Difference between revisions of "Contra (NES)"

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(Created page with "'''''Contra''''' is a run-and-gun action shooter from Konami. The game was originally released in the arcade and then ported to various platforms. My favorite is the NES r...")
 
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'''''Contra''''' is a run-and-gun action shooter from [[Konami]]. The game was originally released in the arcade and then ported to various platforms. My favorite is the NES release.
+
{{Video Game
 +
| Title            = Contra
 +
| Image            = Contra - NES - USA.jpg
 +
| ImageDescription = NES - USA - 1st Edition.
 +
| Developer        = {{VideoGameDeveloper|Konami|Konami Industry}}
 +
| Publisher        = {{VideoGamePublisher|Konami}}
 +
| PublishedYear    = 1988
 +
| PublishedMonth  = 02
 +
| PublishedDay    = 09
 +
| Platforms        = {{Platform|NES}}, {{Platform|PlayChoice-10}}
 +
| Genres          = {{VideoGameGenre|Action video game|Action}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platform shooter|Platform shooter}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platformer|Platformer}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Shooter|Shooter}}
 +
| Themes          = {{MediaTheme|Action}}, {{MediaTheme|Science Fiction}}
 +
| Series          = ''[[Contra (universe)|Contra]]''
 +
| Multiplayer      = {{GameMultiplayer|Simultaneous co-op}}
 +
| Distributions    = {{VideoGameDistribution|Commercial}}
 +
}}
  
==Status==
+
'''''Contra''''' is a [[platform shooter|run-and-gun]] developed and published by [[Konami]] for the [[NES]] on 1988-02-09. It is a port of the original [[Contra|arcade game]], the first in the [[Contra (universe)|''Contra'' series]]. While the game has several similarities to the arcade game, Konami made moderate changes to the game, and my own personal history with it is enough for me to warrant calling it a different game.
I have beat the American and Japanese NES ports several times without needing to continue.
+
 
 +
The game has three different releases, one for Japan, the USA, and Europe. The Japanese release has an additional chip in its cartridge which allowed the developers to add more polish by adding cut-scenes, background animation, and an in-game story line which doesn't exist in the USA and European versions. Despite having more work put into it, the Japanese version was still released first, so, Konami must have had to downgrade the program for the US and European markets which didn't use the additional chip. The European release was based on the American version, but has heavily-altered artwork where all the humans have been replaced by robots to placate European censors.
 +
 
 +
==Personal==
 +
{{VideoGameStatus
 +
| Own      = Yes. NES USA loose cartridge.
 +
| CantOwn  =
 +
| Won      = Yes. All versions, no continues.
 +
| CantWin  =
 +
| Finished = USA: 2000s / Japan: 2000s / Europe: 2024-03-19.
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
My step-brother owned ''Contra'' on the NES in the 1980s, which was the first time I saw it, played it, or knew anything about the series. I thought the game looked amazing, but found it far too difficult. My step-brother Mike always referred to the flame thrower as "freaky" and purposely avoided it, which, at the time, I thought was odd, but now, I completely understand. I was so bad at gaming in the 1980s that, even with the 30 lives from the [[Konami Code]], I wasn't able to beat the game without still needing to continue. Although, part of this was, because I knew I had so many lives, I didn't really try to learn to play the game properly. I've since become a more seasoned player and can now beat it with the provided three lives, although I still find it to be a tough game.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
Overall: 5/10
+
{{Video Game Review|6|7|5|7|5|Famicom}}
 +
 
