Cheat Codes
Up, up, down, down...
Cheat codes evolved from developer tools into gaming culture staples, providing shortcuts, easter eggs, and playground legends.
Overview
Cheat codes began as developer shortcuts—ways to skip levels during testing or gain infinite lives while debugging. Some were left in final releases accidentally; others were included deliberately. They spread through word of mouth, magazine tips sections, and eventually websites. The Konami Code became so famous it transcended gaming entirely.
Fast facts
- Origins: debug tools left in games.
- Spread: playground rumours, magazines, tip lines.
- Famous codes: Konami Code, IDDQD, ABACABB.
- Modern decline: achievements and online play reduced usage.
- Legacy: some games still include them as nostalgia.
The Konami Code
Gaming’s most famous sequence:
- Pattern: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A.
- Origin: Gradius (1986).
- Famous use: Contra (30 lives).
- Cultural spread: appears in non-gaming contexts.
Code culture
How cheats spread:
- Playground talk: friends sharing secrets.
- Magazine sections: tips and cheats columns.
- Hint lines: premium-rate phone services.
- Websites: GameFAQs, CheatCC.