The short answer is that you cannot officially open a traditional dev menu in Airport Security Sucks! There is no built-in, user-accessible console command window like in older Source Engine or id Tech games. The developers have not included a key-bind or launch option to bring up a command line for spawning items, enabling god mode, or noclipping through the terminal. This decision was likely made to preserve game balance and prevent exploits, especially given the game's co-op and competitive elements.

However, that's not the end of the story. While there is no official dev menu, the player community has developed robust workarounds that provide nearly all the functionality you'd expect from one. This guide will walk you through the real methods for accessing developer-like powers, from community-made modding frameworks to specific launch options and the risks associated with third-party tools.

Why Is There No Official Dev Console?

Unlike games from a decade ago where a tilde (~) key was your gateway to godhood, modern game development, especially for indie titles with online functionality like Airport Security Sucks!, tends to lock down these tools. There are several key reasons for this approach:

  • Preventing Cheating: The most obvious reason. An accessible dev console would make it trivial for players to gain unfair advantages in any multiplayer or leaderboard-driven mode, ruining the experience for everyone else.
  • Game Stability: Dev commands are often untested for public use. They can easily lead to corrupted save files, game-breaking bugs, or crashes. By removing access, developers avoid a flood of support tickets from players who have inadvertently broken their own game.
  • Preserving the Intended Experience: The developers at Pant-On-Fire Games designed a specific challenge. The slow grind for cash, the tension of finding contraband, and the hilarious failures are core to the gameplay loop. A dev menu would allow players to bypass this experience entirely.
  • Platform and Version Control: Maintaining a public dev console across multiple platforms (Steam, Epic Games, etc.) and ensuring commands work with every new patch adds a significant development and testing burden. It's often simpler to compile the final game with these debug features stripped out.

The Real Solution: Modding Frameworks

The most powerful and safest way to get dev menu functionality is through community-developed modding frameworks. Because Airport Security Sucks! was built on the Unity engine, it’s highly compatible with established tools that inject custom code into the game at runtime. This allows modders to create their own in-game menus, GUIs, and command systems.

The most popular framework for the game is currently BepInEx. It acts as a universal mod loader, and once installed, you can add various plugins that function as a dev console. One of the most common plugins is a configuration manager that lets you tweak hidden game values in real-time from a simple in-game overlay, often opened with a key like F1 or F5.

How to Get Started with Mods

  1. Install a Mod Loader: Your first step is to download and install a mod loader like BepInEx. This usually involves extracting a .zip file into your main Airport Security Sucks! game directory—the same folder containing the game's .exe file.
  2. Find a UI/Cheat Mod: With the loader installed, you can now browse for mods. Websites like Nexus Mods or Thunderstore are the primary hubs for the game's modding scene. Look for popular, well-maintained mods with names like "In-Game Menu," "Admin Tools," or "Item Spawner."
  3. Install the Plugin: Most plugins are installed by simply dropping their .dll file into the BepInEx/plugins folder that was created during the loader installation. Always read the mod's specific installation instructions.
  4. Launch and Configure: Run the game as you normally would through Steam. The mod loader will handle the rest. Once in-game, press the designated key to open the mod's menu. From here, you'll typically find options for giving yourself money, spawning any item from a searchable list, toggling flight or noclip, and adjusting game speed.

Using this method is generally safe for single-player or private lobbies with friends who are also using the mods. However, attempting to use these mods in public matchmaking is a guaranteed way to get your account flagged or banned.

Airport Security Sucks! in-game screenshot

Airport Security Sucks! in-game screenshot

Steam Launch Options: Minor Tweaks, Not Cheats

If you're not looking for god mode and just want to tweak how the game runs, Steam's launch options offer a limited but useful set of tools. These commands won't give you developer powers, but they can help with performance, troubleshooting, and custom resolutions. To use them, right-click Airport Security Sucks! in your Steam library, go to Properties..., and enter the commands in the LAUNCH OPTIONS text box under the GENERAL tab.

CommandFunction
-windowedForces the game to launch in a window instead of fullscreen.
-noborderWhen used with -windowed, it removes the window's border.
-novidSkips the introductory developer and publisher logo videos.
-highAttempts to launch the game with high CPU priority, which can sometimes improve performance.
-logCreates a detailed log file of the game session, useful for troubleshooting crashes with mod conflicts.
-screen-width 1920 -screen-height 1080Forces the game to run at a specific resolution (change the numbers as needed).

These are standard Unity engine commands and are perfectly safe to use. They do not alter gameplay and carry no risk of a ban. They are the closest thing to "console commands" that the base game officially recognizes, even if they are entered before the game even starts.

Airport Security Sucks! in-game screenshot

Airport Security Sucks! in-game screenshot

The High-Risk Path: Third-Party Memory Editors

For the sake of completeness, we must discuss memory-editing software like Cheat Engine. This is the most dangerous and volatile method for altering the game. These programs work by scanning your computer's active memory for the values the game is currently using—for example, the number representing your cash on hand. You can then manually overwrite that value, changing your in-game money from $50 to $5,000,000 in an instant.

While powerful, this method has significant downsides:

  • Extreme Ban Risk: This is the exact type of behavior that anti-cheat systems are designed to detect. Using a memory editor in any online context will almost certainly result in a swift and permanent ban.
  • Game Instability: Unlike a well-made mod that uses the game's own code, manually changing memory values can cause unpredictable crashes and corrupt your save data beyond recovery. An update to the game can render old cheat tables obsolete or, worse, cause them to edit the wrong memory addresses, breaking the game.
  • Malware Concerns: You are often required to download pre-made "cheat tables" from forums. These files, created by anonymous users, can carry a risk of malware or spyware.

This path is not recommended. The modding community provides safer, more stable, and more feature-rich alternatives that don't carry the same level of risk. The potential to instantly unlock everything is tempting, but the high probability of losing your game access or compromising your PC makes it a poor choice for all but the most technically-savvy and risk-tolerant users.

Airport Security Sucks! in-game screenshot

Airport Security Sucks! in-game screenshot

FAQ: Your Dev Menu Questions Answered

Can I get banned for trying to open a dev menu?

No, you can't get banned for simply trying to find a menu that doesn't exist. You can only get banned for using third-party software (like Cheat Engine) or mods in public online multiplayer lobbies where they provide an unfair advantage.

Are there any admin commands for private servers?

In the vanilla version of the game, there are no built-in admin commands for kicking or banning players, even in private lobbies you host. This functionality is one of the most requested features and is only available through community-made server administration mods.

What's the closest thing to a dev menu in the base game?

Strictly within the un-modded game, the closest you can get is using the Steam Launch Options. These allow for minor technical adjustments before the game starts but offer no in-game cheating or item-spawning capabilities.

Do any mods add a proper command console to Airport Security Sucks?

Yes. Several popular mods available through frameworks like BepInEx add a full GUI menu that serves the same purpose. These menus are often more user-friendly than a traditional command line, featuring searchable item lists, simple toggles for god mode, and sliders for game speed.

The Final Word

While the dream of a simple, built-in developer console in Airport Security Sucks! is not a reality, the path to that power is well-trodden. The game's active and talented modding community has more than filled the gap, providing powerful, stable, and feature-rich tools that blow any theoretical official console out of the water. By using a mod loader and the right plugins, you can customize your single-player and private co-op experience to your heart's content. Just remember to keep your mods out of public matchmaking to ensure a fair and fun environment for everyone.