 +
{{Spoilers}}
  
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
* The controls are really responsive and intuitive. You have good control over your jumps.
+
* Input is really responsive and intuitive giving you great control over your jumps. Certainly better than the [[Contra|arcade original]].
* Each stage is pretty unique with new enemies, scenery, and music.
+
* I prefer how the NES port breaks up the Snow Field, Energy Zone, Hangar, and Alien's Lair into their own stages, rather than make them one long grueling level as in the arcade original. The the new enemies, scenery, music, and length to the maps are all desired additions.
* The game is challenging enough that even after playing for years, you'll still have difficulty beating it.
+
* Even with a weaker GPU, I find that the graphics are more effective on the NES port. The designers of the arcade game chose to make the background graphics muted compared to the foreground. This makes it easier to track foreground objects, but it looks pretty bad, and the overall color palette is rather washed out. This is a shame because the arcade graphics are expertly drawn. The NES wasn't really capable of displaying such muted colors, so the designers took a different approach of using large blocks of color for backgrounds. This has a similar effect of differentiating area, but I find it more aesthetically pleasing. A lot of the sprites were also redesigned. The player's characters and enemy soldiers no longer look ridiculous while jumping and the the bosses for stages 3 and 6 look better. The Waterfall boss looks much more sinister and the Energy Zone boss looks less like a football player. Though all the graphics had to be redrawn, the artists wisely kept the [[H. R. Giger]] style.
* The graphics are pretty good, and using Giger's art style as adapted to Alien was a great idea.
+
* [[Hidenori Maezawa]] and [[Kyouhei Sada]] did a great job at arranging [[Kazuki Muraoka]]'s soundtrack. I even prefer the NES version because the melodies are more noticeable.
 +
* Allowing a player who has lost all their lives to steal a life from the remaining player to join in was a great way to keep the fun going for both players (although, it more frequently leads to a lot of ire when you don't want to give up your hard-earned lives). It would be nice if this were a setting you could turn off.
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
* The game is painfully difficult. Had I encountered this game later in life, I wouldn't have the patience for it. Thankfully there is a 30-lives cheat code which makes victory more possible for an amateur.
+
* The weapon power-ups should have been reworked before shipping to make them more balanced. As it is, some are clearly better than others. The spray gun is overpowered, the machine gun and rapid fire are a nice boost, but the flame thrower's slow speed and erratic pattern makes it difficult to use, and the laser is particularly bad. You can only have one beam out at once, and it's the only weapon that doesn't speed up with rapid fire.
* Only the spray gun, machine gun, and rapid fire are worth getting. Laser and flame thrower are essentially downgrades from the default weapon since they are so difficult to work with.
+
* I kind of which power-ups were doled out more randomly. You quickly learn to memorize which power-ups you'll get and when you'll get them, and this kind of makes for a less-exciting journey.
 +
* The [[Konami Code]] is certainly desirable for beginners, but it's a bit much. 30 lives is so many, it basically eliminates the need for even trying to get better at the game.
 +
* The European port was not adjusted for the slower PAL refresh rate, so the game's timing is off and the music tempo is slower. You'd think when they were in reskinning the game's graphics, they would also adjust the speed.
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
* Nothing.
+
* The game is painfully difficult. Survival comes less from skill, and more from level memorization. Had I encountered this game later in life, I wouldn't have the patience for it.
 +
 
 +
==Media==
 +
===Box Art===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Contra - NES - Japan.jpg|Contra's original Japanese box art is done in a manga style, with a very Giger-esque background, but for some reason has a magenta backdrop. Also, the guns look more like ray guns that rifles.
 +
Contra - NES - USA.jpg|I prefer the North American box art which is clearly a rip off Arnold Schwarzenegger from ''[[Predator]]'' and Sylvester Stallone from ''[[Rambo]]''. It also has a Geiger-inspired background, though more insect and less phallus. A lot of the original artwork was cropped off.
 +
Contra - NES - Europe.jpg|The European PC market kept the soldier theme and used the name Gryzor, but the NES platform switched to a robot theme. While I don't care for the censorship, I really like the mecha art.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
===Documentation===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Contra - NES - Manual.pdf|Game manual.
 +
Contra - NES - Manual (Japan).pdf|Game manual (Japan).
 +
Nintendo Power - 1988-06 - 074-075.jpg|''[[Nintendo Power]]'', July 1988.
 +
Nintendo Power - 1988-06 - 076-077.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', maps.
 +
Nintendo Power - 1988-06 - 058-059.jpg|''Nintendo Power'', 30 lives code.
 +
Official Nintendo Player's Guide - 157-158.jpg|Coming soon in ''[[The Official Nintendo Player's Guide]]''.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
===Maps===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 1 - Jungle.png|1 - Jungle.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 2 - Base 1.png|2 - Base 1.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 3 - Waterfall.png|3 - Waterfall.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 4 - Base 2.png|4 - Base 2.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 5 - Snowfield.png|5 - Snowfield.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 6 - Energy Zone.png|6 - Energy Zone.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 7 - Hangar.png|7 - Hangar.
 +
Contra - NES - Map - 8 - Alien's Lair.png|8 - Alien's Lair.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
===Screenshots===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Contra - NES - Screenshot - Jungle.png|The jungle.
 +
Contra - NES - Screenshot - Konami Code.png|30 lives thanks to the [[Konami Code]].
 +
Contra - NES - Screenshot - Game Over.png|The [[game over]] screen.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
===Graphics===
 +
* [https://www.spriters-resource.com/nes/contra spriters-resource.com/nes/contra] - Graphic sheets.
 +
 
