Customer Reviews

Contra

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The First Contra game was fantastic. Most people, no doubt, have probably at least heard of the exploits of the game. No, Contra can't hold a candle up to games in terms of graphics and sound, and the people who bash on the game for that are probably too young to remember Contra, or they're too busy being stuck in the 3D era that side scrollers are too "kiddish" for them. Those gamers obviously haven't played old school. Contra is not only one of the hardest games out there (as most 8-bit and 16-bit games are a lot harder than the 32-bit and over generation), it's one the greatest of the NES generation.

What made Contra perhaps one of the greatest games wasn't just it's run and gun action. It was also the way it handles its two-player co-op. Rather than taking turns like in a game like Mario, or waiting for someone to switch to you like say... Donkey Kong Country, Contra put both characters on screen at a time and had you both running and gunning down enemies. The screen kept moving along as well. One character might end up leaving the other behind. Either way, Contra was one of the first games that forced you to work together instead of competing. Over the course of the game you (and your partner if you had one) would collect different types of weapons that went flying over head.

You began with the default rifle which only fired one shot at a time. Over the course of the game you could find different sorts of weapons. You could get a machine gun, a laser, a flamethrower or a spread gun. Also, there was a barrier, a rapid fire and a super bomb. You could only hold one type of gun at a time, but the latter group could be obtained without replacing the gun. Any Contra veteran can tell you that of all the guns, the Spread Gun was the best of the lot. It was powerful, spread your shots out and could hit anything. Combine the Spread Gun with Rapid Fire and you were nearly invincible. Keyword: Nearly.

Contra is often cited (along with Mega Man and its sequel Super C) as being one of the hardest 8-bit games out there. This is because when it came to your lives in Contra, you died in one hit. Not only that but you only began with two lives. Konami, feeling that yes, they had made a hard game, supplied gamers with a code they could use. Over the years this has become known to be the Classic Konami Code: Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start. Any old school gamer who played Contra KNOWS this code. It gave you thirty lives. If, however, you really wanted to show your skills at Contra, you played without the code and you tried not to get hit at all! It can be done, but it takes a lot of practice.

Graphic and Sound wise, it's unrealistic to think the game could hold a candle up to the likes of Contra: Shattered Soldier or something like Metal Gear Solid 3. This doesn't mean the sound in Contra is bad. It's rather tiring to talk to some gamers who dismiss Contra simply because it's old, or because it can't survive. This, of course, is untrue, as many NES and SNES games have become some of the most sought after of all time. A game made in the 80's is not going to look like a game made in the new millenium. It seems kind of strange (and almost stupid) to have to point that out to the so-called "modern" gamer, when no one has to point out that a movie made in 1986 won't look like a movie made in 2006. If that makes me snobbish, so be it, but the modern gamer today does need to learn that the NES is not capable of, and will not be capable of, what the XBOX360 can do, and to compare to the two is like comparing apples and bananas. However, I find the music in Contra to be among the best of the 8-bit generation (nothing matches the very first Super Mario Bros., however). I often find myself humming these tunes.

Contra truly is one of the greatest games ever made. Not only did it pioneer two player co-op (the other game that comes to mind that did it so well is Turtles II), but it also provided the challenge that so many modern games are missing today. One hit kills, and being a one-man army up against it all. Some deaths might seem inevitable, but on the whole, Contra is a fantastic gaming experience. Those who have an NES (or perhaps an emulator) should own and play this game. At least for old time sake.

Contra is the best nes game I've ever played especially on multiplayer. It helps you out a lot because there is another player on the screen helping you out killing aliens. I also enjoyed the game a lot more with the konami code so you get 30 lives instead of 3 (The code is up up down down left right left right b a start.) I think I wouldn't have nearly as much fun on the game without the code. Another kool thing is the bosses. They look really wierd and kool at the same time. It seems like the creators thought of ramdom suff and put it all together like another konami game called life force that also super wierd bosses. Overall Contra is totally awesome and I recommend this game to anybody who likes classic and shoot em' up games.

