You could say I’m a fan of the “Contra” series. I own a set of Contra underoos (OK, it’s just a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a pair of Wal-Mart boxers festooned with a Sharpie drawing of the spread gun) and I beat “Contra 3: The Alien Wars” more often than I gas up my vehicle, which happens to be a cannon-armed bulldozer with sidewalls made of spikes. My kid’s middle name is UpupdowndownleftrightleftrightBABAselectstart, and I’m passing certain Contra-related religious beliefs onto him, such as never to steal a life from player two to come back into the game unless he asks you for help with a boss. Also, of course, that if you live an honorable life, die and go to heaven, you’re greeted with 72 Contras.
So the news that “Contra 4” is on the way to the DS makes me pretty happy. The revelation that the Nintendo (not the pathetic, cro-magnonlike arcade) versions of “Contra” and “Super C” are unlockable in the game makes me so ecstatic that, as I type, bursting out of my earholes are floating boxes which turn into guns if you spin-jump through them. (Warning, if you’re pregnant, nursing, have a pacemaker or get off on the act of crouching behind a pile of alien eggs as you shoot lasers at the head of a demon beast that takes up half the screen, do not read the following press release).
BONUS CONTENT AVAILABLE FOR CONTRA 4
20th Anniversary Virtual Museum, NES Versions of Contra and Super C,
Unlockable Characters and More
What:
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the popular Contra franchise of video games, Konami Digital Entertainment plans to incorporate a wealth of in-game bonus content into its latest entry in the run and gun action franchise, Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS™. The content includes:
• 20th Anniversary Virtual Museum – this museum provides a virtual history of the Contra franchise since the early 80’s, including box art, screen shots and information on every version of Contra from the US, Japan and Europe. The museum also features an unlockable gallery of bonus art.
• Unlockable Games – The NES versions of the classic Contra and Super C are now unlockable.
• 5 unlockable characters, including the Probotector from the European version of the Contra games
• 2 unlockable digital comic books from longtime Contra artist, Atsushi Tsujimoto
• An interview with noted Contra Producer Nobuya Nakazato
Set after the events of Contra III: Alien Wars, Contra 4 follows hardened mercs Bill Rizer and Lance Bean into battle against a new extraterrestrial threat, complete with larger-than-life-action, massive enemies, fast paced run ‘n’ gun combat and mind blowing set pieces. The unique dual screen presentation of the Nintendo DS™ allows for frantic action and mammoth boss encounters, and a grappling hook allows players to access hard to reach areas, or dodge that pesky attack from a foe.
Contra 4 features a variety of game modes, including 40 Challenge Modes that will test the limits of even the best Contra veterans, as well as full cooperative play through the main story mode, where two players can take up the fight for mankind and destroy the evil forces of the Black Viper.
Where:
For more information on Contra 4, visit www.konami.com.
When:
October 4, 2007
Contra 4 is scheduled to ship to retail in November of 2007.
Who:
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
About Konami
Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties. Konami’s titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill®, Dance Dance Revolution® and Castlevania®, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at www.konami.com.
© 1987 2007 Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
“KONAMI” is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION.
—Dracorat (who has also beat Contra more times than he’d like to admit – without the code)
=)
— Keith R. 10/09/2007 01:55 AM #
— Phil Villarreal 10/09/2007 09:18 AM #
Now I’m gonna have to go check it out. (But I’ll have to get a new cartridge – the old one is worn out too much)
=) Regardless, keep those reviews comin!
— Keith R. 10/09/2007 10:33 AM #
— micah 10/11/2007 04:26 PM #
Thanks for the info heads-up! C4 is fast becoming my most anticipated video game title of the year – and this is filled with the likes of Super Mario Galaxy, Dracula X Chronicles, and Assassin’s Creed. Bring it!
— Angela Liu 10/12/2007 04:52 AM #
1) The arcade versions came first.
2) Being a Contra fan means you wouldn’t demean what started it all (especially the one on an arcade) just because you’re too used to the NES versions. Perhaps they were too hard for you…?
— Dilon 10/12/2007 03:33 PM #
And second, as much respect as I have for the arcade versions, I’ve found far and few supporters who actually believe the arcade versions are superior to their NES counterparts. About the only aspects that are better in the arcades are the graphics and sound quality, but the NES is the hands-down winner when it comes to gameplay. Tighter controls and more fleshed out, lengthier levels make for more satisfying experiences.
And this could just be personal preference, but I found the arcade versions much, much easier to tear through than the NES versions.
— Angela Liu 10/12/2007 07:54 PM #
Anyway, after the Contra Database forums was hacked, the community lost 90% of its members. A bit after, spambots kept flooding the area and even a domain/server (which?) change, they kept coming. Now, it’s closed down.
Well, the Contra fanbase is really small as it is, especially online.
— Dilon 10/13/2007 08:35 AM #