Konami Code

The code that works on a lot of the action games Konami made for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It's also the only way some people could beat Contra. The code goes as follows, and must be entered before at the start screen before the demo begins:

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, *Select, Start

*Only hit select if you want a two player game.

This code provides the following benefits (only listed the games I owned):

Contra - 30 Lives
Life Force - 30 Lives
Gradius - Full weapons, shields, and two Options
Castlevania - doesn't work
Jackal - doesn't work

I'm told this works on a whole bunch of GameBoy games, too.

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Despite what some people tell you, you DO actually have to hit B and A... otherwise you get nothing.

This is what's commonly known as the Konami Code to Nintendo Entertainment System and classic video game afficianados. It first appeared in the 1986 NES release Gradius. When pausing the game and entering the code, a player got a full set of power-ups for their ship. It could only be entered once a game though.

Probably the most famous and most referenced place it appeared was 1988's Contra. After inputting the code at the title screen, a player would have 30 lives to waste against the oncoming aliens. The code also serves the same function for the Gradius side-story game Life Force, also released in 1988.

The other famous place it showed up in was 1991's Gradius 3 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. But it wasn't what people expected. See, when you pause the game and put in the code the normal way, your ship blows up. To get around this, substitute the L & R shoulder buttons for Left and Right on the directional pad. Then you'd get the same effect of a full arsenal, remeniscent of the original Gradius.

These games aren't the only ones with the Code, and Konami isn't the only company that uses it. Below is a summary of most of the appearances and rearrangements of the code.

• Batman Returns for Super NES: At options, highlight Reset. On controller 2, It's "The Code" plus an extra B,A and minus Start. You can adjust your # of lives up to 9 now.
• Gyruss for NES: Enter the code backwards at the title screen, of course with the start at the end. Enjoy your 30 lives.
• Kid Klown for NES (by Kemco): At the title screen. Make your game tougher.
• NBA Give-N-Go for Super NES: At the title screen. Gives you extra shooting accuracy, see for yourself: There would be an "S" next to Level.
• Nemesis for Game Boy: Same thing as Gradius, since it IS Gradius anyway.
• North and South for NES (by Kemco): At the opening credits, the code takes you to a sound test screen. You also have an operation select (level select) mode.
• Operation C for Game Boy: At the title screen. The code+an extra BA at the end=10 lives.
• Racing Fighter for Game Boy: At the title screen, enter the code. At the end you can either press B or A to change your character's color. Now you and your opponent can play the same character.
• Smart Ball for Super NES (by Sony Imagesoft): End the code with Select-Start instead of B-A at the title screen. Pick a level, any level.
• Tetris for NES (the old-school Tengen version): During gameplay, pause. The code turns any block into a straight block, but only once a game.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan for Game Boy: Pause! Enter the code for a refill on your life meter.
• TMNT: Turtles in Time for Super NES: At the title screen. On controller 2 do the code, and get 10 lives.
• TMNT 3: The Manhattan Project for NES: At the title screen. But one thing. A-B instead of B-A. You'll get an options screen, where you can adjust amount of lives, pick a level, change the difficulty, and listen to sounds.
• Top Gun: The Second Mission for NES: At the title screen. Once you reach 20,000 points in the game, you get 3 more lives.
• Zombie Nation for NES (by Meldac): Pause and put in the code to refill your life meter, but only once per game!

The lot of these were swiped from world-of-nintendo.com
reedited June 1, 2002 for completeness due to older nodes wiped out.