Contra for the NES was one of the very first games that I ever played. I think the only other game I had ever tried at the time was Super Mario Bros. I remember being very confused at why your character died when he jumped on the villains and I remember being angry beyond belief when I couldn't get past level 4. So for you gamers who have yet to play the almighty Contra, I highly recommend either playing co-op with a friend or putting on the 30 lives code. This way, the game will be a much more enjoyable experience. In Contra, it is your duty to kill and destroy everything in your path. Eventually you must destroy the head alien (Red Falcon) in order to save the universe. Along the way you will encounter all of his pets and various other troops who are trying to get in your way.

GRAPHICS- 9/10
Although it was an "8-bit system" the NES usually pushed "8-bit" to its very limit. Games such as "Mega Man 2" and "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out" looked excellent. The graphics in Contra aren't the greatest the system ever made but they certainly are good. I particularly enjoyed the attempt at 3-d in the base levels. Other stages such as "The Jungle" and the winter area featured very nice and detailed environments. The "Alien's Lair" was dark, spooky and looked exactly like one would expect and alien's lair to look like. The enemy character's looked about as good as they probably could have on the NES, as did the two main characters. Only two of the boss characters stood out in my opinion (graphic wise). Those were the big, rock-robot guy and the gross-looking Alien. In the final stage when you first encounter the Alien's head, you will most likely be reminded of the main alien in the "Alien" film series.

SOUND- 10/10
This game features a very memorable soundtrack. A lot of the songs sound like they came right out of an awesome 80s cop movie. From the second your character drops from the helicopter to the last explosion in the game, the music is strong! The gun effects are top-notch for an NES shooter and the explosion sound is exactly like it should be!

GAMEPLAY:

Fun Factor- 10/10
This is obviously where the game shines. You run around, blasting the crap out of the enemies, jumping over things, ducking to avoid enemy fire while shooting at the same time. Some parts of the game deal with timing (for example: the "Energy Zone" stage where you must avoid the laser blasts or else you will die). But, like I mentioned above the difficulty level might take away from the fun factor, so putting the 30 lives code is the way to go. Also, if you have an NES loving friend, get him or her over to your house as soon as you can and put the popcorn in the microwave and then see how far the two of you can make it without the code!

Control- 10/10
The controls to this game are simple. Use the D-pad to move you character around (press down the duck), the A button to jump and the B button to shoot your weapon (in whatever direction you are in). The controls aren't too loose and they aren't too tight. In other words, this game controls like a dream!

Replay Value- 9/10
I have gone through this game 4 times this month (twice on my own with the code and twice with a friend). It is just that fun. I plan to play it all the way through in the near future and when I get good enough I plan to beat it without the code on. This game is addictive beyond belief. I can't see myself ever getting tired of playing this.

GRAPHICS: 9
SOUND: 10
FUN FACTOR: 10
CONTROL: 10
REPLAY VALUE: 9
AVERAGE SCORE: 9.6/10

So as you can see, this is one of my most beloved shooters as well as one of the most beloved shooters on the NES. It gave birth to two incredible sequels, and eventually became a long series. But this is where it all started and if you own any of the "Playstation" titles, and you think those are good...give this game a try and you will forget all about those ones. It is a near perfect game, that can provide you with a challenge but most importantly it is fun! And isn't that the most important thing?

