Contra 4

[MottZilla]

Anyone get this? I didn't realize it was already out till today. I imagine most of you have DS systems... I just started playing it and I like it, and particularly that it doesn't baby you. You actually have to *gasp* have skill to get anywhere. That's been missing in games lately which are far too easy on the player.

Plus Contra rules anyway. It'd be cool to play it 2 player, but its local area only. ='(

[Cloral]

Don't have a DS yet, but plan on picking this up once I do. Contra was one of my all-time favorites on the NES, as Warlord can attest to.

[DarkDragoonX]

Contra 4 made my day. They did a bang up job with it... plays just like the originals.

[Aegix Drakan]

So it's good then?

Great, I'll look into it. :P I liked the original.

[MottZilla]

Just remember, I'm not kidding saying that it's more difficult. It really is, though some of the problem is it's different to have 2 screens of gameplay like that. It'd be easier if you had 1 large screen. Or if they were flat to eachother. I'd like to play it on that DS Jumbotron some guy made.

Update:

Well I beat stage 1. The boss was quite cool. One thing that really helps that they don't tell you is you should stack your powerups. Getting two Machine Guns makes an ultra powerful one that really helps on the mini boss and the boss. The laser and spread work well too. But the trick is knowing what powerups are coming up so you know what is junk and what isn't. Great game though.

[jman2050]

If you have a DS and do not buy this game, you are part of the problem.

[Warlock]

It's on my christmas list :) I'd have just bought it now, but I have way too much crap to play :) So I can wait.

But yes, I absolutely friggin' LOVE Contra. My friend used to own the original NES Contra and I'd go over to his house to play it co-op all the time.

But yeah, I love the fact that you can unlock the first two games - and even the superior NES ones, not the crappy arcade ports they put on XBLA.

[Masamune]

This game is really knocking my balls around. :(

[MottZilla]

If you need help, there is a way to get 99 lives. It's a glitch in level 1. You play normally till the miniboss that runs on the top screen shooting fireballs down at you. You should him 49 times, then lose all your lives so you are just 1 death from game over. You wait till he shoots a fireball, then you shoot. You'll die, but then he'll die and give you enough points to earn an extra life. Strangely you end up with 99 lives. =) I did that once, but in stage 4 I got stuck, some kind of glitch or something.

[Mak-X]

I found one last copy at Toys R Us on Wednesday. It's a very hard game. Some of it is because of the two screens, and some of it is the response time of the LCDs for me. So far I've made it to stage 4. It plays just like the original Contra, and its giving me the same intial impossible feeling the original Contra gave me.

[Cloral]

But yeah, I love the fact that you can unlock the first two games - and even the superior NES ones, not the crappy arcade ports they put on XBLA.

That's good news. I should point out though (and this is a bit nitpicky) that the arcade games were the originals, and the NES versions were the ports. Though I have to agree that I preferred the NES versions, though the arcade versions did have better graphics with the greater color depth they could do at the time.

[Warlock]

That's good news. I should point out though (and this is a bit nitpicky) that the arcade games were the originals, and the NES versions were the ports. Though I have to agree that I preferred the NES versions, though the arcade versions did have better graphics with the greater color depth they could do at the time.

The arcades were the originals but the NES versions sported additional content (to flesh them out into less of an "arcade" game) and were all-around the better versions.

[MottZilla]

Warlock is right. The arcade Contra and Super C weren't great game, however their NES translations were top notch and wonderful. Even the inferior North American Contra port was awesome, though the japanese version had nice extras.

The arcade emulation also leaves alot to be desired, ofcourse I imagine they all ripped off MAME poorly.

[Aegix Drakan]

>_< oh my gosh...

I knew it was gonna be a hard game, but...yeow! REALLY hard...

I'm on Easy mode, and I'm having trouble!

:P Well, at least I can get through the first level without dying (until the boss, that is). and the lab level is..ugh...I hate those fast things on the ground...


