A San Andreas cheat code for Xbox is entered as a controller button sequence during normal gameplay — not from a menu — using the D-pad, face buttons and shoulder triggers, with a message confirming when the code registers. The equivalent of the famous PC code HESOYAM, which gives full health, armour and $250,000, is RB, RT, LB, A, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up. The same combinations work on the original Xbox release, the Xbox 360 and Xbox One backward-compatible versions, and the Definitive Edition.
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San Andreas has more cheats than any other Grand Theft Auto game, and on Xbox they all live in controller combinations rather than typed words. That makes them harder to remember but faster to use once you know two or three by heart. Below is the practical Xbox reference, the entry rules, and the cheats that can quietly wreck a save file.
Quick answer: Our top pick in 2026 is the GTA: San Andreas — our #1 rated choice. See the full ranked comparison, alternatives and buying advice below.
Xbox Open-World Games Worth Playing
| Game | Platform | Genre | Why It’s Great | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA: San Andreas | Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Open-world action | Three cities, RPG stats and the deepest cheat list Rockstar ever shipped | 9.5/10 |
| GTA: Vice City | Xbox, Xbox 360, Definitive Edition | Open-world action | 1980s neon crime saga with a legendary radio soundtrack | 9.3/10 |
| Grand Theft Auto V | Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Open-world action | Three protagonists, elaborate heists and a huge cheat list of its own | 9.7/10 |
| Red Dead Redemption | Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC | Open-world western | John Marston’s story, with cheats unlocked by in-game phrases | 9.4/10 |
| Saints Row: The Third Remastered | Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Open-world comedy | Cheats built into the phone menu as an intended feature | 8.3/10 |
| Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition | Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Open-world action | Hong Kong undercover story with the genre’s best melee system | 8.6/10 |
| Forza Horizon 5 | Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC | Open-world racing | The best open-world driving on Xbox, if you like San Andreas for its cars | 9.4/10 |
| Watch Dogs 2 | Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC | Open-world hacking | Hacking abilities that function like a permanent cheat menu | 8.4/10 |
How to Enter a San Andreas Cheat Code for Xbox
The Entry Rules
Enter the sequence while you are on foot or driving, with no pause menu open. Each press must follow the last fairly quickly, because the game times out the input buffer after a short delay. A confirmation message appears at the top of the screen when a code registers; if nothing appears you missed a press or exceeded the timeout. Stand still in an empty street for the longer twelve-input codes, since combat and aiming can interfere with directional input.
Which Xbox Version You Are Playing Matters
The original 2005 Xbox release, the Xbox 360 digital re-release and Xbox One backward compatibility all use the same controller combinations, translated from the PS2 originals. The Definitive Edition remaster also accepts controller codes, but a handful of cheats were altered or removed in the remake, so if a specific code does nothing on Definitive Edition it may simply no longer exist there rather than being mistyped.
Essential San Andreas Cheat Codes for Xbox
Health, Armour and Money
Full health, full armour and $250,000: RB, RT, LB, A, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up. This is the workhorse cheat and it also repairs your vehicle if you are driving, which makes it invaluable during difficult chase missions. Infinite health: Down, A, Right, Left, Right, RB, Right, Down, Up, Y. Infinite ammo with no reloading: LB, RB, X, RB, Left, RT, RB, Left, X, Down, LB, LB.
Weapon Sets
Weapon set one: RB, RT, LB, RT, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up. Weapon set two, with stronger hardware: RB, RT, LB, RT, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Left. Weapon set three, the heaviest loadout: RB, RT, LB, RT, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Up, Down, Right. Note how similar these three are — only the last few inputs differ, so slow down on the tail end of the sequence.
Wanted Level and Police
Lower your wanted level: RB, RB, B, RT, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down. Raise it to six stars for maximum chaos: B, Right, B, Right, Left, X, Y, Up. Losing the police in San Andreas is genuinely difficult at high wanted levels because of the roadblocks and helicopter support, so the wanted-level cheats are among the most practically useful in the game.
