Contra is a video game series produced by Konami composed primarily in the run and gun genre. The series debuted in February 1987 with the Japanese coin-operated arcade game of the same name, which has since spawned several sequels produced for various platforms.
The arcade version of Contra was released a few months after the Iran–Contra affair was made public. While it is unclear whether the game was deliberately named after the Nicaraguan Contra rebels, the ending theme of the original game was titled , after the adversaries of the real-life Contras.
Gameplay The majority of the Contra games are side-scrolling run and gun video games where the player takes control of an armed commando who must fight all sorts of extraterrestrial monsters and other kinds of futuristic menaces. In addition to the side-scrolling stages, the original Contra (among others) also features "pseudo-3D perspective" levels where the player must move towards the background in order to progress, while subsequent titles, such as Super Contra and Contra III: The Alien Wars, feature overhead stages as well. Only the Appaloosa-developed installments in the series, Contra: Legacy of War and C: The Contra Adventure, as well as Neo Contra, deviated from the series' mainly side-scrolling perspective (although C: The Contra Adventure does feature two side-scrolling stages). Contra: Shattered Soldier, while maintaining the side-view perspective of the 2D games, features fully polygonal 3D graphics. Almost every game in the series, with only a few exceptions (such as the MSX2 version of Contra, C: The Contra Adventure or Operation C for the Game Boy, which were single-player only), allows two players to play the game simultaneously.
The main power-ups in the series are falcon-shaped letter icons which will replace the player's default weapon with a new one, such as a Laser Gun or a Spread Gun. There are also power-ups that are actually auxiliary items like the Barrier (which provides temporary invincibility) or the Rapid Bullets (which increases the firing speed of the player's current weapon) in the original Contra, as well as weapons such as the Mega Shell in the arcade version of Super Contra and the Bombs in Contra III and Contra: Hard Corps, that are used to destroy all on-screen enemies. The original arcade version of Contra used the falcon icons for all of its weapons except the Laser Gun and the Fire Ball weapon, while in the arcade version of Super Contra, no Falcon icons were used. Contra: Shattered Soldier and Neo Contra both deviate from this tradition by having set weapon configurations instead.
Most of the Contra games have the player begin the game with only a set number of lives (three in most console games). If the player gets hit once, they will lose a life along with any weapon they currently possess in some games. Because of this, the Contra series is notorious for being extremely difficult. Even in the original arcade versions, most of the games only give limited chances to continue before forcing the player to start all over. Extra lives are usually obtained in most games when the player reaches certain scores. The NES version of the original Contra used the Konami Code (previously featured in the NES version of Gradius) to start the game with thirty lives instead of the usual three. Most of the subsequent console games in the series only featured these extra lives codes in their Japanese releases, such as Contra Spirits (the Japanese version of Contra III) and Contra: Hard Corps.
Games
Main games Contra (Arcade, NES, MSX2, DOS, C64, CPC, ZX) (1987) Contra is the first game in the series. Many of the series' conventions such as power-ups, two-player cooperative gameplay and the character's light mobility (including somersaults) were already present in this game. The game is composed of traditional side-view stages that scroll either vertically or horizontally, as well as "3D view" stages in which the player moves towards the backgrounds. The NES version is different from the arcade version and has longer stages and numerous other modifications. In Japan, the Famicom version uses the VRC2 chip, which allowed for additional background animation and cut-scenes not included in its North American and European NES counterparts. An MSX2 version was also produced that is drastically different from the other two versions, made by Konami staff members, but not by the original team who made the original Arcade. Several computer versions were done outside Japan, by Ocean in Europe for the C64, CPC and ZX, and by Banana Software in North America for DOS based PCs. Super Contra (Arcade, NES, DOS, Amiga) (1987) Super Contra replaces the 3D view stages from the original with top-view stages similar to those in Commando or Ikari Warriors. Features unique to the arcade version includes upgradable weapons and the ability to control the character's jumping height. The NES version (retitled Super C for its North American version) has three new stages and a new final boss, but lacks the upgradable weapons from the arcade game. Unlimited Software created DOS and Amiga conversions for the North American market, based on the arcade original. Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance) (1992) The series' first entry for a 16-bit game console, Contra III allows the player's character to climb into walls or railings and carry two weapons that can be switched back and forth, as well as smart bombs that kill all on-screen enemies. Many of the stages and bosses made use of the system's Mode 7 graphic effects, including a bike riding stage that ends in a midair battle with the main character riding missiles. The player is now required to rotate their character in the top-view stages to move along with the scenery. Two heavily modified portable ports were produced; a port for the original Game Boy, simply titled Contra: The Alien Wars; and a later Game Boy Advance port, titled Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX, which replaced the top view stages with levels from Contra: Hard Corps. Contra: Hard Corps (Mega Drive/Genesis) (1994) The first Contra game for a Sega platform. Hard Corps also contains selectable characters with unique weapons and abilities and introduces an in-game storyline with branching paths that alter the ending. Contra: Shattered Soldier (PlayStation 2) (2002) Features 2D side-scrolling gameplay with fully polygonal 3D graphics. The player now has a fixed weapon configuration, allowing the character to use one of three weapons. The player can also charge their weapon for a more powerful shot. The game grades the player's performance on each stage and only allows the good ending to those with an above-average rank. Neo Contra (PlayStation 2) (2004) Most of the game is played in an isometric perspective, but portions are side-scrolling or overhead-behind. The player can now select their weapon configurations, which includes a weapon that locks onto airborne enemies. Contra 4 (Nintendo DS) (2007) Developed by WayForward Technologies, the gameplay is displayed on two screens and the player's character now has a grappling hook that latches onto railings. The gameplay system is modeled after Contra III: The Alien Wars, with upgradable weapons similar to Super Contra. It also features the return of the 3D view "tunnel" stages from the original Contra. The game has never been released in Europe. Contra: Operation Galuga (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S), released on March 12, 2024. A remake of the original game developed by WayForward.
