Contra is a 2-D shoot ‘em-ups game developed by Konami in 1987. It is one of the most renowned game on Nintendo Entertainment System. Back in the 90s, it was almost as popular as the Super Mario. Contra has single player mode and two player mode. Players are expected to defeat upcoming enemies by guns while dodging all sorts of attack along the way, and eventually destroy the enemy base. In Japanese, Contra is “a title awarded to a superior soldier possessing almost superhuman drive and ability while excelling in guerrilla tactics.” The two men characters appeared on the opening of the game are the models of Michael Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Both actors were action stars at that time, representing strong and tough figures from the western world in Asia.
The background story of this game is based on the 1979 film Alien. In 2631, a meteor crashes on an unknown island. The intelligence department of the navy learned that an organization named Red Falcon is building a base on that island for alien invasion. Two special agents are sent to destroy the base. This trend of defeating aliens and the dangerous living from space can be also seen in some other games. For example, Metroid.
In the beginning, each player has up to three lives and will lose a life once gets hit. Player can control the character to jump and lay down while continuing shooting. Contra is featured with versatile weapons like shot gun, laser gun and fire ball. Weapon can be upgraded by touching the falcon-like icon. It really requires fast reactions and losing the game multiple times before one can go through all tasks. There are eight stages with various background and moving directions, together with countless different enemies. Some will attack the character directly by claws or bullets, some are vicious gear with changing speed and pace to trouble the player.
One outstanding characteristic of Contra is that it changes the viewing perspective on different stages as if changing the shooting angle in a film. In most stages, the character moves from left to right. There are also stages where the player goes upward. The most interesting stages are the second and the fourth stages. On these two levels, the image on the screen enlarges itself to create a 3-D objective and simulates the situation in which the special agent goes toward the background and invites the player to enter into the screen. Another worth-noting feature of this game is the advance movement. Unlike Mario, the character leaps with a forward roll instead of merely jumping. The responsive jumping enables the player to make quicker changes and adjustments. The upper limit of operation is higher while the game is also more challenging.
The background graphics are unique on each stage. At first, the player can see green trees and blue sky on the forest stage. The environment is soothing and it is not difficult to go through. Then the character enters the base and the outlook creates a claustrophobic feeling.
The last stage is the alien liar. On this final level, the background colors are mostly red and purple, which generate a dangerous and evil setting. The monsters are all creepy and dreadful. Once the player finishes all stages, the closing animation will show up. A helicopter leaves the island and says: “Congratulations! You’ve destroyed the vile Red Falcon and saved the universe. Consider yourself a hero.”
Hidden treasure is always fascinating to all players. Contra has a cheat code (which is the same as some other Konami games): up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start. This will grant the player 30 lives. Lastly, if you press start and select when the closing animation shows up, a hidden telegram will occur and suggest the next version of Contra.
Other than the game itself, Contra carries the memory of a certain generation. I can still remember the Saturday night I spent with my brother playing Contra together. When I look over all the stages of Contra again, it is like opening a treasure box.
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