Let's be real for a second. Playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas without cheats is like ordering a burger and skipping the fries. You can do it, sure, but why would you want to? When the Definitive Edition dropped on the PS5, everyone immediately started wondering if the old muscle memory from 2004 would still work. It does. Sorta.
The GTA SA PS5 cheats system is a weird bridge between nostalgia and modern hardware. You’re sitting there with a DualSense controller, which feels lightyears ahead of the old PS2 DualShock, but you're still mashing the same buttons to make a Hydra jet fall out of the sky. It’s a trip. But there are some serious catches you need to know about before you start spawning tanks in the middle of Grove Street, especially regarding how the PS5 handles save files and trophies.
The Massive Warning You Probably Shouldn't Ignore
Listen, if you care about that Platinum trophy, do not—I repeat, do not—input a single code until you’ve made a separate save file. The moment you activate GTA SA PS5 cheats, the game essentially puts a lock on your achievements. It’s a permanent flag for that specific session. I’ve seen people lose forty hours of progress because they wanted a quick fix for their health and forgot they hadn't saved in three days.
It’s brutal.
The game will usually give you a little pop-up warning, but in the heat of a five-star police chase, it’s easy to click right past it. My advice? Keep one "clean" save for your 100% completion run and one "chaos" save where you just go nuts. It’s the only way to play without ending up miserable and staring at a locked trophy list.
Making CJ a God: Health, Armor, and Cash
The classic. The legend. The one we all know by heart. If you need a quick injection of $250,000 and a full bar of health and armor, you’re looking at: R1, R2, L1, X, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up.
It’s rhythmic.
Notice how the D-pad directions repeat twice? It’s designed to be fast. Interestingly, this cheat also fixes whatever car you’re currently sitting in. If your engine is smoking and you’re about to blow up, just tap this in. Boom. Brand new car. It’s basically magic.
But here is a weird quirk about the PS5 version: sometimes the inputs don't register if you do them too fast. The frame rate on the PS5 is significantly higher than the original hardware, and occasionally the engine misses a button press if you’re a speed-demon on the D-pad. Slow down just a tiny bit. Feel the clicks.
Weapons and Ammo
You’ve got three tiers. Honestly, most people just go for Tier 4, but Tier 1 has the classic bat and pistol vibe if you’re trying to keep things somewhat grounded.
- Weapon Set 1 (Thug): R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up.
- Weapon Set 2 (Professional): R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Left.
- Weapon Set 3 (Nutjob): R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Down.
If you want Infinite Ammo, which is honestly the most fun you can have in Las Venturas, hit L1, R1, Square, R1, Left, R2, R1, Left, Square, Down, L1, L1. No more reloading. No more running to Ammu-Nation because you ran out of rockets during a turf war.
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Spawning the Heavy Hitters
Let’s talk about the Rhino. The tank is the ultimate "get out of jail free" card. To drop a tank into the world, hit Circle, Circle, L1, Circle, Circle, Circle, L1, L2, R1, Triangle, Circle, Triangle.
Just be careful where you spawn it. If you’re under a bridge or in a tight alley, the physics engine might freak out and launch the tank into the stratosphere. I’ve seen it happen. It’s hilarious, but not helpful if you're trying to take down a Ballas warehouse.
For the pilots out there, the Hydra is Triangle, Triangle, Square, Circle, X, L1, L1, Down, Up. The PS5's draw distance makes flying the Hydra actually enjoyable compared to the foggy mess of the original version. You can actually see the skyscrapers before you slam into them.
Vehicles That Shouldn't Exist
Want a Bloodring Banger? Down, R1, Circle, L2, L2, X, R1, L1, Left, Left.
How about a Caddy? Circle, L1, Up, R1, L2, X, R1, L1, Circle, X.
There is something inherently funny about driving a golf cart through the woods of Whetstone while being chased by the FBI. The PS5 version handles the vehicle physics a bit differently—suspension feels a bit "floatier" than it used to—so don't be surprised if your spawned car flips a bit more easily than you remember.
Manipulating the World and the People in It
If you’re tired of the sunny Los Santos weather and want some moody, Blade Runner vibes, you can trigger a thunderstorm with R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Circle. The lighting effects in the Definitive Edition on PS5 actually look pretty decent during storms. The reflections on the wet pavement are a nice touch that the PS2 obviously couldn't handle.
Then there are the "Chaos" codes. These change the NPC behavior.
- Pedestrians Riot: Down, Left, Up, Left, X, R2, R1, L2, L1. (Warning: You can’t turn this off easily. Save first!)
- Pedestrians Have Weapons: R2, R1, X, Triangle, X, Triangle, Up, Down.
If you combine these two, the game becomes a survival horror experience. Everyone has a rocket launcher and everyone hates you. It makes getting to the next mission marker almost impossible, which is a fun challenge if you’re bored.
The "Invisible" Details Most Players Miss
One thing people forget is that GTA SA PS5 cheats aren't just for gear; they’re for CJ’s stats. If you don't want to spend four hours at the gym in-game, you can just max out your muscles or your fat instantly.
Max Muscle: Triangle, Up, Up, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Left.
Max Fat: Triangle, Up, Up, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Down.
Why would you want to be max fat? Well, it changes the dialogue. NPCs react to you differently. CJ huffs and puffs when he runs. It adds a layer of character that modern games often ignore. Also, if you want "Infinite Lung Capacity" for those annoying underwater missions, hit Down, Left, L1, Down, Down, R2, Down, L2, Down. It saves you so much frustration in the "Amphibious Assault" mission.
Why Some Cheats "Don't Work"
You might see some old lists online mentioning a "Invincibility" cheat. Here is the cold hard truth: it was never a full invincibility code. The "Semi-Invincibility" code (Down, X, Right, Left, Right, R1, Right, Down, Up, Triangle) only protects you from bullets and melee. You can still die from explosions, falling from a height, or drowning.
Don't jump off the Maze Bank building thinking you're Superman. You will end up in the hospital.
Another issue is the "Jetpack." The code is L1, L2, R1, R2, Up, Down, Left, Right, L1, L2, R1, R2, Up, Down, Left, Right. It’s a long one. If you're wearing it and try to enter a vehicle, the jetpack just vanishes. It’s also worth noting that you can’t save the game while wearing the jetpack in some versions of the remaster without it bugging out your character model. Just take it off before you walk into a safehouse.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Session
If you want the ultimate chaotic playground on your PS5, follow this exact sequence:
- Create a New Save: Go to your safehouse and use a fresh slot. Label it "Chaos."
- The Starter Pack: Trigger the Health/Armor/Money code followed by Weapon Set 3.
- The Jetpack: Spawn it so you can get around the map without dealing with traffic.
- Never Wanted: Use Circle, Right, Circle, Right, Left, Square, Triangle, Up to keep the cops off your back while you explore.
- Aggressive Traffic: If things feel too quiet, use R2, Circle, R1, L2, Left, R1, L1, R2, L2 to make the drivers go insane.
This setup lets you explore the entire map of San Andreas without the friction of the early-game limitations. You can fly to San Fierro or Las Venturas immediately. Just remember that the military will still come after you if you haven't unlocked those areas through the story, unless you have the "Never Wanted" cheat active.
The beauty of these codes on a modern console is the speed. The PS5 loads the game in seconds. If you mess up and cause too much Mayhem, you can just reload your save and you're back in action instantly. It’s a far cry from the five-minute load times we dealt with back in the day.
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Go ahead and turn Los Santos into your personal sandbox. Just keep that clean save file tucked away. You'll thank yourself when you finally decide to go for that 100% completion trophy.