Playing a game in an unintended way.

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I was playing this DS game once, and I walked into a level. The game was a simple platform type, and you had to navigate your way around a set of obstacles and get past some monsters. I noticed that all the traps had been positioned in a similar sort of area, and it was clear which paths it wanted you to take. However, I decided to ignore that and try something else. I noticed that if you zigzagged between parts that were intended as different paths which lead to the centre, you could more or less stay around the edges (thus avoiding everything dangerous) and the finish line could be accessed in an unusual way.

The level was set up so that you would jump from a platform that was to the left of the exit point. If I'd travelled through the main part of the level as intended, I would've been on that platform and simply leapt across. However, I was actually on the other side of that due to taking the easier route. So I had to use my weapon (intended to defeat the monsters I'd simply walked around) as a means to propel myself towards the exit whilst my character was facing backwards. I went through the exit point with full health and good stats even though I didn't do anything. (There were no future consequences despite this).

...Does this count as cheating? I guess it kinda does, but the game never said I couldn't take that route... Still, it was quite funny at the time because it was clearly intended to be quite an intense level but I managed to take a leisurely walk around it instead.

I personally wouldn't consider that "cheating", you stumbled upon an easier way to accomplish the level......that's my opinion and opinions are like bungholes

Unless you are entering console commands, mod the game or use hacks, then it's not cheating.

I love playing games the way they were not designed to be played. I remember playing Ports of Call on the Amiga and realized that instead of making just a few thousands per shipment, i could buy and sell ships and make millions in a few days.

Whenever i set my foot in an MMORPG, i run away from the newb area and skip the tutorial, gaining a couple of levels quickly. I played a Battlemage in Elderscrolls online and took out lvl 50+ mobs at level 37. This was before they made all zones level agnostic and boring. In Gunship 2000 i flew the Apache in railroad tunnels to get rid of hostiles.

Basically, what it actually is, is level design that wasnt REALLY worked through to the proper degree. When done right, levels/areas/whatever are tested specifically for things like this. Hell, I've had to do it myself. The testing is an annoying process, but if you as the developer want players to actually engage with the content, ya gotta do it.

So yeah, it sounds like an oversight.

Now that being said, there ARE some games that allow you alternate, somewhat screwy paths like that on purpose. Ittle Dew is a good example. It's sort of an action puzzle game, but even on the store page itself it advertises the existence of "speedrun strats" that can allow you to skip content or pull various tricks, if you're observant and skilled enough to find them. When done well this sort of thing can add to the game for players that are into that kind of gameplay. Speedrunners LOVE that stuff.

But alot of the time... yeah, not actually intended. But you're not really cheating if you use such tactics even if it's unintended. Now, if you do the OTHER type of speedrunning thing, AKA abusing the hell out of glitches, THAT could be considered cheating.

It is cheesing not cheating. Cheesing requires skill to find exploits(assuming you find them on your own and not google), cheating does not. I find searching for ways to exploit video games as the most entertaining part of playing video games.