Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
There are few codes more sacred to old school gamers than the Konami code – a cheat code that originated on the original NES and has since made its way into many other games. More recently, some popular websites have been getting in on the action, with mischievous easter eggs from sites including Digg and Google Reader.
Today, Facebook is joining the club. Entering the code will enable what I’m going to call ‘lens-flare‘ mode, adding the over-used Photoshop effect to a Facebook page whenever you click your mouse. Just enter the above code using your keyboard’s arrow keys (substitute ‘Enter’ for Start), and click anywhere on the page. It is totally useless, but looks sort of nifty and is guaranteed to impress your friends. For at least ten seconds.
Last summer, Google Reader implemented the code, which introduced a Ninja to the site’s interface. And entering it on some game-related sites, like GiantBomb and GameSpot, will take you to a page about Contra (the game that popularized the code, because it was nearly impossible to play without it). But of all these, the one that takes cake was ESPN, which began showing dazzling unicorns and rainbows when you entered the code. Seriously. It has since been taken down, but you can watch a video of it here.
For more Konami code Easter Eggs, check out our post on CrunchGear.
Thanks for reminding of this. I used to love my NES and used this code for contra. I think it also worked for one of the Mortal Combats, but its been a while.
ABACABB, or the Blood Kode, as us old-schoolers liked to call it, was my favorite code of all time.
I’m hoping Twitter will use it to turn all backgrounds blood-red.
“Get Over Here!!”
with twitter taking away all sheen, fb resorting to desperate measures before it runs out of money
abbaabba then hit start …never mind there’s no start button.
I actually saw someone a few days ago on twitter mention doing it, I didn’t attempt it, though.
This site is also Konami Code enabled:
http://www.open...ure.com/Advent/
Guys ,
You talk too much about others but at your site , I am facing one problem while searching .
If I search any thing in the given search box , the first page comes proper but if clock on 2 ,3 ,4, … Next … any of these links then its not able to show the appropriate results….
I guess .. Something is really Crunching at you Tech Side ….
Please cure it .. so that I can search better ….
“entering the code” on facebook… where? This article seems like a joke, where does one “enter code” on their facebook account? Are you talking posting that as one’s status?
Nope, enter it using your keyboard’s arrow keys, then hit Enter/Return instead of Start.
… Now how do I take it off haha
Ctrl + F5
how do you get it off when using a mac, with no F buttons?
the Konami code never needed prompts. It’s just a sequence of buttons you could push to unlock something in a large number of Konami games.
All you have to do is go to the proper page, then press the stated buttons (up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, start — select your enter key for start) and the webpage will recognize you pushing the buttons without having to put it in a text box.
Based on this my guess is that the FB guys have too many developer resources sitting around feeling they have no real purpose?
If that’s the case I’d like to invite them to come over and help us out getting our upcoming update and and the next Smibs application done. It’s fun and you’ll produce stuff people will really appreciate.
Additional perks are weekly participation in our nitro car race team (legendary BBQ’s at the track).
Twitter me if you’re bored putting bubbles on FB.
Monkeys love bubbles. Thanks for caring about the monkeys FB.
It no worky ….. anyone else get this workin?
Yeah, it works
Not up here in Canada … yet
I’m in Thailand and it’s working.
I’m in canada and it works…
It’s working for me. (I did it with my cursor in the search box in the upper right corner of the page.)
This is kind of cool for a quick “ooh” factor. They should throw in the code Down R Up L Y B at some point to change colors or make things turbo fast…tell me I’m not the only one who remembers this.
Also, I’m going to put add this article to my weekly news roundup blog post later today so thanks!
The only code I remember is BEWAREOBLIVIONISATHAND
holy shit old school turok, this brings back good memories
street fighter.
Ah stealing lives from my little brother as I left him behind on Contra stages in co-op.
Good times.
Nice nod to the retro, but did they have to pick such an obnoxious effect?
Ok, so how do we get rid of the affect?
nevermind… just close the browser.
It’s a bit of geek coolness, but the lens flare is annoying as shit if you’re trying to type.
I think the code has a ‘Select’ before the start. I’m just saying is all.
Only if you were playing 2 player mode.
This is so awesome. Its funny that the lens flare engages on keystrokes (not just mouse clicks), but i don’t mind it (yet).
Cool!
The thing that made it cool was that it was a secret…
Next you’re going to tell me that Facebook has added “English (Pirate)” as a UI language!
OOH!
ARR!
that was fun
This brings back memories of the NES days
I covered this and some other neat tweaks in my blog post: http://www.pure...cking-facebook/
One of the more useful tweaks I discovered is the ability to retrieve chat history for offline users, via some javascript hackery.
There’s a website for this:
http://konamicodesites.com
So fun. I made a video / screencast showing the effect, for anyone who hasn’t been able to see it yet or just prefers vicarious convenience:
» http://www.yout...h?v=jyxLBkmHP6g
I want to be able to unlock Alex Kidd
You need to answer your 44 inbox messages and tend to the 63 friend requests
You have got 63 Friend Requests!
)
(64th might be from me
And here is how it works. And a way to put it on any site !! http://bit.ly/nmHBK
Is that code right I remember there being a “select” start in there.. For Contra anyway: Up down up down left right left right A B A B select start.
Yay! Thanks for giving the delicious cake to our “strategic partnership” with ESPN. Cornify provided ESPN with about 2.3 million unicorns and rainbows while the Konamic code was up. Happiness and sparkles all the way!
Very nice easter egg, I loved it
The konami code rocks. Can I add it to a project that is not a website or game?
iPhone Konami via gestures on website:
Hoping this will tweak your interest at some novelty level. Entering the Konami Code for a website in iPhone’s MobileSafari, by using gestures…
http://milliond...u.be/iphone.php
Enter the Konami code by swiping the middle of the screen: up, up,
down, down, left, right, left, right, and an Easter Egg is revealed
(plus it’s dragable and rotatable)
iPhone/Gestures/Secret Konami codes/A ‘Twitter’ easter egg – this has
it all.
Video of how it works can be seen at
http://MillionD...rCu.be/blog/#20
doesn’t work anymore
it is working and it’s fixed
This is cool. The konami code has really become part of our pop culture.
does it work on google chrome?
I have also heard this on facebook about that, Thanks for more info