I laugh when I see Contra making into top 10, 15, or 20 list of hardest NES games ever. And I still laugh so hard. The game ain't hard. I beat it so many times without a password so effortlessly. I don't even think it's even in the top 100 hardest games in NES history. I suspect those who placed the game up there is because they are attracted by the popular games and never really took a chance in taking on obscure titles and/or may have given up too easily with highly sold yet extremely difficult NES games. Regardless, and no question, Contra is among the best NES games ever played, and it is very, very well-made and fun to play. The concept is quite simple, and it's very innovative at the same time because of the two player capability (which was an entirely new thing that time). Without much of a surprise, Contra should be in top 25 greatest games in NES collection. Any higher, I will probably support its standing. It has been time tested and provides a very durable gameplay after many years. I am going to show you how to beat Contra without needing a password. Notice that almost in every stage you beat, you gain a life (one case, two). That's an important feature.
Stage 1: Stupid mental mistakes will cost you a life. At this point, your goal is no lives lost until end of Stage 4. It's a requirement, no buts or ifs. If you don't make it, restart the game and do it all over again. I've read that it's nearly impossible to cross the two exploding bridges. Really, I've never had a problem. The simple solution is to just run without firing and jump immediately after you jump at the trip point. The third jump isn't even necessary. If you miss the two bridges, don't worry, and it doesn't matter either. When you see the pod flying over, let it fly some until you get on a land and shoot at it. You can jump in the air and capture the S without the need for getting on top level land. Further down, there are two pods. The top one is the most important: R. Capture that. I've read some that the R makes no difference. Wrong! It makes a huge difference in terms of the number of times you press the fire button. It requires less pushing yet you get more bullets out. The more R you capture consecutively without dying, the more powerful the gun becomes. Some people may not know this, but if you run straight up to the end of the wall without firing at the same time, you can take out the sensor which will end the stage automatically without the need of taking out the firing enemies. If you run and shoot at same time to the end of the wall, you will die. However, I always play it safe. At the end, you gain a life, making it 4.
Stage 2: Nothing much to say except for one thing: the very first room you are in, be sure to focus on the red guy for another R before you take out the sensor. Also, same time, make sure that you do not stay too far right or left for the red guy because killing him will not release the special item. You have to be somewhere in the middle 70%. This is the easiest stage of the game.
Stage 3: Notice the scuba shooters in the water. I'll like to get as high as possible without touching any landed level to force them to shoot in the air. Then, I would go down to their level and take them out. The final one isn't necessary to worry about. Just go as high as possible and the guy will disappear. At the end of the stage, you gain a life, making it 5.
Stage 4: The second easiest stage you'll be on, but the final boss can be difficult at times if you don't position yourself properly. The room where you see a machine shooter in middle with a sensor at each end, wait a bit slowly and take out the red guy for an R. I said, stay in the middle because if you are shooting at the sensor at the far end, you won't ever see the R coming out. At this point, if you followed my advice of getting all Rs without losing a life, you are going to see how rapid the fire is. At the end, you gain a life, making it 6.
Stage 5: Maybe this is the beginning of the difficulty because when you run to one side, the soldiers will run to you from behind. Yet you can finish this stage without losing a life. Probably the hardest is taking out the second machine gunner without losing a life. And the rest of the way is fairly hard. This is the stage you should expect to lose a life. Before the jumping over the cliffs where the water is below, there are three flying pods. The most important is the bottom one because it contains a S. Always stay below for it and then shoot up for other two. You must have S for the rest of the way. Or you will lose too many lives to render your game useless from that point onward. The final boss is the easiest of the game. At the end, you gain two lives, making it 8 (7 if you lost a life).
Stage 6: Always a difficult one because of the many soldiers running to you from behind while a lot of things going on at same time. It is expected that you will lose a life in this. My advice to you in surviving this stage is always keep moving to the right without stopping. The longer you stop, the more soldiers will come at you. The part I hate the most is where there is a flamethrower to down and another one on the ground and there is a B part there. It is so random because I try to get the flame to go before I jump and then the other one shoots at me regardless. However, you can beat it if you wait for two flames come at the same time before you jump and then get on the first platform and shoot for B and get it. This final boss, I consider it the second easiest of the game. You should have 7 lives left by the end of the stage, 8 if you are perfect which is entirely possible.
Stage 7: It is expected that you will lose a life or two in this stage; this is not an easy one due to many soldiers running at you from behind or in front of you while dodging a lot of bullets at same time. If you have the gun with normal bullets for the final stage, you will probably lose another life. This stage is the most difficult of the game. You should gain a life in this one.
Stage 8: It is recommended that you have a minimum of 5 lives to beat this one without reaching "continue" option. Truth be told, I've successfully completed this by using only normal gun. When starting, be sure to grab both of the special items. They will help you to beat that alien head. Make sure to walk slow to right side and reveal the purple blocks one at a time to make the game easier on you. Be sure to grab the S soon; you will find it very helpful. A useful strategy here is to walk forward where you see limiting platforms from knee high and then when the purple block is activated, go to left as far as possible and shoot them off. Do the same thing over and over to prevent needless waste of lives. Now to the heart of the alien, first make sure to take out the final purple block. Then, stay to the far left and crouch down and up to take out the first two seed producers. Every time there is an alien on ceiling, pay attention more to it to determine if you need to jump or not. Then go back to what you are doing. Do the exact same thing for the heart except this time, you go to the far right for the heart and every time, an alien comes out, you go to the middle of the floor and determine if you need to jump or not. Repeat the process until the heart is dead. You will lose a life or two, but you have enough to win anyway.
I gotta to say, Contra is too easy. And I wonder if the makers at Konami were inspired by the movies Predator and Alien/Aliens and went for the combo. At any rate, Contra is a classic NES game.

