CGOTW: Contra
With those commands, deftly entered on the NES controller with the same quickness today's youth display when sending their wacky text messages, many children of the 80s began their lifelong obsession with action movies and video games. And cheating. Seriously, if you couldn't beat the game without the Konami Code, you're a filthy cheater.
Of course, you practically had to cheat at Contra. It's still a brutal game, as difficult to finish today with less than 30 lives as it was when I was in footie pajamas, requiring memorization of enemy patterns and the patience of someone a lot more patient than me. The weapons were plentiful, the bosses were huge, and the cooperative play was sublime. The newest game in the series, Contra 4, was released this week to reviews praising its old-school sensibilities, but since I spent all my cash on pre-ordering Rock Band I'll have to settle for dying repeatedly in the NES classic.
For making me shout diverse and inappropriate curses at the screen at regular intervals (and for still being fun at the same time), Contra is this week's Classic Game of the Week.
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Awesome choice! This is a game my younger brother and I played constantly and I was about 5 or 6 years old at the time. We did beat the game eventually but not without the Konami code.
I just beat Contra a week ago in preparation for Contra 4. Things haven't changed and I couldn't get anywhere without the Konami code. Good times.
EDIT:
I also feel the need to share this remix with everyone because I love it so much: Feeding Frenzy.
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I haven't played too much the Contra series but I remember a similar game. The arcade "Midnight Resistance" (think it was that name). With rotatory controls that allowed to aim and move in different directions easily. The game had cool weapons, upgrades, final boses and two player option. I only have seen that type of control in a top down commandos style game, named "Ikari Warriors" pretty good also.
Two player co-op. That's how you get through Contra. The secret code is up, up, down, down, friendship.
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Contra!
I can still beat this without the code. A friend of mine and I skipped out on classes for a week just to beat SuperC. Ah, good old days.
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All I have to say is, "Screw going outside on a Saturday afternoon at your friend's house in 1988. It's Contra time!!!" (Yes, three exclamation points are entirely appropriate, and no we never beat the game.)
Hah! I remember that game. It ate many of my and my friends dollars at the arcades. It was a lot of fun and we used to play it all day just to improve our skill and try and get to the end on one credit.
The rotating joysticks were somewhat of a pain to use though, and I was kind of glad to see that phase of upright arcade games die out...
Still, good memories...
Well said, sir. We need some more good old fashioned co-op action in today's gaming that isn't exclusive to the Xbox, because I don't have one.
Did anyone ever play the Contra: Shattered Soldier game on the PS2? If I remember correctly it was said that it was impossible to complete legitimately.
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Got a PS2? Have you seen Alien Hominid? It's usually lying around in the bargain bins.
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Huh. Start isn't actually part of the code. Interesting.
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Hell yeah, Contra.
Fedaykin98 wrote:
I frickin' loved CONTRA. I think one of the things I liked best was how my NES Max controller's autofire button would turn the spread gun into a random stream of projectiles. Good times!
If I didn't drink, Crom would laugh and cast me out of Valhalla when I die. Peer pressure I can handle, but not when it comes from Crom. -Lobo
Contra is worth playing again for the music alone. -> Virt's Contra Megamix
<3 Contra - it made me the die-hard co-op fan I am today.
I could beat Contra with one life. Oh yeah, I was a bad ass.
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I hade it on the C64. It was called "gryzor" and, oh yes. it was badass.
even with one button ( and 15 minute loads)
The code is up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, start, isn't it?
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