Contra

Game Overview

Contra is a legendary action run-and-gun shooter developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Famicom (FC). Adapted from the 1987 arcade classic, the home console conversion is widely regarded as one of the rare instances where a port surpassed its arcade original through expanded level design, superior controls, and tight gameplay balancing.

Set in the year 2633, the narrative follows elite soldiers Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer and Lance “Scorpion” Bean, sent to the fictional Galuga archipelago to neutralize a hostile alien terrorist organization known as Red Falcon. Players navigate through eight challenging stages, utilizing multi-directional aiming to blast through waves of enemy infantry, heavy artillery, and grotesque extraterrestrial bio-weapons.

A defining feature of Contra is its power-up system delivered via flying capsules. Players can upgrade their default rifle into destructive weapons like the Machine Gun, Laser Gun, Fire Thrower, and the iconic Spread Gun. Combined with smooth simultaneous two-player cooperative action, memorable boss fights, and its famous association with the Konami Code, Contra stands as an enduring milestone in side-scrolling action history.

Quick Specifications

Key Features

• Co-op Gameplay: Play simultaneously with a friend to tackle intense waves of enemies and bosses together.

• Varied Level Perspectives: Experience classic side-scrolling stages, vertical climbs, and indoor pseudo-3D corridors.

• Weapon Upgrades: Collect flying capsule power-ups including the Machine Gun, Laser, Fireball, and devastating Spread Gun.

• Eight Action-Packed Stages: Fight across jungle terrain, waterfalls, snowfield bases, and alien nests.

• Iconic Konami Code Support: Input the famous button sequence at the title screen to start with 30 lives.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q: What is the Konami Code for 30 lives in Contra?

A: On the title screen, press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, and then Start (or Select then Start for 2-player mode) to gain 30 lives.

Q: What is the best weapon power-up in Contra?

A: The Spread Gun (S) is widely considered the best weapon in the game due to its wide coverage, multi-directional spray, and high damage output at close range.

Q: Why is Contra called Probotector in Europe?

A: Due to strict censorship laws regarding human-on-human violence in video games in Europe during the late 1980s, Konami replaced the human soldiers and enemies with futuristic robots and renamed the game Probotector.

Q: What is the difference between the Japanese Famicom version and the North American NES version?

A: The Japanese Famicom version utilized a custom VRC2 chip that enabled animated background graphics (like moving foliage and wind effects), cutscenes between stages, an overworld map display, and extra cheat codes not present in the Western NES version.