Overview and Gameplay
Red Falcon has established an alien foothold in the Amazon, and commandos Bill “Mad Dog” and Lance “Scorpion” must fight through eight defense zones to destroy it. This expanded NES adaptation of Konami’s arcade game mixes side-scrolling run-and-gun action, vertical climbs, and behind-view base assaults.
Most hits are fatal, special weapons are lost after death, and every stage ends with a major defense or boss. Fast movement, eight-direction shooting, memorable weapons, and simultaneous cooperative play made Contra a defining NES action game.
Controls And Mechanics
- Use the directional pad to move, crouch, drop through some platforms, and aim in eight directions.
- Press B to fire and A to jump.
- Weapon pickups include the machine gun, spread gun, laser, fireball, rapid fire, and a temporary barrier.
- One or two players can tackle the campaign together on a shared screen.
Version Notes
This North American release is titled Contra. Europe received a robot-themed version called Probotector. The Japanese Famicom cartridge includes extra story scenes, maps, music, and animated effects absent from the USA version.
Release And Credits
- Release: 1988
- Developer: Konami Industry Co., Ltd.
- Publisher: Konami, Inc.
- Original platform: Arcade
