GoldenEye 007 · Nintendo 64 · 1997
A hidden cheat that replaces all bullet-impact blood splatter with large colourful paint blobs, giving the game a slapstick visual aesthetic wildly at odds with its spy-thriller tone.
Paintball mode was reportedly added by the development team at Rare partly as a joke and partly as an easy way to sidestep potential issues with the game's depiction of blood — though GoldenEye shipped with realistic-looking red splatter regardless. The mode transforms every bullet impact into a cartoonish splash of colour, painting the walls and floors as the firefight progresses. The cheat became one of the most shared secrets among GoldenEye's enormous multiplayer community, and its existence demonstrated that Rare's team had a genuine sense of humour about their own product. It remains one of the most affectionately remembered cosmetic cheats in Nintendo 64 history.
Complete the Dam level on Secret Agent difficulty (or higher) in 2 minutes 40 seconds or faster. The Paintball Mode cheat will then be unlocked in the Cheat Menu under Options. Activate it before starting any mission to replace bullet impacts with paint splashes.