What is the famous Mario cheat code?
As a longtime gamer and content creator focused on the gaming industry, I‘ve seen firsthand the enthusiasm and nostalgia gamers still feel for the iconic Konami Code cheat after over 30 years. When entered correctly, this code can give players extra lives or other benefits to turn the tables on a difficult game. But how did this code become so famous? What‘s behind its longevity decades later? Read on for a deep dive into the history and legacy of gaming‘s most famous cheat.
The Basics: What is the Konami Code?
The Konami Code sequence is:
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A
Entering this button sequence has unlocked cheats and Easter eggs across over 200 games since its inception. But originally, this code sequence served a simple purpose: to make a very tough game easier to test during development.
Origins: Kazuhisa Hashimoto Creates the Code in 1986
The Konami Code traces its origins back to 1986 Japan. Kazuhisa Hashimoto was developing the NES port of the popular 1985 arcade shooter Gradius for console release. Finding the arcade version too relentlessly difficult for enjoyable testing, Hashimoto created a cheat code to give himself more lives during development sessions:
The arcade version of Gradius is really difficult, right? I hadn‘t played it that much and there was no way I could finish the game [during testing], so I put in the Konami Code.
After entering Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A on the Gradius title screen, Hashimoto could access a level select and obtain more lives to keep playing. And so the Konami Code was born!
The Code Spreads to Contra and Beyond
While Gradius was the first game to contain the code in 1986, the Konami Code truly took flight with the release of Contra for NES in 1988. Inputting the code granted 30 extra lives in Contra‘s punishing gauntlet of run-and-gun action, essentially enabling less skilled players to experience the full game.
As Contra grew popular, knowledge of its miraculous 30-lives code spread until the sequence became synonymous with Konami games. Beyond Contra, the publisher included references to the Konami Code in series like Castlevania, Dance Dance Revolution, and Frogger just to delight players.
The Code Jumps Publishers: Appearing in 200+ Games
The Konami Code became so recognizable after Contra that other publishers started sneaking it into their titles. By 1993, a variation granting 10 lives appeared in mega-hit Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Sega Genesis. Before long, references popped up everywhere from indie tributes to top AAA franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Bioshock, and more. Let‘s examine a few standout examples:
Top Konami Code Cameos
| Game | Year | Konami Code Easter Egg |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | 2001 | Changes the title screen |
| Resident Evil 4 | 2005 | Gives the Handcannon weapon |
| Bioshock | 2007 | 200% health boost |
As this table shows, developers started using the iconic code sequence to hide bonus content and supplies. It appears in over 200 games to date, becoming an Easter egg hunting tradition for gamers worldwide.
The Code Endures in Mario and More
Beyond other publishers sneaking it into their games, Nintendo itself paid homage to the Konami Code through multiple Mario franchise titles:
- Super Mario World (SNES): Play as Luigi
- New Super Mario Bros (DS): 99 extra lives
- Super Mario 3D World (WiiU): 8-bit character icons
The Konami Code has become linked to Mario through these playful references. But it shows up in many more Nintendo titles as well:
Nintendo Games Featuring Variations
| Game | Effect |
|---|---|
| Star Fox 64 | Full health |
| Donkey Kong Country Returns | Loads mine cart level |
| Scribblenauts Unlimited | Mario hat on main character |
Demonstrating the code‘s deep integration into Nintendo‘s history, developers continue inserting updated versions across every system generation. It‘s a treasured link back to NES classics like Gradius and Contra on modern platforms.
The Enduring Legacy of Gaming‘s Most Famous Cheat
For over three decades and counting, players keep entering Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A with gleeful hopes the sequence unlocks something special. The Konami Code endures as a beloved hallmark of retro gaming while still feeling current through modern Easter egg appearances.
As an enthusiastic gamer myself, I‘ll never forget my own sense of joy and discovery entering the code over the years. From Contra as a kid to Bioshock as an adult, it added layers of fun and meaning each time. The Konami Code ultimately reminds all gamers of our shared nostalgia and love of small secrets that feel exclusively our own. And with references still appearing today, it doesn‘t seem this famous cheat is going anywhere anytime soon.
