History Lesson: know thy Code

45 Comments by Ross Miller Dec 14th 2005 4:45PM
Filed under: Culture, Retro

Nintendo-centric website Press the Buttons reminds us today about a glorious message from our past: up, up, down, down, left, right, left right, B, A, start. Known as the Konami Code (or Contra Code due to its initial popularity deriving from the NES version of Contra). The Konami Code is a classic button combination that has been ingrained in every gamer's head old enough to have used it.

The code has been featured in dozens of other games, and has secured its place in gaming culture until the ice caps melt (even Nintendo's Revolution controller will have the buttons to pull off the code). You can read more about the code via its Wiki entry. What was your favorite use of the code?

[via Press the Buttons]

Source

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Joe K Trotter: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

That code was very helpful during The End bossfight in MGS3. Doing that code on the map screen, except it square and triangle instead of a and b, showed his exact location.

Stu: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I'll never forget using that code on Ninja Turtles 2 on the nes. Good times.

Shenzou: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Don't you mean 'her'? ;)

I thought she was and the other cobra bosses too were way too easy.

Jon Speed: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

It works in Half Life 2 on Xbox as well, minus the star that is.

Joe K Trotter: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Shenzou,
I'm talking about that sniper battle with that really old guy who called himself The End, not The Boss. I didn't know that it worked on her fight at the end of the game. Besides, The End fight can get tedious, so the code is there.

cb: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I felt cheated when, if you put it into Gradius III for the SNES, you blow up. It's a shame they had to thumb their nose at the code.

Dakara: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I liked the Up, Select, Left, Right, A, A, B for the game Little Nemo...ah, the memories of stuffing that little kid in th emouths of halucinating animals...beating baby penguins to death with a club, giant stingray of death in hell, and of course the King of nightmares...the penguins scared me more as a teenager then...the horrors...the horrors. Who ever said Nintnedo was afriad of violent games never played this drug induced frenzy. I love that game. =)

minus: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

That code is wrong in reference to Contra. Contra's was: U,U,D,D,L,R,L,R,B,A,B,A,Select Start. Of course you had to do this before the title screen shifted into the center of the screen on it's entrance from right to left.

Isurus: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

The code was also helpful in Gradius 3. One could hit start and enter this code (using the shoulder buttons for the "left" and the "right") and obtain most of the powerups (excluding max speed and best weapon) instantly. It was helpful if you died in a level and needed powerups to even have a shot of getting through afterwards.

theKiko: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

According to Konami, that code is right. So who do you believe?

Invader Alex: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I used that code insaneaquamuirm!!!!
I loved sandbox mode!!

jpmullet: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I believe that both codes would work along with a couple other variations. Ex: A B A B SEL START
But it probally just works cause you end up hitting B A anyways :P

Brain: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

The 2nd BA is not needed, just tried it via emulator.

minus: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I was only saying that the Code for 30 lives in Contra is NOT what is mentioned above. Try it for yourself.

jace: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

i loved the DULLARD code (down, up, left, left, a, right, down)

V: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Much love to anyone else who remember 007 373 5963. I was amazed when I first encountered NES emulators and all these codes retained from my childhood came spilling back into my mind.

32_Footsteps: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Alot of people screw it up in regards to Contra, but only because they played with friends.

Basically, if you did the Konami Code in the standard form, it gives you a one-player game with 30 lives. If you did the Konami Code, but then pressed select before pressing start in Contra, you'd play a 2-player game where both players had 30 lives. I've seen a shocking number of people make the mistake that Select was required.

shiberving: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

There was even a song titled after the code by The Ataris off the album "End Is Forever." Clearly the code has influenced many.

Domingo: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Actually that code WILL work for Contra. The 2nd "B, A" is commonly added, but was never necessary. It won't keep the code from working, though. Hitting select simply changed the game from 1-player to 2-player mode.
I've always wondered what the orgin of that code was. The first mention I can ever recall was for Gradius (during the pause screen it would give you all weapons).

The Mike Tyson code is one I'll never forget, too.

Beyond those two...I think the only others I'll ever recall are DULLARD, and some old school cheats for Doom.

