Contra

Contra game is an action game that was created and published in the year 1987. The company behind this game is Konami. Originally, it was a coin-operated game available in arcades. In 1988, Nintendo Entertainment System released the home format. Since then, a number of sequels have been released.

Graphics 4/5

Contra for NES is considered to have some of the best graphics compared to other games of that time. There is a significant difference between the arcade Contra game and the NES at home game. One of the major differences is the play control. The NES version is quite responsive compared to the arcade version. The size of the game’s characters and the colors in the game are also quite different. In the arcade version, there is a lot of color usage, but the characters look very small. This is different in the NES version where there is a great balance of color, and the characters are of a great size. The NES also provides breaks in the last levels which is not the case in the arcade version.

Gameplay 5/5

Contra has three gaming perspectives: a pseudo-3D view, standard side view, and fixed screen format.  In the pseudo-3D view, the player moves and shoots towards the background of the game and also moves either to the right or to the left. The fixed screen format has the player holding the gun upwards. This is the game’s default position for the player. You can choose to play the game as a single player or play it in twos. If the players decide to choose the multiplayer option, one of them will control the character known as Lance who is shirtless and wears a red bandana, and the other will control Bruce who has blond hair, wears a white tank top and a blue bandana. It is really a simple game to play. The player only needs to master the controls.

Controls 4/5

This game’s controls are made up of two action buttons and an eight-way joystick. The action buttons are used for jumping and shooting. The joystick controls the player’s aiming, walking and jumping. When the game is in the side view format, the player can shoot up, right or left while standing still, and diagonally and horizontally when he is walking. When the player is jumping, he can shoot towards any direction. The player can also lie down to avoid shot fires by simply pressing the joystick downwards.

Replay Value 5/5

Contra is without a doubt very addictive. When you start playing this game, you will want to get to the next level and make it to the final level without losing your lives. The action aspect of the game is what makes it so interesting. It gets even more interesting when you are playing as a team; you can play it for hours without getting bored. It has an undeniable replay value.

In-game purchases

The original Contra game did not have any in-game purchases. However, the Konami version had a code which allowed players to get 30 additional lives. In the modern versions of the game, the code was eliminated. Now, players can only enjoy extra features through in-app purchases.

The Bottom Line

Contra is a phenomenal game that has remained significant since its initial release. Its evolution is incredible. This game is worth playing. You will not regret trying it.