The Konami Code (Japanese: コナミコマンド, Konami Komando, "Konami command"), also commonly referred to as the Contra Code and sometimes the 30 Lives Code, is a cheat code that appears in many Konami video games, as well as some non-Konami games.

The code has also found a place in popular culture as a reference to the third generation of video game consoles, and is present as an Easter egg on a number of websites.

Sequence

In the original code, the player has to press the following sequence of buttons on the game controller to enable a cheat or other effects: ↑↑↓↓←→←→BA; sometimes Start and/or Select is added to the sequence.

History

The Konami Code was first used in the release of Gradius (1986), a scrolling shooter for the NES and was popularized among North American players in the NES version of Contra. The code is also known as the "Contra Code" and "30 Lives Code", since the code provided the player 30 lives in Contra. The code has been used to help novice players progress through the game.

The Konami Code was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto, who was developing the home port of the 1985 arcade game Gradius for the NES. Finding the game too difficult to play through during testing, he created the cheat code, which gives the player a full set of power-ups (normally attained gradually throughout the game).^[2] After entering the sequence using the controller when the game was paused, the player received all available power-ups. The code was meant to be removed prior to publishing, but this was overlooked and only discovered as the game was being prepared for mass production. The developers decided to leave it there, as removing it could result in new bugs and glitches. The sequence was easy enough to remember for testers and simultaneously sufficiently hard to enter accidentally during the gameplay for unsuspecting users.^{[citation needed]}

The Konami Code was thus included in the series' other sequels and spin-offs, with some key differences. The code has been subsequently re-used in a large number of other games and other computer programs.

Examples in video games

Tetris (Tengen version for Nintendo Entertainment System)

Entering this code minus ↑↑ while paused will change the current Tetromino into the I piece, also called a longbar. This can be done only once per new game.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (Nintendo 64)

A Konami code variant was discovered in the game in 2024. The code unlocks all four characters, their outfits, and a hard difficulty mode.

Yu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound Kingdom (GameCube)

The Konami code can be used during any map to gain gold. This will also trigger hidden dialog of a man shouting Yu-Gi-Oh.

The Incredibles (THQ and Heavy Iron Studios, Windows, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation 2)

Inputting the code into the cheats keyboard "UUDDLRLRBAS" gives the player 25% health, and can be used an unlimited number of times.

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PlayStation 2)

Entering the code in the pause menu will replace the Omniwrench with a doubled ended lightsaber. In the PlayStation 3 version, whether by accident or design, two debug codes were left in the game by the developers.

LittleBigPlanet 2 (Media Molecule, PlayStation 3)

When entered in the unused arcade machine at the level "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Negativatron" (PlayStation 3 variation of the code), the machine explodes and unveils a square with the numbers "3733 5683", which on a mobile keypad, spells the phrase "free love"

Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!! (Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS)

Inputting the code on the title screen results in an animated looping clip of an 8-bit recreation of Adventure Time's creator, Pendleton Ward dancing. To the left of Ward is an 8-bit version of Jake, and to the right, an 8-bit version of Finn.^{[19][better source needed]}

BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch)

A variation of the Konami Code at the game's menus unlocks the game's more difficult "1999 Mode" from the start.^[20]

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Code entry unlocks Revengeance and Very Hard difficulties without passing the game on Hard difficulty.

Sportsfriends (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4)

The code allows to play FLOP, a wiggly variant of Pong. A similar code accesses the hidden game Get on Top.

Dead by Daylight (Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch)

When the code is entered while having one of the Silent Hill characters equipped on the main menu, the game plays a jingle from Gradius and grants the player a charm that can be equipped by characters.

Fortnite Battle Royale (Windows, MacOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Mobile)

The Konami code was used to access the Fortnite Durr Burger minigame at the black hole screen after the end of the Chapter 1 Season X event. It was only available for a period of 38 hours starting from 7:00pm UTC on October 13, 2019 and was no longer accessible on the start of Fortnite: Chapter 2.

Tetris Effect

Entering the code at the launch screen enables a second screen accepting a code. Inputting the number "06061984" (representing June 6, 1984, the "birth date" of Tetris) will then unlock the "1984" level.

Anno 1800 (Ubisoft Blue Byte, Windows)

Entering the code within the gameworld spawns hundreds of random animals flying through the air and chaotically bouncing off the terrain.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

This spiritual sequel to Castlevania developed by Koji Igarashi lets players enter a "1986 Mode", which makes the game's controls more similar to the more-difficult Castlevania series, by entering the Konami Code at a menu screen.

Ultrakill (Windows)

Unlocks a cheat menu, with cheats bound to keyboard commands.

Insaniquarium Deluxe (Windows, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, mobile phone, Palm OS, Windows Mobile, PDA )

Entering the code in the main menu unlocks the secret "Sandbox Mode".

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Entering the Konami code unlocks "Steel Soul", a difficult game mode in which death is permanent.

Knight Squad

Entering the Konami code unlocks the Salmon character, which can then be selected from the character selection screen.

Old School Runescape

This MMORPG requires the player to use the Konami Code to traverse a series of tunnels to acquire a cosmetic variant of the Amulet of Rancour.

Anno 117

Entering the code on console editions of the game allow the player to enter a first person mode and traverse their land as one of their citizens.