Superzapper: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I thought Sonic on the Genesis used that code too.You had to do it while sonic was waving his finger at you on the Tilte screen.

Jon: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

The Ataris are latecomers; Curl up and Die has the best contra code song.

Michael Miraflor: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

i remember in the last contra from the NES (don't remember if it was II or III or the SNES Contra for that matter) Konami changed the code to "right left down up A B start"

dwl: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I remember that code fondly, it gave a fully powered-up ship in Gradius (NES) but only worked once or twice per level.

zero2dash: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

1) The code does not require Select
2) The code does not require Start

You have to hit Start to actually start the game, but the code itself does not include start. I've seen many people (and several websites and magazines) reference this code over the last year and a half and everyone includes start like it's a part of the code. If you could hit another button to start the game, people would say it was that button too.

*sigh*

BTW (I didn't see it mentioned but if I missed it I apologize) -
Gradius 3 on the SNES, you use L + R instead of directional left and right and the code still works. Try it sometime.

zero2dash: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

#9 covered the shoulder buttons in Gradius 3 so...nm the last few sentences on my reply. ^_^

Blynkj: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

ABACABB- Blood Mortal Combat
DULLARD- Cheats Mortal Combat

Sean: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

The only codes I remember are the konami code, and IDKFA and IDDQD

JE: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

#20. Wasn't the Sonic code : C / C / C L R CAB Start

Mazinkaiser: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

V,
Punch-out!, sweet!

The Konami code is classic period and by far my fav code!

minus,
you should try not using the extra B A and Select and you will see that it works. Download an emu and the rom if you don't have it. It may also work with the extra 3 key presses, but i've never used them and I always get 30 lives in Contra! I just did it now for fun!

FYI: the Japanese Contra rom has content that was not in the US release, download it and check it out!

Saxon: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I still like the way IDSPISPOPD sounds when you say it out loud.

Henson123: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Not to be overly promotional - but the Konomi code factors into an awesome design for a shirt from my site, www.squirtshirts.com. It's a baby t-shirt store, for gamers like us who want to dress our kids in shirts we actually like. The shirt is has a version of the code that ends with "B A B Y Start" and has a sweet retro design. It's awesome.

Check it out at http://www.cafepress.com/squirtshirts.36272513 and let me know what you think.

rich: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Down, R, Up, L, Y, B
best thing since slice bread

Vinh Nguyen: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Whoo Hoo!! Nice!!! #31's code is the code to use the same character on Street Fighter 2 for the SNES!!!

Bearball: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

LRTANGANTUBICUS.

Star Wars Pod Racing for the N64. Good times.

tang-in-tub-i-cus. Awesome. The L and R were actually buttons, but you typed the others in on an in game keyboard....

John Q.: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

NARPASSWORD, one of my favorites.

Bender: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Down, R, Up L, Y B X A Start
10 Star Turbo on SFII Snes

zero2dash: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

19 - 65 - 09 - 17
Sonic 1 level select
(use sound test)

Ryan Rife: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

I thought U,U,D,D,L,R,L,R,B,A,B,A, Start was for infinite continues and U,U,D,D,L,R,L,R,B,A Start was for 30 lives.

Mole: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

The fact that everyone seems to think Start is part of the Code really bothers me. It probably shouldn't, but it does.

Martin: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

It bothers me too, Mole. It's part of the goddamn code, people!

Martin: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Bleh, not part of the code. I suck.

rich: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

i might be guessing on this but hitting start at the end of the code just unpauses the game?

Blizz419: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

only codes i remember are sonic 1, up C, Down C, left C, right C

and the original metroid

Justin Bailey
------ ------

man those were the days lol, wow i feel so old now

Manuel Ferrero: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

Last week my cousin bought a NES from Ebay. i was amazed to see it! it was like returning to my childhood... and the best thing about it was that it was only $20!!! and it came with about 20 games!!! which included Contra, so i asked him to let me try and remember that code for the extra life in contra.... and only on my first try i got it!!! he freaked out that after about 20 years i can still remember the most famous cheat code in gaming history. awesome!!!

karate_crotch_kick: Dec 18th 2005; 10:09PM

gradius II
konami kode(i'm now thinking mk)
made your ship explode

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