A sad day for gamers as one of the most esteemed names in gaming has passed away. Famous for his cheat code, Konami code creator Kazuhisa Hashimoto, a former Konami employee has died at the age of 61 years old. His invention would have saved gamers a lot of time and effort and has been kind to starting gamers, helping them push forward even when lacked beginner skills, which would, later on, be required.
Kazuhisa Hashimoto is a legend to be respected
According to most professional gamers, they all started by learning the cheat codes created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto. Although this gave them an unfair advantage, this allowed them to think more in terms of commands rather than actions, which was the root of what pushed them into professional gaming. Cheat codes, when abused, make a gamer rely on them more, but when they are taken as a form of discipline to memorize certain control sequences and patterns, they can be an asset to a gamer as he develops other skills.
What comes to mind when we think of Kazuhisa Hashimoto is his earlier works, the game Contra! According to tales and stories being circulated, Hashimoto had to port a certain arcade title to the NES so that he could properly test his notoriously difficult game. He had forgotten to remove the code, and the game was then shipped out to customers. Thankfully, it was the use of the Konami code that actually helped this game gain its popularity and has worked its way into pop culture.
What the Konami Code has contributed and how it affects today's games
In Contra, once one uses the Konami code, they are able to stretch their lives up to 30, which makes this almost-impossible game manageable, and players end up having countless fun feeling godlike throughout the game. This similar concept started appearing in almost every game out there as designers decided to give some of their players' certain leverage to encourage them to get more involved in their game. Even modern games like the games from the Grand Theft Auto's franchise have adopted this method of handing out cheat codes to encourage fans to play.
Another influence that Kazuhisa Hashimoto has brought is the influence of modifications. Although modifications or mods were created, later on, a lot of the concepts behind mods came from the concept of the Konami codes, which was "accidentally released by Kazuhisa Hashimoto."
How does the future look without Kazuhisa Hashimoto?
Although one of the greatest influences in gaming has parted ways with us, the concept of the Konami code will definitely be used continually in upcoming games. Since Kazuhisa has set up a culture where players are aware of a shortcut to success, most games will have to provide the same concept as the Konami code. Thus, giving most beginner players the advantage of easy bonuses, extra lives, or whatever additions that stem from the Konami code.