 +
===Fan Art===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Contra - NES - Konami Code Tattoo.jpg|A tattoo of the Konami Code in Contra.
 +
Honest Video Game Titles - Contra.jpg|Honest title.
 +
Contra - NES - Cover Art Inspiration.gif|Animated GIF showing the inspiration of the US NES Contra box art.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
===Video===
 +
{{YouTube|wfbnehpXtUs|Review - NES Works.}}
 +
{{YouTube|qu1jatncaTU|Region Break.}}
 +
{{YouTube|76ley2v2s9w|Brentalfloss - What if ''Contra'' had lyrics?}}
 +
{{YouTube|GgOE64kgjjo|Speed run history.}}
 +
{{YouTube|A-FPkw3zGiM|Longplay - Japan.}}
 +
{{YouTube|qXcVojj2GXk|Longplay - North America.}}
 +
{{YouTube|9UypHR9l7EU|Longplay - Europe.}}
 +
 
 +
==Play Online==
 +
{{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/gryzor-japan.html|Famicom}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/probotector-europe.html|NES (Europe)}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/chip-n-dale-rescue-rangers-2-usa.html|NES (USA)}}
 +
 
 +
==Representation==
 +
{{Representation
 +
| Media                      = Video games
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Fail
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = There are no women.
 +
| BechdelTestStatus          = Fail
 +
| BechdelTestNotes            = There are no women.
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Fail
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = There are no people of color.
 +
| QueerCharacterStatus        = Fail
 +
| QueerCharacterNotes        = There are no queer characters.
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==Credits==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Role !! Staff
 +
|-
 +
| Directors || [[Shigeharu Umezaki]] (Umechan), [[Shinji Kitamoto]]
 +
|-
 +
| Programmers || [[Shigeharu Umezaki]], [[Satoshi Kishiwada]], [[Kouki Yamashita]], [[T. Danjyo]], [[Mitsuaki Ogawa]]
 +
|-
 +
| Graphic Designers || [[T. Ueyama]], [[Setsu Muraki]], [[M. Fujiwara]], [[T. Nishikawa]], [[C. Ozawa]]
 +
|-
 +
| Sound Composer || [[Kazuki Muraoka]]
 +
|-
 +
| Sound Arrangers || [[Hidenori Maezawa]], [[Kyouhei Sada]]
 +
|-
 +
| Special Thanks To || [[Kenji Shimoide]], [[Naoki Sato]], AC Contra Team
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==Titles==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Language !! Native !! Transliteration !! Translation
 +
|-
 +
| English (America) || Contra || ||
 +
|-
 +
| English (Europe) || Probotector || ||
 +
|-
 +
| Japanese || 魂斗羅 || Kontora || Contra
 +
|}
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/contra mobygames.com/game/contra] - MobyGames.
+
{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/contra_}}
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_(video_game) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_(video_game)] - Wikipedia.
+
{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_(video_game)}}
* [http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563399-contra gamefaqs.com/nes/563399-contra] - GameFAQs.
+
{{Link|StrategyWiki|https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Contra_(NES)}}
 +
{{Link|GameFAQs|http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563399-contra}}
 +
{{Link|VGMPF|http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/Contra_(NES)}}
 +
{{Link|ROMDetectives|2=http://www.romdetectives.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Contra_(NES)}}
 +
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Contra_(NES)}}
 +
{{Link|TVTropes|https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Videogame/Contra}}
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/Contra/Index.html thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/Contra/Index.html] - My old Contra site.
 +
* [http://www.nintendoplayer.com/prototype/contra nintendoplayer.com/prototype/contra] - Nintendo Player - Prototype.
  
  
[[Category: Game]]
+
[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Adventure, Strategy]]
[[Category: Video Games]]
+
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Boss Trick]]
[[Category: Action]]
+
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Ratchet Scrolling]]
[[Category: Run and Gun]]
 
 
[[Category: Favorite]]
 
[[Category: Favorite]]
 
[[Category: Favorite Games]]
 
[[Category: Favorite Games]]
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
[[Category: Multi-Player]]
 

Latest revision as of 09:58, 19 March 2024

Contra

Contra - NES - USA.jpg

NES - USA - 1st Edition.

Developer Konami Industry
Publisher Konami
Published 1988-02-09
Platforms NES, PlayChoice-10
Genres Action, Platform shooter, Platformer, Shooter
Themes Action, Science Fiction
Series Contra
Multiplayer Simultaneous co-op
Distribution Commercial

Contra is a run-and-gun developed and published by Konami for the NES on 1988-02-09. It is a port of the original arcade game, the first in the Contra series. While the game has several similarities to the arcade game, Konami made moderate changes to the game, and my own personal history with it is enough for me to warrant calling it a different game.

The game has three different releases, one for Japan, the USA, and Europe. The Japanese release has an additional chip in its cartridge which allowed the developers to add more polish by adding cut-scenes, background animation, and an in-game story line which doesn't exist in the USA and European versions. Despite having more work put into it, the Japanese version was still released first, so, Konami must have had to downgrade the program for the US and European markets which didn't use the additional chip. The European release was based on the American version, but has heavily-altered artwork where all the humans have been replaced by robots to placate European censors.

