Stardew Valley Mobile has a Secret Co-Op Mode Only Accessible with a Konami Code.

Stardew Valley’s major update 1.6.9 was released to all platforms earlier this week, including desktop and mobile. While developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone gave players the low-down on the update’s content in its details, he seems to have left out a small detail: The new update allows mobile players to access the multiplayer mode… by enter the Konami Code.

Barone made a blog post acknowledging the new mobile feature once the update is available, and also explains why it’s not hidden in the details, and why the Konami Code as the only way to get it.

“With the release of Stardew Valley 1.6 on mobile, there is now a hidden multiplayer feature for you to access,” Barone wrote. “Hidden for several reasons: 1. It’s an experimental feature, so it may have bugs or issues. 2. The nature of the mobile platform can make multiplayer sessions frustrating under certain circumstances.”

Barone said the mobile multiplayer works “just as well as other platforms,” ​​but noted that it lacks the “farm discovery” feature included in other versions of the game. Mobile gamers can connect to multiplayer only by sharing their IP address (if hosting) or entering the host’s IP address (if joining a program), but Barone says gamers can use that method to connect to a PC-managed farm from a mobile device. .

“The ideal scenario for ‘mobile multiplayer’ would be to connect to a PC-run farm from a high-end mobile device on a local network (using Wi-Fi, unless you have a connect your mobile device to ethernet),” Barone explained. “This would be the best case scenario. If you are trying to connect or receive messages on a mobile phone, you may encounter problems.”

As for the worst case scenario?

The worst case scenario would be if someone were to catch the game on a bad phone, mobile network (you’ll probably have to set up a Wi-Fi hotspot for others to connect to in the area) your neighborhood), and they were on a train or something, going through the wires,” Barone said of the potential dangers facing multiplayer enthusiasts. “And then the host also gets calls, which causing the device to be interrupted frequently. This can result in a potentially confusing experience for many players.”

However, Barone is not trying to discourage mobile gamers from trying this method.

“If you want to try these things, there’s nothing stopping you,” he said of the newly available method. “Just be aware that there are connectivity issues that may occur when trying to run a multiplayer game from a mobile device.”

If you’re wondering how exactly one enters a Konami Code into a mobile game version, don’t worry – Barone’s blog post includes a step-by-step guide. Players will notice the main screen of the game has four sets of leaves. For all intents and purposes, these are your arrows for the Konami Code. Barone even made a diagram to show which leaves correspond to each arrow.

From the main screen, mobile players waiting to try the multiplayer mode should press the following “arrows” (leafs) in this order: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right. But instead of following it with “B, A, start”, which ends with a traditional code, players just need to click on the question mark on the right side of the screen.

After exiting the “?” menu, a co-op button will appear on the main screen. Click on it, and you’ll be faced with the choice of joining the program or holding your own. To join the program, enter the host’s IP address. Host players will have to create cabins for other players, and once that’s done, they can share their IP address with any friends they wish to host on the farm.

There are other problems that co-op players may face, but Barone explained them (and their workarounds) in his blog post. He even included a small guide to help Android and iOS users find out what their IP address is. If you’re struggling to connect to Stardew Valley’s multiplayer feature, see Barone’s recent blog post for troubleshooting information and other tips.

As for Barone himself, he says he plans to resume work on his next project, Haunted Chocolatier, once Stardew Valley’s 1.6.9 update is stable and “fixed” on all platforms.