If you look at the main executable for Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (2000) for code related to input handling, you’ll find this call to the Win32 API’s GetAsyncKeyState function:
if ((DAT_007412d4 != 0) &&
(uVar1 = GetAsyncKeyState(0x7b), (uVar1 & 0x8000) != 0)) {
return 0;
}GetAsyncKeyState takes one parameter, a virtual-key code. Code 0x7b corresponds to F12. So this fragment is checking whether that key is being held down. But it only does that if the value at 007412d4 is set.
What sets that value? Ghidra only finds one write. It’s in the function at 0040ae90, which checks an input buffer against an array of eight targets. Each target is 12 bytes:
| Address | Target |
|----------|-------------------------------------|
| 0055c840 | 1e 13 22 18 23 1e 13 20 2e 13 18 2e |
| 0055c84c | 1e 13 22 18 1e 26 26 17 30 1e 30 1e |
| 0055c858 | 1e 13 22 18 12 1e 1f 15 2e 13 18 2e |
| 0055c864 | 1e 13 22 18 20 17 12 31 18 11 1e 15 |
| 0055c870 | 1e 13 22 18 26 18 2e 25 19 17 2e 25 |
| 0055c87c | 1e 13 22 18 30 17 22 11 18 31 22 1e |
| 0055c888 | 1e 13 22 18 1f 2e 13 31 1f 23 18 14 |
| 0055c894 | 1e 13 22 18 1f 23 18 11 32 12 17 14 |These targets are also made up of virtual-key codes, a.k.a. scan codes. Notice how each one starts with 1e 13 22 18. That prefix spells out ARGO, for Argonaut Games - Croc’s developer.
Mapping the rest of the virtual-key codes yields usable cheat phrases. These are entered during gameplay - type them with brief presses; the buffer fills up with repeats if a key is held down for too long.
The first cheat phrase is ARGOHARDCROC. This disables enemy collision:
This prevents you from being hurt by enemies, but beware - you’ll still be vulnerable to other hazards.
The second cheat phrase is ARGOALLIBABA. This does… nothing! The game sets the value at 007412c4 and then never checks it again.
The best of the cheats is ARGOEASYCROC. This unlocks every stage:
Almost as good is ARGODIENOWAY. This gives you unlimited lives:
ARGOLOCKPICK will give you key items. These are used to unlock doors and Gobbo cages:
ARGOBIGWONGA adds 50 crystals to your current total, but only if you have fewer than 950:
if (crystals_007214fc < 950) {
crystals_007214fc = crystals_007214fc + 50;
}
ARGOSCRNSHOT sets the value at 007412d4 to 1. This was the gate for the F12 key feature mentioned above. As the cheat phrase indicates, this lets you take screenshots. They’re saved in .tga format into the game directory, under SHOTS.
The last phrase is ARGOSHOWMEIT. This shows a framerate counter on the HUD:
That’s everything!
Outro
In case you’re wondering, I couldn’t get these cheats to work in the 2025 remaster of Croc. However, most of them do work in the companion CrocClassic game. The FPS counter and screenshot codes don’t function, but the others do.
The PC version of Croc 2 doesn’t have a hidden input system like this, alas. It does have its own cheat system, which you can read about on speedrun.com, though. I wrote about cheating in the PlayStation version of Croc in a previous edition.
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