Stardew Valley’s Konami Code Easter Egg Explained

Like plenty of other cozy games, Stardew Valley is known for hiding Easter eggs throughout its world. A recent update for Stardew Valley, update 1.6.9, is no exception. However, this Easter egg isn’t simply a hidden reference for players to enjoy, as it unlocks a new form of gameplay.

Stardew Valley’s latest update, 1.6.9, expanded its predecessor 1.6 while also bringing new additions like the aforementioned Easter egg and the Lost Items Shop found in the Secret Woods. Plenty of quality-of-life and bug fixes were included in the update as well.

Previous Stardew Valley Easter Eggs

Previous Easter eggs in Stardew Valley often reveal hidden fun messages, items, different animations, or sound effects. For example, clicking the letter “E” on the game’s title screen ten times will reveal an alien opening a door behind the letter. The extra terrestrial waves at the player for two seconds before fading away.

Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone, better known as ConcernedApe, has also hidden Easter eggs more closely tied to him. For example, entering “ConcernedApe” as a player’s favorite thing during character creation adds some additional text when consuming a Stardrop. Additional text is also added when entering “Stardew” as a character’s favorite thing, though this text is different from the ConcernedApe response.

There are a few more complex mini-games in Stardew Valley that help reveal or guide players to hidden items. For example, after finding and donating all four Dwarf Scrolls to the Museum, players receive the Dwarvish Translation Guide. In the Graveyard, one of the previously unreadable tombstones will be uncovered, revealing a guide to finding the Galaxy Sword. The Locked Boxes Easter egg is a simpler version of this type of Easter egg. Finding a code in the Museum’s Lost Book by looking at the book’s first letters reveals a sequence of items and locations including “SUPER CUCUMBER TOWN”, “DUCK MAYO SALOON”, and “STRANGE BUN TOY BOX.” Placing these items into the respective locked boxes at the mentioned locations earns players a secret statue.

These Easter eggs may be fun, but they don’t change gameplay in Stardew Valley. This is how the latest Easter egg, a reference to the iconic Konami code, differs from its predecessors.

The Konami Code Introduces a New Stardew Valley Mode

Update 1.6.9 did not giveStardew Valley’s PC player base too much new content. However, mobile and console players of the game received update 1.6 within the 1.6.9 update. While mobile and console players may be mostly caught up with the PC version of Stardew Valley, mobile players still don’t have an official multiplayer mode for the game.

ConcernedApe has mentioned working on a mobile multiplayer mode for Stardew Valley previously, and he seems to have stuck to his word. As part of update 1.6.9, mobile players have a version of multiplayer mode, though ConcernedApe has been quick to mention that this version still has some bugs and issues that “could make a multiplayer session frustrating.” In order to make this multiplayer feature available, but still hidden, ConcernedApe hid the new mode behind one of the most iconic codes in gaming history.

The Konami Code is a cheat code found in most Konami games. Plenty of other video games have referenced the iconic cheat code, which requires players to enter the input: “↑↑↓↓←→←→ B A” before clicking start.

This input is required for mobile players to unlock the multiplayer mode. On Stardew Valley’s title screen, mobile players input “↑↑↓↓←→←→” by clicking the title’s leaves, omitting the “BA” part of the code entirely, before hitting the “?” button. When exiting the “?” menu, there will now be a co-op button on the title screen. Players can then decide where to “Host” or “Join” a game.

It should be noted that in the mobile version there is no “farm discovery” capability and gamers must be connected via IP. Receiving calls while playing, hosting a session on a low-performance phone, or having connectivity problems could lead to a shoddy Stardew Valley experience. Nevertheless, the mode is meant to act similarly to other platforms.

Until the multiplayer mode is officially released for Stardew Valley mobile, players should test out this Konami code Easter egg for themselves.

You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. The community center, once the town’s most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. But the valley seems full of opportunity. With a little dedication, you might just be the one to restore Stardew Valley to greatness!