Konami Code

The Konami Code (Japanese: コナミコマンド, Konami komando, "Konami command") is a cheat code that appears in many Konami video games,[1] and some non-Konami games.[2] In the original code, the player can press the following sequence of buttons on the game controller to enable a cheat or other effects:

The Konami Code

↑↑↓↓←→←→BA

The code has also found a place in popular culture as a reference to the third generation of video game consoles,[3] and is present as an Easter egg in a number of websites.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

History

The code was first used in the 1986 release of Gradius, a scrolling shooter for the NES[10] and was popularized among North American players in the NES version of Contra, for which it was also dubbed both the "Contra Code" and "30 Lives Code", due to its near necessity in-game.

The Konami Code was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto who was developing the home port of the 1985 arcade game Gradius for the NES. Finding the game too difficult to play through during testing, he created a cheat code to give the player a full set of power-ups (normally attained gradually throughout the game).[2] After entering the sequence using the controller when the game was paused the player received all available power-ups. The code was meant to be removed prior to publishing, but this was overlooked and discovered as the game was being prepared for mass production. The developers decided to leave it there, as removing it could result in new bugs and glitches. The sequence was easy enough to remember for testers and simultaneously sufficiently hard to enter accidentally during the gameplay for unsuspecting users.

The Konami Code was thus included in the series' other sequels and spin-offs, with some key differences:

  • In the Super NES version of Gradius III, the original code destroys the player's ship. However, replacing ← and → with the L and R triggers of the SNES controller powers up the ship.
  • In the most recent iteration of the series—Gradius Rebirth on the Wii—the Wii Remote's 1 and 2 buttons fill in for A and B, respectively.

The code has been subsequently re-used in a large number of other games and a varied version of the code is now used in the Opera Browser to activate hidden advanced settings.[11]

Variations of the Konami Code

The original version of the cheat code was designed for the NES controller. The exact sequence varies from game to game and has been adapted to fit the button layouts of different video game consoles, mostly the A and B buttons. For example:

  • Any code for a PlayStation controller, which uses shapes instead of letters, would use "×, ○", appearing even in Konami's Dance Dance Revolution series, input on the dance pad.
  • In mobile phone games by Konami, they are replaced by 5 7 3 on the numerical pad, which is the goroawase pronunciation for "konami"; 5 is pronounced go, 7 can be pronounced nana or just na for short, and 3 is usually pronounced as 'san' but has an alternative pronunciation of 'mi'. Together, this becomes go-na-mi.
  • 573 is also used extensively in the Dance Dance Revolution series; the original board for DDR 1stMIX (also used in many other Konami designs) was called System 573, the maximum combo in several difficult songs (such as MAX 300) is 573, high scores often start out at 573 000 or similar, and so on.

These deviations may occur for purely operational reasons (e.g., if the code must be entered while the game is paused, the code might be altered to avoid resuming), to keep powerful upgrades better concealed while still referencing Konami, or through a programming error. Despite the differences, though, these codes are still often referred to in general discussion as "Konami Code", "Conami Kode", or, less commonly, "Pseudo-Konami Code". A common misconception is that the code ends with Start or Select Start. In many titles, the player must press Start after entering the code in order to start a game, or press Select to switch to two-player mode and then start the game, leading to the confusion.

Other games using the Konami code
  • BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4) A variation of the Konami Code at the game's menus unlocks the game's more difficult "1999 Mode" from the start.[12]
  • Dead by Daylight (Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Switch) - When the code is entered while having one of the Silent Hill characters equipped on the main menu, the game plays a jingle from Gradius and grants the player a charm that can be equipped by characters.[13]
  • Flip (iPhone, iPod Touch). The code unlocks a hidden level selection screen containing 98 puzzles.[14]
  • Fortnite Battle Royale (Windows, MacOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Mobile) The Konami code was used to access the Fortnite Durr Burger minigame at the black hole screen after the end of the Chapter 1 Season X event.[15] It was only available for a period of 38 hours starting from 7:00pm UTC on October 13, 2019 and was no longer accessible on the start of Fortnite: Chapter 2.
  • LittleBigPlanet 2 (Media Molecule, PlayStation 3). When entered in the unused arcade machine at the level "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Negativatron" (PlayStation 3 variation of the code), the machine explodes and unveils a square with the numbers "3733 5683", which on a mobile keypad, spell the phrase "free love".[16]
  • The Incredibles (THQ and Heavy Iron Studios, Windows, Mac, Xbox, PS2) – Inputting the code into the cheats keyboard "UUDDLRLRBAS" gives the player 25% health, and can be used an unlimited number of times.[17]
  • Ninja Raiden (Online: Modern web browsers; Downloadable: Windows) – Enter the Konami code at the title screen l. The classic Gradius sound will confirm the code when the game starts. The game will run at 100% speed (normal game runs at 90%), Raiden will wear the Desperado skin, and as the game is faster (i.e., harder), the stage ranks will be raised one level. This code is necessary to achieve the S+ rank. Upon game completion (online only), the "Konami fan" achievement will appear in the leaderboards, next to the score.[18]
  • Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2) – Entering the code during vid-comic play, will dress Qwark up in a pink tutu. In the PS3 version, whether by accident or design, two debug codes were left in the game by the developers.[19]
  • Sportsfriends (PS3, PS4) The code allows to play FLOP, a wiggly variant of Pong. A similar code access the hidden game Get on Top.[20]
  • Touhou Soujinengi The Genius of Sappheiros (Strawberry Bose, Windows, PSVita) – Unlocking Fujiwara no Mokou early: After visiting Hieda no Akyuu for the first time, talk another time with her. The Bamboo Forest maze will appear to the west; head there, and travel through the forest in accordance with the Konami Code to find Mokou.[21]
  • Unchained Nostalgia (NES) – The super secret mode of proud birdie with special effects from Michael Bay.[22]

