In case you didn’t know, today is apparently 8-Bit Day, as it coincides with the anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros. on NES. Today’s an especially noteworthy 8-Bit Day too, as the Nintendo classic is turning 30, and some of the biggest companies in the world are joining in on the fun to help celebrate the occasion.
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When you visit Microsoft.com, you’re not going to notice anything different right off the bat. In fact, the website looks the same as it did yesterday, but type in the following sequence of keys, grab a quarter, drop it into the coin slot that appears on the page and you’ll be treated to a fun surprise:
Up (arrow), Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A
That’s the Konami Code, by the way — a classic cheat code used in many of Konami’s video games, including Contra, Gradius, Castlevania and Metal Gear Solid. Over the past two years, Microsoft has dramatically improved its relationship with the gaming community, with both Xbox and Windows 10. This is a nice nod to all the games that preceded the current generation.
If you’re looking for more easter eggs, try searching for “Super Mario Bros.” on Google and clicking on the glowing question mark box on the right side of the page. But maybe turn your volume down first.
