Contra 4

November 30,2007 - When it comes to arcade-style classics, Contra ranks incredibly high on that list. There aren't too many games that feature the sheer challenge that this non-stop shoot-em-up series definitely possesses. The series has been making gamers throw their controllers at their television sets for over 20 years now. To celebrate this frustration, Konami has released Contra 4 on the Nintendo DS, and it's every bit as satisfying as it is challenging.

For those of you who have never played a Contra game before, it pretty much follows the same mechanics as games such as Metal Slug, Alien Hominid, or even Mega Man. The game is nostalgic 2D at its best, and with the amount of action going on in the dual screens, it makes for a pretty challenging campaign. It's all just a bunch of sidescrolling and excessive shooting with some platforming and rail-hanging thrown in for some good measure. While most newcomers simply hold on the fire button due to the fact that ammo is unlimited, others have found it more effective to rapidly tap on the fire button because it does allow you to shoot faster. The comfort level is all up to you. You also have the freedom of aiming your weapon anywhere you please while running in Metroid-like fashion. Your default gun is pretty weak and doesn't allow that much ammunition to come out in an instant, but don't worry, there are power-ups everywhere.

However, it's worth nothing that the gameplay is extremely unforgiving--if you're hit even once, you're dead. Not only that, but the upgraded weapon you might be in possession of disappears as well. Don't like it? Too bad. Don't die next time. To have success in Contra, it's all about trial and error--that's exactly what makes this game so hardcore. The best way to learn from mistakes is to experience them over and over. If you don't have the patience for it, this game isn't for you.

Once you actually get to the end of a level, you reach the area's boss. Again, this is nostalgia at its finest. Almost every boss in the game fills your screens, giving you a claustrophobic sense of urgency to kill the damn thing right away. Even on easy mode, bosses are extremely hard to kill--especially with the default shotgun.

That's right, there's actually an easy mode. But is it easy? Nope. You'll still die a lot, but you'll die less. Think of the easy campaign to just be a taste of what to really expect. It's good practice though as it gives you a keen sense of where enemies will show up, especially considering the fact that they'll always be coming. This allows you to prepare properly for each stage. You also have 5 continues as opposed to the Normal game's 3, so that's one of the few forgiving elements. When you beat the campaign on easy mode, you'll unlock Challenge Mode, another extremely difficult campaign that requires you to do things certain ways. Before you simply ignore the mode out of utter frustration, we'll spoil it here. If you get a certain amount of points in Challenge Mode, you'll unlock two classic Contra games--the original Contra for the NES and Super C. Both of the games translate pretty well on the DS, but the cooperative multiplayer doesn't work all too well at all. In fact, it's so complicated, it's not even worth trying to attempt.

The game's visuals pretty much pick off right where Contra 3 left off in the mid-90's. WayForward has given the game a totally retro look using pixel sprites to give everything a proper effect without the worry of having jaggies in 3D sprites that seem to be the norm these days. While you'll basically be doing everything on the bottom screen, there is stuff going on in the top screen as well--pretty much forming a "longscreen" viewpoint. While it works, the main problem lies within that dividing line between the bottom and top screens. Sometimes it's tough to judge where certain projectiles will hit, and that often leads to unnecessary deaths. Either way, the old-school graphics really work to Contra 4's advantage.

The sound is also what you'd expect from an old-school kind of game. The music has this epic sound to it that definitely gives you the feeling of being an American hero--when you're not dead. The majority of what you'll hear are blasts from your various guns and your character dying, often paired with the word "damn." It's not anything to brag about, but again--it all works out.

It's tough to imagine that Contra has been around for twenty years. We've seen all the ups in gameplay during the golden years and even the many tragic flaws as gaming evolved into a 3D-demanding world. Be that as it may, it's great to see Contra go back to its roots for this very impressive entry into long-running series. If you enjoy challenging titles that require every bit of skill you can muster, Contra 4 is just the perfect purchase. From the words of Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and Fort Minor: "This is 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain, and 100% reason to remember the name." Contra is just plain sick hardcore goodness.

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