The best Contra games for Nintendo systems
Contra it’s one of the few franchises that has become completely synonymous with games; in fact, chances are, if you haven’t already played any Contra games, then you will have at least heard of them. Konami’s shooter behemoth may have lost much of its luster in recent years (it looks like it’s pretty much the same as Konami these days, barring a few great retro collections), but its earlier iterations have become iconic in kind. own the right.
From the original Contra in 1988 to Contra: Rogue Corps in 2019, the series has rarely strayed from its relatively simple formula of going through a lot of lane levels and gunning down a bunch of bad guys – but this is arguably its biggest draw yet. In an age where games are more complex than ever, Contra is a fantastic reminder that you don’t need a lot of features to make an amazing game.
So, just like in our other reader surveys, we asked you, dear people, to rate your favorite Contra games on Nintendo platforms from the list below.
If you missed the voting stage, don’t worry! The list below is automatically updated in real time according to the respective “User Rating” of each game in the Nintendo Life game database. This means that it can affect the order right nowif you like, by clicking on the star next to each game and giving it your own score.
So arm yourself with Spread Shot and let’s check out the best Contra games for Nintendo systems!
Note. Yes, we’ve included the Anniversary Collection for the sake of completeness – if you don’t want collections to be included in our ranking, just pretend it’s not there; the rest of the list will still be in the same order!
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
Contra’s resounding return to modern platforms was more of a whimper than a bang. Contra: Rogue Corps replaces side-scrolling action shooters with top-down dual-stick gameplay; The problem is that it’s not very fun to play. The shooting mechanics are way too inaccurate, and the messy textures and low resolution make it a terrible game to play on the Switch. There are some good ideas here, but Rogue Corps is far from the Contra revival we hoped for.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX certainly seems like a good idea in theory; one of the greatest shooters of all time on a portable device? Careful! In practice, however, Contra Advance introduces a number of compromises to the experience that make it less than ideal: more blocky sprites; blurry visual effects; reduced sound quality. It all adds up, which makes this a tough recommendation when the SNES version of Alien Wars is so easily available.
Publisher: HAMSTER / Developer: Konami
Part of the Arcade Archives line on Switch, Contra is the original arcade game through and through, with all the flaws. Its purity and simplicity may be its main features these days, but subsequent Contra titles have arguably surpassed it in terms of quality and replayability. Still, it’s worth checking out on the Switch, although we’d probably recommend the more rounded offering available on the Contra Anniversary Collection.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Factor 5
The SNES version of the original for the Game Boy developed by Factor 5, the studio behind Super Turrican Super Nintendo games and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron series. The levels and general structure have been changed and a password system has been added, but it still manages to provide a workable game of Contra on a system with the processing power of a modern toaster.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
This is without a doubt Contra game (or probotector if you’re a robot-loving European), more deserving of its title than, say, some PlayStation games. It touches on most of the aspects that make it a good entry: challenging gameplay, tough controls, varied enemies, killer arsenal, macho tunes, big bosses. In two years of being a powerful portable device, he has achieved impressive results, reducing the main elements of the beloved series of consoles and arcade games. Unfortunately, players are forced to play alone, which discourages multiplayer fans and kills some of its longevity, but it’s amazing how well the game holds up on the humble Game Boy, and fans of NES games would be foolish to pass it up. it’s up.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
Available as part of the NSO Expansion Pack – and thus technically available to play on a Nintendo console outside of the Contra Anniversary Collection – Opposite: Hard case was the console debut of the SEGA series and was somewhat of a spin-off in terms of setting and characters. While it may not be easy to appreciate for those who only experienced it in the Contra Anniversary Collection, it did introduce some notable changes to the control scheme and gameplay mechanics compared to its predecessors.
An excellent entry, it certainly stands out as an inspiration for some modern “neo-retro” run-and-gun games.
