The Konami Code: Gaming's Universal Password

Warning: This page is a placeholder and is not yet complete.

Origins

First introduced in 1986's Gradius for the NES, the Konami Code (⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️ B A) was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto as a way to make the game easier during testing. He forgot to remove it before release, and it became gaming history.

The Sequence

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A

Notable Appearances

Contra (NES) - Grants 30 lives
Gradius (NES) - Activates power-ups
Metal Gear Solid - Easter egg on the main menu
BioShock Infinite - Unlocks 1999 Mode
Websites - Many sites have hidden features activated by the code

Konami Code Input

Cultural Impact

The code has transcended gaming to become a cultural phenomenon, appearing in:

Website Easter eggs
Pop culture references
T-shirts and merchandise
Non-Konami games
Mobile apps

Fun Facts

The code often ends with "Start" in games, but this was just to begin the game
Konami has trademarked the sequence
Google has several services that respond to the code
Netflix used it as a hidden feature in their old Roku app