Contra 4

Hackfest · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 413

I don't know how many of you have a Nintendo DS Lite, but it is one slick little system. As far as I thought, 2D gaming died with the SNES, and I was saddened by this. Excitedly, I can tell you that this is not the case, but instead, 2D gaming is indeed at its peak with the DS. So it is with much rejoicing that I will now review Contra 4.

First of all, you need to decide if you're a hardcore gamer, a casual gamer, or an exploratory gamer. If you're a casual gamer, you will hate this game. The same is true if you're an exploratory gamer in that you like to explore everything within a game. However, if you are like me, and are a hardcore gamer, this game is superb.
Contra started in the arcades and then got the very common for that time "Nintendo conversion" in 1988. Super C came out in 1990, and Contra III in 1992 on the SNES. Contra 4 was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007. That's a long time in between. Granted, other non-canonized Contras had been released in between, but they weren't canon for a reason. Anyway, enough history, let's talk Contra. The game plays just like the previous canonized games. Except it looks, sounds, and plays better than any other before it. Horizontal and vertically scrolling levels thanks to the dual screen of the DS. Music is typical and forgettable, unless you've played the other Contras and catch the throwbacks to earlier tunes in the series. Weapons can now be upgraded twice, and of course like Contra III, you can dual wield.
The most outstanding part of this game is the challenge. Extremely difficult, resulting in dying and running out of continues every time you play. Never difficult in that cheap way, always due to your lack of skill. But something happens as you lose hundreds of lives over the course of playing. You hit that rare zen like status when you zone out and tune in, like a machine. Suddenly, you get further than you ever thought you would the first 50 times you died. What I describe is that same experience that Miyamoto created with his Mario games. There are 40 challenge scenarios besides the main game. Plenty of unlockable goodness abounds, including full versions of Contra and Super C. Contra 4 scores an 8.5/10 for the hardcore, and a 3/10 for the rest of you. Following video is "Easy" setting.

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