Uses outside of video games
  • A variation of the Konami code is used to reset the Netflix program on some devices.[23][24]
  • Entering the code on the Yandere Simulator website ('Characters' page) will turn the background into a darker and more ominous background. It will also replace all characters that were shown with a mysterious girl. Her name and traits are replaced with question marks, but her name is supposed to be Fun Girl. Her character bio reads a Japanese message that translates to "Arara ... ... who are you? Hehe ... Nice to meet you. We are going to have a lot of fun together." The code can also be entered in the website's homepage, although it has no known purpose besides changing the background color. If the player does the code again, it will look like a TV shutting off, then it will show a plain red background with Fun Girl blinking. If they do it repeatedly, the background will turn black.[25]
  • Entering the code on the Overwatch website will make several icons of the in-game spray of the playable character D.Va appear alongside with her voice actor saying "up up down down left right left right b a start". In the lore of Overwatch, she is a gamer.[26]
  • Entering the code on the 2016 Marks and Spencer Christmas food ordering site results in some festive creatures popping up.[27]
  • Entering the code on the Megaport website enables a Snake-like game which the user can play.[28]
  • Entering the Konami Code on the Bank of Canada's website for the commemorative $10 dollar bill plays a chiptune version of the Canadian national anthem and drops commemorative $10 notes.[29]
  • Entering the code on a Google Hangouts conversation and pressing enter will change the background of the conversation typed in.[30]
  • Reciting the code to Google Assistant will cause it to say either "Cheat mode enabled.", "You destroyed the Vile Red Falcon and saved the universe. Consider yourself a hero" with a trophy emoji or a similar response.[31]
  • Reciting the code to Apple's virtual assistant Siri will cause her to give one of three responses: "Cheater!", "Nerd." or "I'm getting dizzy...".[32]
  • Reciting the code to Amazon's Alexa will cause her to say: "Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding! Great job, you've secured all the power-ups!" or "Super Alexa mode, activated. Starting reactors, online. Enabling advanced systems, online. Raising dongers. Error. Dongers missing. Aborting."[33]
  • Entering the code on the WWF-UK website will cause the panda logo to spin.[34]
  • Entering the code in written form ("upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart") on Palm webOS devices unlocked developer mode.[35]
  • Entering the code on the Twitch Creator's Dashboard brings up several advanced options for the program.[36]

Music
  • The code was also referenced by American post-hardcore band Falling in Reverse in their song "Game Over". In the song, lead vocalist Ronnie Radke utters the line "Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start".[37]
  • Electronic artist Technicolor released the 2016 track "Contra Code" which features the code as lyrics to the track.[38]
  • The Moldy Peaches' 2001 song "Anyone Else but You" contains the lyrics "Up up down down left right left right B A start / Just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart."[39]
  • British indie rock band Bears in Trees' 2020 song "Permanence" features the lyric "I wish this came with instructions / I could press up, up, down, down, left, right, left"[40]

Television and film
  • The 2012 Disney animated video game film Wreck-It Ralph features a scene in which King Candy inputs the Konami code on a large NES controller to open a secret passage leading to Sugar Rush's programming.[3]
  • In the first episode of the anime, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, character Rikka Takanashi references the Konami Code as she is choosing a drink from a vending machine and hilariously winning a second free drink.[41]
  • Krieger's launch code, which resembled a hex code, from Season 5 Episode 12 of the animated show Archer, was decoded by a Redditor to be the Konami Code. The animator later confirmed this to be correct.[42]

