Hidden Konami Code Easter Egg Unveiled in Hollow Knight: Silksong Game
The legendary Konami Code, first introduced in the NES game Gradius back in 1986, has made a comeback in the highly-anticipated indie game, Hollow Knight: Silksong. Originally programmed by developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto as a way to test the game easily, the code has since become a beloved Easter egg in many Konami games and beyond.
In Silksong, the Konami Code unlocks the Steel Soul mode, a permadeath difficulty mode that inverts the traditional purpose of the code. Instead of providing extra lives, Steel Soul mode makes the game harder, permanently ending the game with death.
To activate Steel Soul mode, players need to follow the full Konami Code sequence: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, and Start on a controller. After unlocking Steel Soul mode, players can access it by backing out of the Extras screen, selecting Start Game, picking New Game, and then choosing from the Mode Select screen.
The Steel Soul mode description in Silksong reads, "No reviving. Death is permanent." This challenging mode might prove particularly difficult for Silksong players, given the game's already steep difficulty level.
Kazuhisa Hashimoto, the developer behind Silksong, integrated the Konami Code into the game, ensuring that fans of the classic code would feel right at home. The Konami Code has also been used in other Konami games and paid homage to by other game developers.
Tech companies such as Google and Facebook have even adopted the Konami Code as an Easter egg in their services. The full Konami Code sequence in Silksong is Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, which unlocks the Steel Soul mode.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is now available on PC, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PS4, PS5, and is also available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. With the return of the iconic Konami Code, players can look forward to a new challenge in the world of Silksong.
