Am I able to unlock everything by playing or do I have to use cheat code?

[你的老妈究竟有几个啊]

I saw some reviews with character cheat codes. In order to get those character do I have to use those codes or I can unlock everything by playing?

[ShadeDragon]

You can unlock characters by playing, but some of them are so obscure that the cheat codes are far easier or you will need to look up how to obtain them.

[failsafe]

I think I've used one cheat code so far... dont even remember for what. But if you really want to unlock every single thing and dont want to waste time... you know... this is a matter of time only.

[Mep]

I ended up using one code to unlock one character. Everything else with playing/how they were ment to be unlocked. Exdash needs 65k+ little clovers to unlock w/o code(with bad luck). But even its secret say cast the spell which is code.

[:D]

everything is unlockable by playing.

[:D]

I did it it without any cheat

[Noelle]

There is ONE spell that you are "required" to use, and the game explicitly tells it to you.

The other option is so egregiously bad that it shouldn't even be considered as a possibility. Little Clovers are already rare enough.

You may choose to use a spell to unlock Toastie, though, if your reaction time is generally poor. (You'll need to defeat a Trickster, Drowner, or Stalker in a special manner, usually via Rosary or Pentagram/evo, and then very quickly press ARROW KEY DOWN + ENTER within about a half-second time frame (indicated by the presence of Toastie in the bottom right corner of the screen). It has to specifically be ARROW KEY DOWN; no other down input is valid.)

All other Secret characters are relatively easy to unlock, though discerning what the hints mean may be an exercise in insanity.

For example, "running off the edge of the world" in Green Acres means to travel specifically WEST and SOUTH for 18 repeats of the floor in each direction. (Come prepared to kill! You'll need to defeat 128 relatively tanky enemies. Did we mention you need to do this with Hyper and Hurry mode enabled? That's the "most adverse fate".)

"Good friends" definitely means Peachone and Ebony Wings, but what does it mean to have a "pure heart"? You'll need to unlock this Secret with a character that has never picked up any Golden Eggs

And don't even get me started on "ask for help", which apparently means we're supposed to input a cheat code from an Ultima game in a rather strange way... type "spam" on the main menu, type "spam" on the character select, type "spam" on the stage select, and type "humbug" when you get in-game, all within 30 seconds!

[Xaelon]

You can unlock everything without using cheat codes.

Some of the things required to unlock the various hidden characters are VERY obtuse though. So unless you really dig solving cryptic arcane mysteries with only vague hints to guide you I would suggest using a guide (there are plenty on steam).

[Kotli]

You need to type stuff unlock all 3 ghost heroes as without typing you are stuck with only Exdash.
Note they are not really cheat codes as you type it in main menu.