Other
  • A Fisher-Price toy for pre-schoolers, modeled after a game controller which shows various lights and sounds when the buttons are pressed, presents a special sequence of lights and sounds if the Konami code is entered.[43]
  • WWE wrestler Xavier Woods uses the beginning of the code as the name of his gaming focused YouTube channel: UpUpDownDown (UUDD). It is also used as a name of one of their (as a member of The New Day) signature moves in wrestling.[44]

References
  1. The editors of GamePro and GamerHelp.comra Code:' We Must Never Forget," GamePro 235 (April 2008): 63.
  2. "Cracking the Code: The Konami Code". 1up.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  3. Robinson, Tasha (November 1, 2012). "Wreck-It Ralph". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  4. Inc, mediagene (2012-04-09). "裏技、隠しメッセージ...イースターエッグってどんなものがある？". www.gizmodo.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  5. Carvin, Andy (June 14, 2010). "Geek Trick Of The Week: Newsweek Vs. The Zombies". NPR. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  6. "The Konami Code Makes ESPN.com Magical!". Kotaku.
  7. "Konami Code triggers Easter egg on Facebook too". CNET. 2009-05-08.
  8. Moore, Matthew (September 17, 2009). "Google easter eggs: 15 best hidden jokes". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  9. "Alan Turing Google Doodle Source Code". Google. 2012-07-02.
  10. "Geek Trivia: The cheat goes on". techrepublic.com. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  11. "Use Konami Code to Enable Power User Settings in Opera - Techdows". Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  12. Juba, Joe (2013-03-24). "How To Unlock 1999 Mode In BioShock Infinite". Game Informer. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  13. "Dead by Daylight - Konami Code Easter Egg". 2020-06-16. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  14. "Web::eBattalion". 2016-01-12. Archived from the original on 2016-01-12. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  15. MacLoed, Riley (October 13, 2019). "There's A Konami Code In Fortnite's Black Hole". Kotaku. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  16. "Konami code". ign.com. 2017-03-07. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  17. "The Incredibles Cheat Codes (GameCube) @ Gaming Target". Gamingtarget.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  18. "Ninja Raiden". eagleowlgames.net. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  19. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2016-03-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. McElroy, Griffin (2014-05-07). "How to find Sportsfriends' two secret games". Polygon. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  21. "The Genius of Sappheiros/Miscellaneous - Touhou Wiki - Characters, games, locations, and more". En.touhouwiki.net. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  22. "Unchained Nostalgia v1.3.1 [2016/10/14] (a NES/Famicom/Dendy demo) - VEG's Blog". veg.by. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  23. Ed Rhee. "How to access hidden Netflix streaming settings". CNET. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  24. Ameripug, Captain (2012-08-26). "The Xbox 360 Netflix App Uses A Form Of The Konami Code To Change Settings - News". www.GameInformer.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  25. "Home - Yandere Simulator". yanderesimulator.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  26. "Overwatch". Overwatch. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  27. "M&S Christmas Food". 2016-12-14. Archived from the original on 2016-12-14. Retrieved 2018-03-22.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  28. "Megaport". www.megaport.com. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  29. "Explore the New $10 Note". www.bankofcanada.ca. Archived from the original on 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2019-05-19.
  30. "10 Google Hangouts Easter Eggs". Mental Floss. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  31. "Google's Konami Code Easter Egg Unlocks 'Cheat Mode'". Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  32. "Siri Knows You're A Dirty Cheater At Video Games [Easter Egg] | Cult of Mac". Cult of Mac. 2013-05-31. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  33. LinkedIn. "What is Super Alexa Mode? The Secrets of the Elusive Alexa Easter Egg". Lifewire. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  34. "Homepage". WWF. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  35. https://www.engadget.com/2009/06/10/the-secret-to-palm-pre-dev-mode-lies-in- the-konami-code/
  36. Bourdeau, Ian (December 7, 2019). "Twitch has hidden features you can access with the Konami code". PCGamesN. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  37. "Falling in Reverse – Game Over Lyrics | Genius Lyrics". Genius.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  38. "Technicolor | Contra Code | CD Baby Music Store". Store.cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  39. "The Moldy Peaches – Anyone Else But You Lyrics | Genius Lyrics". Genius.com. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  40. "Bears in Trees — Permanence Lyrics | Genius Lyrics". Genius.com. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  41. "Episode 1 – Chance Encounter... with Wicked Lord Shingan". Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. Season 1. Crunchyroll. February 12, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  42. "23 Places Where the Konami Code Lives On". www.mentalfloss.com. 2014-05-01. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  43. Oxford, Nadia (December 17, 2018). "The Famed Konami Code from Contra Works on a New Fisher Price Toy". USGamer. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  44. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIr1YTkEHdJFtqHvR7Rwttg
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