> There is a lot of convoluted bit shifting that occurs in order to get the address and data from a Game Genie. This is probably to make the Game Genie codes seem more magical. After all, given 2 Game Genie codes, one that granted 5 lives on startup and another code that granted 9 lives, and the only difference between the 2 codes was one character, even a novice player could probably figure out that modifying that one character to any of the acceptable letter characters would grant between 1 and 16 lives on startup.<p>Why would they want to intentionally obfuscate it though? Doesn't it just add more value to their product if people are able to reverse-engineer codes and come up with better stuff?<p>Or maybe the real reason to randomize things more is because it creates more potential for diversity in the effects of codes? e.g. instead of a code that gives you 5 lives and a one-character-different code that gives you 9 lives, by randomizing things the first code gives you 5 lives and the second code makes you fly<p>Assuming I'm understanding things correctly