Personal

Own?Yes. NES USA loose cartridge.
Won?Yes. All versions, no continues.
FinishedUSA: 2000s / Japan: 2000s / Europe: 2024-03-19.

My step-brother owned Contra on the NES in the 1980s, which was the first time I saw it, played it, or knew anything about the series. I thought the game looked amazing, but found it far too difficult. My step-brother Mike always referred to the flame thrower as "freaky" and purposely avoided it, which, at the time, I thought was odd, but now, I completely understand. I was so bad at gaming in the 1980s that, even with the 30 lives from the Konami Code, I wasn't able to beat the game without still needing to continue. Although, part of this was, because I knew I had so many lives, I didn't really try to learn to play the game properly. I've since become a more seasoned player and can now beat it with the provided three lives, although I still find it to be a tough game.

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
6 7 5 7 5

Best Version: Famicom

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • Input is really responsive and intuitive giving you great control over your jumps. Certainly better than the arcade original.
  • I prefer how the NES port breaks up the Snow Field, Energy Zone, Hangar, and Alien's Lair into their own stages, rather than make them one long grueling level as in the arcade original. The the new enemies, scenery, music, and length to the maps are all desired additions.
  • Even with a weaker GPU, I find that the graphics are more effective on the NES port. The designers of the arcade game chose to make the background graphics muted compared to the foreground. This makes it easier to track foreground objects, but it looks pretty bad, and the overall color palette is rather washed out. This is a shame because the arcade graphics are expertly drawn. The NES wasn't really capable of displaying such muted colors, so the designers took a different approach of using large blocks of color for backgrounds. This has a similar effect of differentiating area, but I find it more aesthetically pleasing. A lot of the sprites were also redesigned. The player's characters and enemy soldiers no longer look ridiculous while jumping and the the bosses for stages 3 and 6 look better. The Waterfall boss looks much more sinister and the Energy Zone boss looks less like a football player. Though all the graphics had to be redrawn, the artists wisely kept the H. R. Giger style.
  • Hidenori Maezawa and Kyouhei Sada did a great job at arranging Kazuki Muraoka's soundtrack. I even prefer the NES version because the melodies are more noticeable.
  • Allowing a player who has lost all their lives to steal a life from the remaining player to join in was a great way to keep the fun going for both players (although, it more frequently leads to a lot of ire when you don't want to give up your hard-earned lives). It would be nice if this were a setting you could turn off.

Bad

  • The weapon power-ups should have been reworked before shipping to make them more balanced. As it is, some are clearly better than others. The spray gun is overpowered, the machine gun and rapid fire are a nice boost, but the flame thrower's slow speed and erratic pattern makes it difficult to use, and the laser is particularly bad. You can only have one beam out at once, and it's the only weapon that doesn't speed up with rapid fire.
  • I kind of which power-ups were doled out more randomly. You quickly learn to memorize which power-ups you'll get and when you'll get them, and this kind of makes for a less-exciting journey.
  • The Konami Code is certainly desirable for beginners, but it's a bit much. 30 lives is so many, it basically eliminates the need for even trying to get better at the game.
  • The European port was not adjusted for the slower PAL refresh rate, so the game's timing is off and the music tempo is slower. You'd think when they were in reskinning the game's graphics, they would also adjust the speed.

Ugly

  • The game is painfully difficult. Survival comes less from skill, and more from level memorization. Had I encountered this game later in life, I wouldn't have the patience for it.

Media

Box Art

Documentation

Maps

Screenshots

Graphics

Fan Art

Video

Review - NES Works.
Region Break.
Brentalfloss - What if Contra had lyrics?
Speed run history.
Longplay - Japan.
Longplay - North America.
Longplay - Europe.

Play Online

Famicom, NES (Europe), NES (USA)

Representation

Strong female character?FailThere are no women.
Bechdel test?FailThere are no women.
Strong person of color character?FailThere are no people of color.
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Credits

Role Staff
Directors Shigeharu Umezaki (Umechan), Shinji Kitamoto
Programmers Shigeharu Umezaki, Satoshi Kishiwada, Kouki Yamashita, T. Danjyo, Mitsuaki Ogawa
Graphic Designers T. Ueyama, Setsu Muraki, M. Fujiwara, T. Nishikawa, C. Ozawa
Sound Composer Kazuki Muraoka
Sound Arrangers Hidenori Maezawa, Kyouhei Sada
Special Thanks To Kenji Shimoide, Naoki Sato, AC Contra Team

Titles

Language Native Transliteration Translation
English (America) Contra
English (Europe) Probotector
Japanese 魂斗羅 Kontora Contra

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-GameFAQs.png  Link-VGMPF.png  Link-ROMDetectives.png  Link-TCRF.png  Link-TVTropes.png