A remake of the arcade classic that falls short and fails to make the transition to "next generation".,
Contra for Xbox Live, or Gryzor in Europe, is an updated version of the old coin-operated arcade classic of the 80's. Though the title may cause old school gamers to reminisce of the NES version, though similar, this version is strictly an adaptation of the fast paced, quick thrill arcade action, and varies slightly from what you might expect.
The Good:
• Classic Gameplay – Contra is old school: Challenging, side-scrolling, and more focused on fun than graphics or sound.
• Cheap – At 400 MSP (Or 5 U.S. Dollars) the cost doesn't justify a lot of the negatives…but it does lessen the blow.
• Good Co-op Play – A lot of games are better with a friend and Contra allows for 2 players over Live or cooperatively in a local setting.
• Graphics Customization – While some of us like our toys as shiny as possible, Contra allows the player to choose between an updated version of the graphics or the traditional arcade graphics the game was originally presented in.
The Bad:
• Not the Original NES Game – While many of you may prefer the original arcade port, I grew up on the NES version and was hoping for that as the download.
• Difficult – As with most old school games, Contra has a steep learning curve that a lot of players won't be willing or able to adapt to. It can be fun…but it takes a lot of practice.
• 30 Life Code – What's the one code almost every old school gamer knows? Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start! Boom! 30 lives! Well, the code works in this version too but you'll be unable to earn any achievements after using it.
• Short – Now when I say short I don't mean 4'11 short, dwarf short, or even small child short-I mean ten minutes short. This is by far the shortest game I've ever played. Ever. 10 – 12 minutes is no exaggeration either, in fact, one of the achievements is for beating the game in less than 12 minutes.
• No Replay Value – Contra is what it is-side-scrolling, a few lives, a few continues, a restart or the final credits…and that's it.
The Ugly:
• Graphics – High Definition? Really? The game sports the HD logo in the description but I'm not seeing it. The graphics are old school which is fine…but you'll be playing this in an un-adjustable window surrounded by a gaudy flames design not even a biker could love.
Saigo Says: Pass on it unless you're an ardent Contra arcade fan with an uncontrollable yearning to relive your days of glory killing hordes of Red Falcon cronies-even at 400 MSP, it's just not worth it.