Spin-offs
Operation C (Game Boy) (1991) Operation C is the first Contra game made specifically for a portable platform. Featuring gameplay similar to the NES version of Super C, Operation C also first introduced the "homing gun" power-up. Contra Force (NES) (1992) Contra Force combines the run and gun style of the Contra series with a power-up system similar to Gradius. The game is notable for being the first Contra to feature selectable characters with their unique weapon configurations. Contra Force lacks the alien invaders and futuristic environment of previous installments, as the game centers around an elite task force fighting human terrorists in a present-day setting. The game was actually planned as an unrelated game in Japan titled Arc Hound, but it was never officially released there, nor in Europe. Contra: Legacy of War (PlayStation, Sega Saturn) (1996) The first of two Contra titles developed by Appaloosa Interactive, as well as the first attempt to convert the Contra gameplay to 3D and the first game in the series to be played in an isometric perspective. It was originally sold with a pair of anaglyph glasses. It is the first console Contra game to be released in the PAL region with no changes. A Japanese release of Legacy of War was planned, but canceled. C: The Contra Adventure (PlayStation) (1998) The second Contra game developed by Appaloosa. The gameplay is composed of several side-scrolling and 3D stages, as well as a single overhead stage. It's the only console game in the series to lack a multiplayer mode. C: The Contra Adventure was only released in North America, with no Japanese or European versions. Contra ReBirth (downloadable for Wii) (2009) Developed by M2 and published by Konami for WiiWare, this 2D side-scrolling game was released in May 2009 in Japan and features Bill Rizer and Genbei Yagyu from Neo Contra fighting off an alien invasion. It features hand-drawn sprite-based visuals, and has two unlockable characters as well as an unlockable "nightmare mode." The Nintendo Wii Shop Channel closed in 2019, thus the game is no longer available for purchase. Hard Corps: Uprising (downloadable for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) (2011) The game was developed by Arc System Works and is the first Contra game without the Contra name in the title. It became available on Xbox Live Arcade on February 16, 2011, and was released on the PlayStation Network on March 15, 2011. It is a prequel to the original Contra. The player plays as Colonel Bahamut, the main antagonist from Contra: Hard Corps. Although the game was released with only two different characters to choose from, Konami has released additional characters via DLC. Contra: Rogue Corps (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One) (2019) Developed by Toylogic and published by Konami, Contra: Rogue Corps is a top-down isometric view run and gun game taking place years after Contra III: The Alien Wars, which was released on September 24, 2019.
Other games
Spin-offs exclusive to mobile gaming platforms among other mediums. Contra: The War of the Worlds (mobile) (2009) A mobile game developed by Konami's Chinese division. In this game, the player fights alien intruders on the Moon. Contra: Evolution (Arcade, Android, iPhone, iPad) (2010) A remake of the original Contra which was released in China on mobile phones (2010), based on an arcade version that would actually be released later (2011) and later ported to iOS systems in 2013. It features updated graphics, new characters to choose from, pay-to-play credits to buy extra lives, and bonus stage
Contra 3D (Pachislot) Contra 3D is a pachislot game based on the Contra series which was released in Japan in 2013. Neo Contra (Slot Machine) (Pachislot) Neo Contra (Slot Machine) is a Slot Machine game based on Neo Contra which was released in North America in 2014. Neo Contra: Warrior Reloaded (Pachislot) Neo Contra: Warrior Reloaded is another slot machine game based on Neo Contra, released in 2016. Neo Contra: Samurai Strike (Pachislot) Neo Contra: Samurai Strike is another slot machine game based on Neo Contra, released in 2016. Contra Returns (mobile)