GameGuardian Group Search: Syntax and Examples (2026)

Updated November 2026 for GameGuardian 101.4. Part of our GameGuardian guide.

A group search finds two or more values that sit close together in memory, in one scan. Use it for values you can’t change in the game, such as shop prices or achievement rewards, or to find related values like health and mana at once. The syntax is value1;value2;value3:range.

If you’re new to GameGuardian, read the beginner tutorial first. Use these methods in single-player and offline games only.

Why group search works

A game keeps related data together. An item in a shop has its price, quantity and ID stored next to each other. A plain search for “500” finds thousands of addresses. A group search for “500;3;1200” finds only places where all three numbers sit within a few bytes of each other, which usually means one result.

Memory addresses are written in hexadecimal (for example 8D7C6B04). Each hex digit is 4 bits, so two digits make one byte. You don’t need to calculate in hex for group search, but it helps to know that the range is counted in bytes.

Syntax

You need at least two values. Keep the value type in mind: four Dword values take 4 bytes each, so a range of 16 already covers four values in a row.

Example

Imagine memory holds these values (Byte type, one byte each):

8D7C6B00  12
8D7C6B01  13
8D7C6B02  14
8D7C6B03  15
8D7C6B04  16
8D7C6B05  17

• 13;15;16:5 finds 8D7C6B01, 8D7C6B03 and 8D7C6B04.
• 16;13;15:5 finds the same addresses, because order doesn’t matter.
• 15;13;16::5 finds nothing: in memory, 13 comes before 15.
• 13;15;16::5 finds them, because the order matches.

Worked example: changing an achievement reward

This example uses SimCity BuildIt’s achievements screen. It works the same way in any offline game with a visible goal and reward.

1. Open the achievements screen and pick one, e.g. “have 1,500,000 Sims” with a reward of 32 Simoleons.
2. In GameGuardian, search 1500000;32 as Dword.
3. You’ll get very few results, often just two addresses.
4. Edit 1500000 to 1 (the goal) and 32 to your reward amount.
5. Go back to the game and claim the achievement.

Games change their memory layout with updates, so some versions may not show the same results.

“I get a different number of rows between my values”

Several readers asked why they see 6 rows between two values when a tutorial shows 5. That’s normal. The gap depends on the game version, the device (32-bit or 64-bit), and the value types stored in between. Don’t copy offsets from a tutorial. Search your own values, then look at what sits between them in the memory editor.

Tips

• Start with a small range (16–64). Widen it only if nothing is found.
• Use the ordered form (::) once you’ve seen the order in memory. It cuts false results sharply.
• Mix in a value you can change in the game, then refine the group results with that value.
• If values look scrambled, the game may use XOR encryption. See bypassing XOR encryption.

FAQ

Can I mix value types in one group search? Yes. Add the type letter after a value, e.g. 100D;2.5F for a Dword and a Float.

What’s the default range? 512 bytes if you don’t add :range.

Next in the series: GameGuardian fuzzy search.