A killer homage to the old school Contra days when the game was still fun!

User Rating: 9.5 | Contra 4 DS
The original Contra game on the NES and Contra III on the Super Nintendo were two of the most badass action games ever made. They were hard as hell without the Konami code yet they kept you coming back for more. Since those glory days the series hit a major downward spiral as it tried to make the move into the 3D world. The gameplay was never the same. Even when the PS2 version offered the 2.5D games it just wasn't that great.

Finally after countless years of failure the guys over at Konami got their act back in gear and made a worthy sequel to the originals. This game is worthy of the Contra IV title it receives. They scrapped all the 3D and 2.5D crap that poisoned the franchise and rightfully took it back to its solid 2D roots where it belonged. The gameplay is identical to the original Contra games with the exception of the grappling hook. That only serves as a purpose for moving between the top and bottom screens in certain sections.

Everything about this game is pure Contra. The graphics are like the originals. The gameplay, the enemies, weapons, level design, and over the top bosses. Even the soundtrack is rocking strong on this title. One other thing that hasn't changed is the insane level of difficulty. Sure you can play the game on Easy and whip through it but that isn't how Contra is supposed to be played.

If you were a fan of the original series or just looking for some old school ass kicking gameplay check out Contra IV. It won't disappoint you. This is what a Contra game is supposed to be!