Oh, and BTW, did you know you can hijack the dead miniboss in the jungle? :P Quite useful, but you can kill your partner with it in Co-Op mode.

[MottZilla]

I tried to get into it but I couldn't and gave up too quickly I guess. I kind of thought it was inviting with the top part looking to be open.

[Warlock]

I got this for Christmas. Fun as hell. I beat it on easy and then I've just been playing the challenges the rest of the time. Some of those are crazy hard. I hate the accuracy ones.

The only thing that has disappointed me so far is that a lot of the game feels like retred. The first level is about the same as the first level of Contra (1). The first boss is the same boss as Contra, but with added stuff. The waterfall level is very similar, and has a very similar boss fight too. And the city is a lot like the city in Contra III. It's not terrible, but the whole thing feels less original that way. It's still an awesome game tho :P

[rock_nog]

I refuse to buy this. I'm still pulling my hair out over Contra 3. Most frickin' insane series ever.

[King Aquamentus]

I unlocked Challenge mode, FC Contra, FC Super C, and I unlocked Probotector as a playable character. Of interesting note is that if you play the game on Hard mode, the music is different. ;)

[Mak-X]

I'm still playing through this and have managed to get the final boss in Stage 9 on Normal (I haven't touched easy!). Stage 9 just keeps going! I like how as you get better at the game, you can stay alive longer and blow through the bosses in seconds with the right weapons.

I like the tribute to the previous games, its suppose to be a continuation of the first 3 games in style, not unlike Castlevania.

I still need to pick up Super C and Contra 3 sometime as I've only really played Contra.

[Warlock]

I'm up to 33/40 for Challenge Mode. I love that mode. I don't even want to play Arcade mode right now, Challenge Mode is just so fun :D (it's also nice that you don't have to invest so much time since each challenge is pretty short).

I pretty much hate any mode that limits my ammo in some way though - specifically Low Ammo and Accuracy, and to an extent, Friendly Fire (Pacifist is ok if only because it's interesting). Low Ammo is basically Pacifist with a boss fight, which is ok I guess. Low Ammo 1 was sort of fun if only because it took some real strategy to get 25 bullets to kill that stupid boat thing. Crush FTW! Though those scuba guys can go to friggin' hell. Accuracy I just don't like. I am stuck with the peashooter and I can't miss or I am screwed. The second one (I think?) going up the Waterfall was ok, but I hated the first one with all the damn robots coming at me from all over. And friggin' Friendly Fire - I kind of like the fact that there's a mode where some of the crappy weapons are actually decent, like Flame, but so many times those damn people get in my way. Or else one will come running at me and I'll twitch and think it's an enemy, and before it's too late I've fired and lost the level :(

Oh, btw. If you're curious, you can cheat in Pacifist and Low Ammo (after you've run out of bullets). Hold down "Y" and then you can fire with "A" (peashooter only). It fires very slowly, and it's ackward to move around with the Y button held down, but when you can actually shoot guys instead of jumping over them it makes some of those pretty damn easy :D

P.S. - I actually haven't had an issue with the top screen at all. Once in a blue moon there will be a stray bullet hanging in the stupid area between screens that I don't see coming, but otherwise I think the two screens work extremely well and I don't mind it at all. It adds a new dimension to the formula. It feels a lot like the classic arcade Contra games with the vertical-oriented screens.

[Warlock]

40/40 Challenge Mode.. w00t! Now to actually beat the arcade mode on Normal :D haha

[Cloral]

This arrived in my Amazon shipment yesterday, and all I can thus far is FUCK YEAH!!! This game is awesome! It is almost exactly what I was hoping for.

[MottZilla]

Make sure to notice how Hard mode had different/cooler music. I need to get back into it and play through it still.

[King Aquamentus]

Make sure to notice how Hard mode had different/cooler music. I need to get back into it and play through it still.


I unlocked Challenge mode, FC Contra, FC Super C, and I unlocked Probotector as a playable character. Of interesting note is that if you play the game on Hard mode, the music is different.

said that.