Introduction:
all games have cheat codes made by fans or made by developers to make games looking good. But you should watch out what you are doing or you gonna lose something. Well let's explain it.
1) games codes:
A lot of developers made some specific cheat code for more advantage and fun. Like GTA. This cheat codes don't effect on your files or your works. But it doesn't mean they won't break or crash your system. Some cheat codes like fall from sky or spawn tanks can make your game heavy. Also the cheat codes can insta kill you sometimes like tank fall on you or get out from world.
If you doing something important, it better to avoide them.
2)fan made cheat codes:
These cheat code made by fans and by using games codes. Well like gba or old games and consoles games. But this work have some dangers. Missing with codes means some thing will change. Some cheat codes destroy your save or make it unable. So always make a safe place for your saves. As I said they work with codes so they can effect on your graphics too. For example in harvest moon more friends some cheat codes make tilemaps invisible which can be useful for reap the sprites but make game ugly and weird.
For use them make another save (as backup) to restore and save your works. Always remember don't use this cheat codes a lot because they can damage your data or games. Always read the code conditions. Some codes works after a while in game time or need to press specific keys to press.
3)moded roms or games:
Well no need to press buttons or fear for save data. Game have cheat on. Like roms of old games you can find in RTG REPO and other places. For roms there is no problem but for games....well the games will be cracked so you can't play them online and your system will try to delete them.
4)cheat software:
some software can use for cheating on games. Like cheatengine. Using them is simple but they can damage your games and saves files to.
Some software or files make specific to cheat a game. Watch out for malwares too. Using them can be more easy but never use them on original games,which you play online or ban cheaters.
Additional subtitles:
you maybe want to play a game on your own language to understand more the story and games. Well not bad. You can use translation patch for old games but always remember some online games think they are cheat and ban you for that.
If you install a subtitle from outside they will think you try to cheating and ban your account. I know someone install a subtitles on ds3 and his account get banned by Bandai Namco.
Conclusion:
Use cheat codes only when it is necessary. Use them all the time spoil you game and make it cringe. Never use them in online game or original version because it maybe cause get banned. I online games you should respect others so don't cheat in them.