Players would enter up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A and Start on a controller to activate the "Konami code." It was first used in the game Gradius, but later made famous on Nintendo with Contra. William Warby/Flickr hide caption
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William Warby/Flickr
Players would enter up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A and Start on a controller to activate the "Konami code." It was first used in the game Gradius, but later made famous on Nintendo with Contra.
William Warby/Flickr
Kazuhisa Hashimoto, the man who invented the "Konami code" cheat that became pervasive in video gaming and pop culture, has died.
To use the code, players would press up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A and the Start button on the controller to make games easier. It was named after the popular Japanese gaming and entertainment company Konami, where Hashimoto worked.
Konami confirmed Hashimoto's death in an email to NPR and said in a tweet that it was saddened to hear the news. His age has been variously reported as 61 and 79.
We are saddened to hear about the passing of Kazuhisa Hashimoto, a deeply talented producer who first introduced the world to the "Konami Code".
Our thoughts are with Hashimoto-san's family and friends at this time. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/vQijEQ8lU2
Hashimoto is credited with work on at least nine video games. He created the code when he was in charge of taking the arcade version of the spacecraft shooting game Gradius and converting it for the Nintendo console in 1986.
"I hadn't played that much and obviously couldn't beat it myself, so I put in the Konami code," he said in a 2003 interview. "Because I was the one who was going to be using it, I made sure it was easy to remember."
The code is burned into the memories of many kids that grew up playing video games in the 1980s and '90s. It's used in more than 100 games, such as Castlevania and Mortal Kombat III.
The code famously gave players 30 lives in the game Contra, which was released in 1988.
As the code gained popularity, Konami poked fun at it. If players use the code in the game Gradius III, their ship blows up.
It also found its way into pop culture easter eggs, a secret nod to geekery. A character in the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph, for example, uses it as a password. Type the code in on some websites and it triggers secret tricks. There are murals and tattoos. Even a command for Amazon's Alexa device.
Yuji Takenouchi, a friend and composer who also worked at Konami, announced Hashimoto's death on Twitter.
"We pray for the souls. As someone who got on the same boat and shared a little time, the obituary was a bit painful," a translated tweet said. "Please keep making games in heaven. Thank you very much."
FAQs
Kazuhisa Hashimoto (橋本和久, Hashimoto Kazuhisa, November 15, 1958 – February 25, 2020) was a Japanese video game developer, best known for having created the Konami Code, a cheat code used in numerous video games typically granting the player extra lives or other benefits, and which has become often used as an Easter egg ...
What happens if you tell Google the Konami code? ›
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.
Who created the Konami code? ›
The Konami Code was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto, who was developing the home port of the 1985 arcade game Gradius, a horizontal scrolling shooter released on the NES in 1986.
What is the infamous Konami Code? ›
As soon as Contra: Operation Galuga starts up, and you see the massive flaming “C” on the screen, get busy with the Konami Code – Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right B, A, on the Xbox Series X controller, or Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right X, O, on the DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers, and Up ...
What happens if you tell Siri the Konami code? ›
'Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A' – better known as the Konami Code was created by developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto and is known as the most common cheat code in the world. Tell this to Siri and her response is… 'NERD,' 'cheater,' or 'I'm getting dizzy.
What is the true Konami Code? ›
The Konami Code (also known as the Contra Code or the 30 Lives Code) is a cheat code in many Konami and non-Konami games. To enter the code, simply press ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A (sometimes followed by START and/or SELECT ).
Is the Konami code in Mario? ›
These can and probably will take the challenge out of the game, but can really help if You happen to be stuck. Below are the cheats with instructions. Enjoy. Music Test: On the title screen, enter the Konami code (Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select) and “Grassy Hills” should appear.
What is the famous Nintendo cheat? ›
Players would enter up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A and Start on a controller to activate the "Konami code." It was first used in the game Gradius, but later made famous on Nintendo with Contra.
What was the old Nintendo cheat code? ›
Misc. Cheats SMS
| Effect | Code |
|---|
| Extra Life | Press Right, Left, Left, Right, Up, Down, Down, Right. |
| Food Sprite Viewer | Press Up, Left, Down, Left, Down, Up, Up, Left. |
| Show Hints (Japanese Version) | Press Left, Down, Left, Down, 1, 2, 1, 1. |
| Start With The Shoes | Press Left, Up, Left, Right, Left, Left, Down, Right. |
6 more rowsBut the cheat codes for the Atari 2600 were different. Sometimes they were a way to defeat a seemingly unbeatable arcade game. Other times, they were nothing more than hidden graffiti-signatures left by programmers who had to fight to get even the slightest bit of recognition for their work.
Carl learns the true secret to enjoying marriage. Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, select . . . start. Any guy between the ages of 25 and 35 will undoubtedly recognize the sequence above.
Is the Konami code in Fortnite? ›
How to enter the Fortnite Konami Code for the black hole mini game. While you're on the black hole screen, enter the following Fortnite Konami Code using your d-pad to get started: PS4: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, O, X, Options. XBO/PC: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
What does the Konami code do to Google? ›
The Konami Code strikes again. Go to a Google search bar and using voice, search for “Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right.” And just like that, you'll have unlimited free Google searches. Of course this is tongue-in-cheek. It's just the latest hidden gem discovered within Google's tools.
What is the Konami code in ps1? ›
It was identified by pressing "Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, and A" (or in the case of PlayStation games, "Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Square, and Triangle").
Does Konami Code work on Google? ›
The Konami Code strikes again. Go to a Google search bar and using voice, search for “Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right.” And just like that, you'll have unlimited free Google searches. Of course this is tongue-in-cheek.
How to do the konami code in Google chat? ›
Here's how you type the Konami Code: UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A. After you do that in chat and press "Enter," your chat background will change. Have fun and see what other surprises you can find.
What happens when you use the Konami code? ›
The Konami Code originated as a cheat code---a sequence of button presses that unlocks secret features in a video game, usually making it easier to play. The first-ever game to feature the Konami Code was Gradius for the NES, published by Japanese third-party developer Konami in 1986.
