RUBDUBDUB
RUBDUBDUB (right-up-b-down-up-b-down-up-b) is a secret cheat code hidden in multiple Playdate games. Many uses of the code are still to be discovered by the community and developers are encouraged to continue adding the code to more games.
Discovered Games
This is an incomplete list of games revealed or discovered to use RUBDUBDUB. Please add to and amend this list if you discover anything new!
| Game | Use | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Bona Fido | Title Screen | ??? |
| Goodnight Universe | ??? | ??? |
| HEXA | ??? | ??? |
| Lolife | Main Menu | ??? |
| Piña Rollada | ??? | ??? |
| Reel-istic Fishing | Main Menu | Opens a secret mini-game |
| Resonant Tale | Title Screen | Disables the HUD |
| RowBot Rally | Title Screen | ??? |
| The Seven Bridges of Koenigsberg | In-game | Enables secret fishing mode |
| Quizzical | ??? | ??? |
| Off-Planet Dreams | Code Entry Screen | Changes Player to Bop |
| Hall of the Dwarf King | Code Entry Screen | Unlocks Dwarf King in Creature Menu |
| Ware-wolf Campfire Stories | Lakeside Screen | Enables Music Mode |
| The Scrolling Enigma | everywhere | unlock an ad for a game hidden in an enigma |
| sing-song ding-dong | In-game | Become invincible for a few seconds |
| The Moon is our Friend | Title Screen | ??? |
| Lexgrid | Word in an early puzzle | Unlock bonus puzzles and a new rule |
Origin
RUBDUBDUB was first implemented in Resonant Tale by developer orkn. Talking with fellow developer rae the idea developed for the code to be secretly hidden in other Playdate games by reaching out to more developers, pitching it as a Playdate specific version of the Konami Code. The project was further organised in a private channel in the Uncrank'd Discord Server before being revealed in the Uncrank'd Pumpkin Patch + Play Showcase on November 1st 2025, with over two dozen games implementing the code before the reveal.
The code is based on the English language nursery rhyme Rub-a-dub-dub and was chosen for being short, easy to remember, unlikely to be accidentally discovered, and for not using the A button (making it easier to implement on title screens or in menus where the A button is used to progress).[1]
Usage
Developers are free and encouraged to add RUBDUBDUB as a cheat code in their own Playdate games. There are no strict usage guidelines and implementations may vary, for example the word "RUBDUBDUB" may activate a cheat when entered in text entry as opposed to using the literal button presses. Variants of the code are also welcome!
Developers may wish to fully or partially update the list of games on this page with new uses of the code or leave it entirely for the community to discover.