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December 14, 2005
Exploring The Konami Code
To many gamers it is a magic chant to ward off trouble: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start. The infamous Konami Code has been around for years now, dating all the way back to the original Nintendo Entertainment System title Gradius. Created as a testing cheat by Gradius developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto, the code has gone on to appear in more than fifty other video games, and by entering the code at special moments players are granted anything from power-ups to bonus energy to a penalty for trying to cheat.
Many people (myself included) first came to know the code as the "Contra code" due to its use in granting thirty extra lives when the code is tapped in at the NES title Contra's title screen. Before the pubic popularity of the Internet and before the massive influx of gaming magazines this little code somehow managed to pass from person to person across playgrounds and offices everywhere. The code's longevity is credited not only to the cheat-tastic extras it provides, but also to the fact that it was once a secret that "everybody" knew. I'd love to know just how the code spread throughout the gaming world. How fast did it spread? Who did Kazuhisa Hashimoto tell first about the code? Is it the most popular and/or well-known cheat code in this modern era? Some questions will never have known answers, unfortunately, but as long as we can enjoy extra lives in Contra I think it's a fair trade-off.
Posted by MattG on December 14, 2005 at 01:30 PM in General, Retro/Classic | Permalink
Comments
I remember in Gradius III that entering the code as it's usually known will result in a spectacular self-destruct instead of power-ups. However, using the L and R shoulder buttons instead of Left and Right on the control pad will result in a full power-up.
Posted by: BGNG | Dec 14, 2005 2:07:22 PM
Personally for me it's a hard toss up between 'UUDDLRLRBAS' and 'idspispopd' for best known "secret" code.
Posted by: chad | Dec 14, 2005 3:21:39 PM
i always say it wrong, as in "up down up down..." but the rest i get. I did, though, know of the back in elementary school. Good old times with the good old NES.
Posted by: Scummbuddy | Dec 14, 2005 3:24:43 PM
JUSTIN BAILEY
Posted by: Anu | Dec 14, 2005 4:10:54 PM
Ok, so someone please tell me they know the meaning of 007 373 5963. I don't want to feel all alone.
Posted by: V | Dec 14, 2005 6:54:32 PM
You are alone.
Oh, and JUSTIN BAILEYis not in the Metroid program code anywhere (thanks to a commented ASM dump). It's just a password that HAPPENS to work, much like that FIESTA RIDLEY one.
Posted by: BGNG | Dec 14, 2005 7:50:39 PM
V- that's easy. It's the code to jump directly to the Mike Tyson fight in Punch-Out!
For Contra, an extra B,A is required before hitting start. Contra was the game that embedded the code in my brain, so I've always looked at the standard code as incorrect... it's why I never purchased the shirt at Gameskins.
Posted by: David Rudden | Dec 14, 2005 8:03:34 PM
I got the code from one of those NES magaiznes those real thick ones, that had like 20 games in them with level maps, cheat codes and all that. Man those were the days.
Anyone remember the code to 'float' through contra?
I think that was the up, down, up , down , left right left right b a start.
Posted by: dahkness | Dec 14, 2005 9:31:30 PM
Man, I always remembered it as UUDDLRLR BABA Select Start
Maybe that was the PAL Probotector/Contra code....
Posted by: Tetsuo | Dec 15, 2005 12:25:47 AM
I came across The Code as a cheat for Life Force in a what was probably the first game magazine to find its way into our town in the late 80's. It was just sitting on a shelf and I don't think it was ever there again. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if it was left there accidentally by a customer from out of town! At the time, it was quite exotic and earned me some temporary minor celebrity status on the playground (emphasis on temporary).
Posted by: Mr. Falcon | Dec 15, 2005 5:18:02 AM
dahkness, I think your right. I always remember the select, start also. So, I don't think it's just a PAL thing.
Posted by: lordxixor101 | Dec 15, 2005 10:25:24 AM
The "select" in the code you're remembering for contra is one of two things -- you can hit select to stop the screen from scrolling on (jumps it straight to the middle, rather than having to wait). Or, select is used to switch to two players.
At least, that's the way I remember it...
Posted by: dan | Dec 15, 2005 10:35:12 AM
The "Contra Code" (which I also recall including select, and two BA's) is easily my most remembered code from childhood. IDSPISPOPD was one that triggered a memory too, but I actually remember the Contra code working for Contra, whereas I had to look up IDSPISPOPD :)
Posted by: Ryan Waddell | Dec 15, 2005 10:55:54 AM
This cheat made its way into a Moldy Peaches song called "Anyone Else But You."
Up up down down left right left right B A Start
just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart
Posted by: goatdog | Dec 15, 2005 11:26:29 AM
IIRC, the select in the Contra code was completely optional, only necessary if you wanted two players.
Posted by: David Rudden | Dec 17, 2005 8:17:26 AM
007 373 5963-- Thats the meet and greet with Mike right?
Posted by: Xunantunich | Mar 2, 2006 4:47:51 PM
Just wondering if anyone knows the Contra code for the mobile phone platform..???
Posted by: nick | Mar 8, 2007 3:43:54 PM
Because of that code, I had beaten Mike many times before I could be macho man with that stupid helicopter punch.
Once you survived the first 90 secs w/ Mike, he was pretty beatable though.
Posted by: Steve | Jun 28, 2007 2:08:26 PM
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