The following members are credited with helping in the making of this FAQ:

Omen (Ganeshark's former GBA hacker)

Calmage5x mbruno