Vehicle and Jetpack Spawns
Jetpack: Left, Right, LB, LT, RB, RT, Up, Down, Left, Right. This is the best cheat in the game for anyone who has grown tired of driving between Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas. Rhino tank: B, B, LB, B, B, B, LB, LT, RB, Y, B, Y. Hydra jet: Y, Y, X, B, A, LB, LB, Down, Up. Hunter attack helicopter: B, A, LB, B, B, LB, B, RB, RT, LT, LB, LB. Always give yourself clear space, because spawned vehicles drop onto your exact position regardless of walls.
Physics, Handling and World Cheats
Cars fly: X, Down, LT, Up, LB, B, Up, A, Left. Perfect vehicle handling: Y, RB, RB, Left, RB, LB, RT, LB. All cars get nitro: Left, Y, RB, LB, Up, X, Y, Down, B, LT, LB, LB. Slow motion: Y, Up, Right, Down, X, RT, RB. Faster gameplay: Y, Up, Right, Down, LT, LB, X. Super punch: Up, Left, A, Y, RB, B, B, B, LT. Pedestrian riot, which cannot be switched off without reloading: Down, Left, Up, Left, A, RT, RB, LT, LB.
Stats, Respect and Skills
San Andreas is the only GTA with RPG attributes, and the cheats that fill them skip dozens of hours. Max respect, which lets you recruit a full gang: LB, RB, Y, Down, RT, A, LB, Up, LT, LT, LB, LB. Max sex appeal: B, Y, Y, Up, B, RB, LT, Up, Y, LB, LB, LB. These are safe mechanically but they permanently change your statistics page, which matters if you are chasing a legitimate 100 percent completion record.
Achievements, Save Safety and Xbox Hardware
On Xbox 360 and later, using cheats disables achievement progress for that session, exactly as in GTA V. The riot and pedestrian-behaviour cheats cannot be turned off in-session and can get mission-critical characters killed, making story missions unwinnable until you reload. Keep two save files: one clean, one for chaos. On the hardware side, entering twelve-input codes on a worn-out pad is miserable, so see our game controller buying guide for replacements and adapters. If you are moving to the Definitive Edition on PC, our best graphics card buying guide covers GPU tiers, our gaming PC build guide walks through a complete build, our gaming monitor buying guide explains why widescreen and high refresh rates transform the driving, our gaming SSD buying guide covers the load-time gains, and our gaming headset buying guide handles audio for the game’s superb radio stations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the San Andreas money cheat code for Xbox?
Press RB, RT, LB, A, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up. This is the Xbox equivalent of the PC code HESOYAM, granting $250,000 along with full health and armour, and it repairs your car if you are driving. It can be entered repeatedly to stack the money as high as you want.
Why is my San Andreas cheat code for Xbox not working?
Nearly always input timing. Each button press must follow the previous one quickly, because the game clears the input buffer after a short delay, and no code registers while the pause menu is open or during cutscenes. Worn D-pads on older Xbox controllers are the other frequent cause, since one missed direction invalidates the entire sequence.
Do San Andreas cheats disable Xbox achievements?
On Xbox 360, Xbox One and the Definitive Edition, yes — achievement progress is suspended for any session in which a cheat is active. The original 2005 Xbox release predates achievements entirely, so there is nothing to lose there. Use a separate sandbox save file if you want to keep a clean achievement run.
Can cheats permanently break my San Andreas save on Xbox?
Cheats are not stored in the save file, but their consequences can be lasting. Riot and pedestrian-behaviour cheats cannot be disabled without reloading and can kill characters that missions depend on, and the stat-maxing codes permanently alter your statistics screen. Always save before experimenting, and never cheat on a completion run.
Ready to decide? Our #1 pick for 2026 is the GTA: San Andreas.
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