Description Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_%28video_game%29
Contra (????), known as Gryzor in Europe and Oceania, is a 1987 run and gun action game developed and published by Konami originally released as a coin-operated arcade game on February 20, 1987. A home version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, along with ports for various computer formats, including the MSX2. The home versions were localized in the PAL region as Gryzor on the various computer formats and as Probotector on the NES, released long later. Several Contra sequels were produced following the original game.
The main character is equipped with a rifle with an unlimited amount of ammunition. The player can also jump, move and fire in eight directions, as well as move or jump simultaneously while firing. A single hit from any enemy, bullet, or other hazard will instantly kill the player character and discard the current weapon. There are a total of four weapons the player can retrieve from flying weapon capsules or pill-box sensors: a Machine Gun, a Laser Gun, a Fire Gun, and a Spread Gun. There are also two additional supplemental power-ups: a Rapid Fire power-up which increases the player's firing speed, as well as a Barrier that will grant the player temporary invincibility for many seconds. All the power-ups in the arcade version are represented by Eagle-shaped letter icons with the exception of the Machine Gun and Laser.
There are a total of over 10 areas in the game.[1] There are two types of stages in Contra. In addition to the standard side view stages, Contra also features stages in which the player character is seen from behind and must move towards the background in order to proceed. Each of these "3D maze" stages are set inside the corridor of an enemy base in which the player must fight through the base's defenses in order to reach the core of the base. During the 3D maze stages, the upper screen will display a map of the base along with a time limit. Each maze stage is followed by a "3D fixed" stage set at the core of the base, in which the player must destroy a series of flashing sensors to expose an even larger sensor and destroy it.
Contra also features a two-player cooperative mode. Both players occupy the same screen and must coordinate their actions. One player lagging behind can cause problems for his partner, as the screen will not scroll onward, and a slow player can be fatal to his partner. The European release, Gryzor, does not feature a simultaneous 2-Player mode. Instead, the 2-players take turns: whenever one player dies, the other will get their turn.
[edit] Home versions
[edit] Home computers
Under license from Konami, Ocean Software produced ports of Contra under the title of Gryzor for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC, which were released in Europe in 1988.[4] An IBM PC version was also released in Germany.[5] Ocean's ports were patterned after the original arcade version of the game. The Commodore 64 and IBM versions were released in North America under the Contra title. The cover art for the Spectrum, C64 and Amstrad versions has references to Predator, in which Bill is in the same pose as Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie, and even carries the same gun. Also, Bill's sidekick Lance bares a more than passing resemblance to Sonny Landham, also from Predator. This was a common theme throughout the 80's, with art taking inspiration from movies.
[edit] Nintendo Entertainment System
NES version cover art.
The boss of Area 3 in the NES version
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Let's Compare ( Classic Pac-Man )by GamingHistorySource10,516 views
still am very fond of the original
sebijin 1 month ago
Omg 8:22 ...damn man i used to play that over and over again with my brother...best contra ever(personal opinion)
TerrorGrimmJaw 3 months ago
BTW Did you notice I didn't censor the "u" in coloured, in case you were offended by the British spelling. I gave you the full uncut version. :D
Retroid64 3 months ago
@wingnut4427 Yeah, That is ridiculous to think of all the blood and gore (even that was coloured green), it was a cross they were worried offended people. I remember the game Desert Strike had a dictator who was basically Saddam Hussein all but in name. That game was released about the same time as the first gulf war too without a rating, happily blowing up as many people as you want, which I can only think was a bit of propaganda in video games. But I agree the whole thing is very hypocritical.
Retroid64 3 months ago
telling it's citizens what they can & cannot see because of the lame excuse " they are protecting You". Like You are incapable of making conscious & moral decisions for Yourself.
wingnut4427 3 months ago
@Retroid64 Believe me Brother ! The United States has very similar censorship issues as well. Often times that make You scratch Your head in disbelief. It's so sick because they worry that someone will be "offended" Yet they once banned Crosses from Splatterhouse for the TG16. This nanny state is so fucking ridiculous ! But put Saddam Hussein's face on a game called "Operation Secret Storm" without considering that his face alone might offend someone. it's all BS to me. Government has no place
wingnut4427 3 months ago
Why was this series Probotector here in Europe. Is it because they they thought our delicate sensibilities would be offended by humans being killed so they changed it to machines?? Patronizing bastards. Waste of time, I much prefer these versions.
Retroid64 3 months ago
This one is a no-brainer for me, it begins and ends with the NES version of Contra. I like it more than the arcade version actually. Everything from the music, the sound, the level design and the controls is just about perfect. I never did care for the 16-bit and beyond versions, they got too over the top and the difficulties were just too ramped up.
sglider 6 months ago
WOW Maybe noone has notice that the intro is the secret code for the konami games in SNES, International Super Star Soccer Delux, for example!!!!
shinji097 6 months ago
@CGV2222 because they are aliens in disguise.
wingnut4427 11 months ago