Okay, i need to brag a little bit. I've beat this game without dying at all. But yes, i did get started with the Kanami Kode. UP UP DOWN DOWN LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT B A. But the point is that the game was so good, i played it so much that i eventually got good enough to where i made it a goal to beat it without dying. if you know this game, you know that is quite a feat.

Me and my family enjoy this game alot! Has a good picture and plays good. Does not turn off at all.

The title of my review says it all! This classic NES game pumped up every kid's bloodcells at the start of the first screen and it gets better as you progress. Who can forget that powerful spread fire gun that literally "sprayed" all enemies standing in your way! The machine gun and lazer gun sucked compared to the spread and I would always get mad when I would die and having to downgrade back to my original gun (yes, once you die, you loose your wepon upgrades so play carefully because the boss battles are much easier with your spread gun). Another noticable disadvantage is accidently downgrading your weapon by accidently touching the floating falcon symbol (after destroying the capsle) in the heat of the game. Note that the famous "KONAMI CODE" was invented for this game for a reason. This game does'nt mess around and you must plan your strategy rather carefully because there is no life bar in this game (one hit and you loose a life; three lives lost and its game over). The "KONAMI CODE" (familar konami fans know how to do it) gives your player 30 lives so take advantage if you're not up for the ultimate challenge. Other than the various power upgrades and special items, the rockin' music score, great 1988 graphics to emulate the arcade version, and very responsive/fluent controls made this game an instant hit. I never played it when it first came out (I was 5), but when I was in college and my dormmates were playing it, I had to get it from eBay (sorry, but Amazon wanted too much money at the time for a great copy). I'm glad I've expierenced the power of the game right up to the last level (demolishing the Red Falcon Alien for good). There is no doubt that this is one of the top 10 NES games of all time and my top 5 NES games in my book. This is a title that all NES collectors should purchase and if you don't have a NES. then download it on your mobile phone or get it for the Wii. Theres nothing like the NES version so you might as well buy a used NES and a copy of this hot title because its that addicting. Konami hardly makes a bad game.

Great Gift for future Brother-In-Law. He wanted a throwback to his childhood and he loved it. Great game in good working order.

i remember beating this game with my brother when we were kids...now we play it as adults and its still fun. definately would buy this game again from this seller.

Contra. If you can think of an old-school shooting game, this would probably stand right on top of your head. Originally hailing from arcades, the leap to NES made the game even more popular. Better yet...has anyone even played the arcade original?

Contra is composed of platform shooting at its finest, hard difficulty, and eight totally fantastic stages! Most of the stages would have a boss at the end, while stages 2 and 4 go into a fake-3D perspective.

Like I said the game is hard. What does that mean? Well, it's HARD. There would be so many frustrating deaths caused by numerous enemies. The deaths are also caused by the fact that you can only get hit once. Several games I reviewed had points docked off for this, but here...I'm just having too much of a blast!

The graphics are amazing for its time, and the music will always be beating in your 8-Bit heart.

What's really awesome about the game is how you get to play co-op with another player! Bill and Lance, kicking robo-butt like anything else in a video game.