NES Flash Drive Uses Konami-Level Security

By Kevin Parrish, published on October 12, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: , , , , | Themes: Software, Digital Entertainment
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An NES controller converted into a flash drive uses Konami-level security.

Every day there's always news of a cool USB gadget that makes regular store-bought drives taste as boring as boiled chicken. Today we spotted a converted NES controller, created by "one man shop" ProtoDojo, called the Retro GamerDrive. According to the website, the "developer" came across the old console collecting dust in the garage and decided to create a few projects with the hardware rather than selling the system on eBay.

"At first, I simply wanted to turn the controller into a flash drive and be one of the thousands of videos and blogs of people turning everyday objects into external memory, but ever since I got my first arduino working, I’ve been itching to do something different," he said. "I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to add a security feature that required someone to enter the classic contra “30 lives” code before they could access the data?"

That's right: to unlock this flash drive, users must be know the infamous "Konami Code," a cheat code that appears in many Konami games (and some non-Konami titles). Although the NES version of Contra made the code famous (aka the "30 Lives Code"), it originally appeared in Gradius for the NES back in 1986. The Konami Code is now also used to put a Palm webOS device into developer mode.

"In practice, I’m not sure if this security feature is practical, but it’s pretty fun!" he said. "There’s nothing like entering the classic Konami code on the original NES controller!"

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Comments

the_krasno 10/13/2009 12:35 PM
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-4+

This is awesome, now I'm itching to see custom flash drives using the Mortal Kombat fatalities as a code!

kyeana 10/13/2009 12:48 PM
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-2+

Epic win!

apache_lives 10/13/2009 1:01 AM
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-5+

Now all i need is a pen drive which needs me to say an epic Duke Nukem line to gain access to my data

nukemaster 10/13/2009 1:09 AM
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-1+

up up down down left right left right b a start!!!!

I think, its been a while

nukemaster 10/13/2009 1:10 AM
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-1+

nukemaster :
up up down down left right left right b a start!!!!I think, its been a while


It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum, I'm all out of gum.
No body steals out chicks....and lives.
Your an inspiration for birth control
Holy SHITTTT!
Die you SOB

the list goes on.

nukemaster 10/13/2009 1:11 AM
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-3+

oppsy...quoted my self...

WheelsOfConfusion 10/13/2009 3:28 AM
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-3+

Way to tell everybody the password to your porn-drive.

otacon72 10/13/2009 5:39 AM
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-2+

"One second sir, I just need to do a flawless victory to decrypt the data"

Kingssman 10/14/2009 1:26 AM
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-0+

A hardware password coded encrypted key drive.. Flawless victory indeed

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