With the release of Metroid: Samus Returns, the nostalgia of the heyday of 2D games - and the first three Metroid Games - is hard to resist. While Metroid II is a fine game to remake, most gamers of that era cut their teeth on the first Metroid game, which for the time was a huge, nearly endless adventure, compared to most games of that time.
Released alongside The Legend of Zelda and Kid Icarus, Metroid balanced its large stages with a password system so that you could come back another time and continue where you left off. Over time, a number of passwords were made available through Nintendo Power that really helped you out. Most of the passwords were random number and letter combinations, nearly impossible to remember offhand. One password though was easy to remember, gave you pretty much everything and set you near the end of the game as well. That password was JUSTIN BAILEY.
I can’t tell you how much more enjoyable Metroid became after this code was discovered. The game starts off with many quick deaths, but with full power and having the game fully open, it was great! There was also the fun of just breaking the rules as well as learning that passwords could be manipulated to get different results.
But who was Justin Bailey? Why was someone's name a password? Rumours were all over the place way back when and over the years, all kinds of people across the Internet have been able to solve many of the puzzles Justin Bailey gave us. How has Justin Bailey affected gaming since its discovery? Does a real life Justin Bailey exist? I have found at least two Justins! For the full story check out the video below.
When did you learn about Justin Bailey? Leave a comment and share your story.
If you liked this video be sure to check out GTV for more things retro, Nintendo and Japan.
Comments (27)
Hmmm. Will check this out later
"When did you learn about Justin Bailey?"
Literally just now.
Same. Absolute madness. @AcridSkull
ENGAGE RIDLEY
SOMETHING SOMETHING
@AcridSkull @G0dlike
If you wonder what my comment is about, look it up. There's a reason I wrote "something something".
I like ENGAGE RIDLEY M***** F*****
Yes, that is an actual password. In some versions it completely freezes the game, but I believe in some versions it starts the game but completely locks the screen. It's bizarre.
@AlexSora89 beat me to it.
@AlexSora89: Yeah, and watch any system running that game after the NES crash-out... XD
Slow nes day Nintendolife?
Larry Bundle Jr. talks about the Metroid Password System in more detail in his "Offensive Cheat Codes" video:
At the end of the day, it's just lucky a name is a correct password. Maybe using the whole alphabet isn't a smart idea, as people can try and put rude words in. The Metal Gear PAL Nes version even removed the vowels on their password system to stop such a thing.
This article makes me think of the cheat code for the original James Pond:
yngwie j malmsteen
I found out later that he was a Swedish guitarist.
@AlexSora89 not quite sure why you have tagged me here!
Not watching the video but cool article!
@BionicDodo Arpeggios from Hell
Passwords, they hide secrets that we as human don't know existed. I remember trying to decode every single MK3 vs. kombat kodes as a kid, did found tons of weird features and outcome but nothing groundbreaking.
Seems unfathomable that it is purely random. Quite frankly I dont believe it.
So a Justin Bailey exists who's birthday is the exact same day as mine, and here I am, reading this article. MAGIC!!
"get the maru item and make metroid crawl"....wtf did I just watch?
If I remember correctly, "Justin Bailey" was simply a combination of letters that just happened to pass the password engine's validation check.
NARPAS SWORD (and nothing else) for God mode.
ENGAGE RIDLEY M~ F~ freezes mine up...
Passwords are fun. But that image for the video is just...upsetting to the eyes. The color of the pink, the font overlapping the colors, that weird Samus photoshop (that admittedly maybe should have been in Smash)
@G0dlike
Because you didn't know about the passwords of legend.
@UnseatingKDawg
Mostly they crashed due to the sheer, bleakly comedic implications of the password itself.
"So you decided to engage me, huh, mother [bleep]er?"
"My mother is dead!"
"I know."
@AlexSora89: That was beautiful
@Alto thanks for reading then
Too bad that JUSTIN BAILEY doesn't mean anything at all.
It just happened to be the popular password that spread around.
You can download the metroid password generator and come up with sentences too.
Also, since the swimsuit armor is stored, you can start a fresh game with it by setting 2 on the second-to-last digit on both lines (sections 2 & 4)
@Chozo download the NES metroid password generator and start typing random words.
You will find some do work due to the vast information & variables the game keeps track of.
@UnseatingKDawg
I know. And I'm ashamed of my own joke.
I read somewhere a long time ago that bailey was old slang for a bathing suit so Justin Bailey meant "just in swimsuit". A quick Google search tells me that it is false. My whole life is a lie.
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