Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, a 4K remaster of the original two-decades-old game with all four previously-released expansions and a bunch of new content, is out this week. The last of that includes four new civilisations — Bulgarians, Cumans, Lithuanians, and Tatars — that will feature in a new single-player campaign, alongside a new game mode and much better graphics. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition comes with a new advanced AI too, which Microsoft says doesn’t need to cheat to compete with humans. But that doesn’t mean you can’t cheat. In fact, AoE is sometimes more fun — albeit for short periods — with cheat codes.
All You Need to Know About Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition
How to use cheat codes in Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition
Using cheat codes in Age of Empires has always been child’s play. Once you’re looking at the map in-game, just hit the Enter key or click the Chat icon in the top-right. That should bring up a text box. Type in one of the cheat codes below and then hit Enter again. The cheat codes aren’t case sensitive, so all you’ve to do is spell them right.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition cheats
Map cheats
marco: Reveals the entire map. It works as a switch — on or off — so entering it again will hide the map.
polo: Removes the fog of war. This too works as a switch, like so entering it again will restore the fog of war.
Cheat units
alpaca simulator: Creates an “Alfred the Alpaca”, which looks like a Llama. Very high armour value, trample damage, and attacks with headbutts. Strong in melee combat, weak against speed, ranged attack.
furious the monkey boy: Creates a “Furious the Monkey Boy”. Destroys buildings easily, but slow and dies after taking nine hits.
how do you turn this on: Creates an “AC Cobra”. Fires rounds of bullets, impressive long range, and high hit points, armour, and damage. Poor AI, bullets harm friendly units.
i don’t exist: Creates a “Penguin”. High armour and damage.
i love the monkey head: Creates a “VMDL”. Quick and good for exploring. Cannot attack but grant attack bonus to buildings if garrisoned. Fun fact: VMDL stands for Villager Male David Lewis and in case you’re wondering, David Lewis was in the team that made the game.
to smithereens: Creates a “Saboteur”. Deals damage by committing suicide. More effective and faster than a “Petard”, the only non-cheat suicide unit on land.
Resources
cheese steak jimmy’s: Increases Food by 10,000.
lumberjack: Increases Wood by 10,000.
robin hood: Increases Gold by 10,000.
rock on: Increases Stone by 10,000.
ninjaconnor / ninjalui / rowshep: Increases all resources by 1,00,000.
And even more cheats
!mute: Silences taunts. That’s it.
!nomute: Reverses !mute.
aegis: Building, researching, resource gathering, and training is done instantly — for everyone including the AI. Works like a switch, so can be turned off.
black death: Kills all other civilisations, except yours. Yes, even your allies.
i r winner: Declares your civilisation as the winner.
natural wonders: Transfers player control to nature, in lieu of losing control of your civilisation. It is irreversible — there’s no way to regain control of your civilisation other than starting a new game.
resign: You lose the game.
torpedo X: Kills the specified civilisation, where “X” is civilisation number from 1 – 8.
wimpywimpywimpy: Kills all of your units, resulting in the same outcome as resign.
woof woof: Transforms birds into “Stormy Dogs”. They are flying dogs with red capes. No gameplay change.