What does the boxart remind you of? Aliens? Predator? Rambo? Guess what, it's a combination of them all.
Among these titles was Contra, a Konami-made shoot-em up game that was formerly made for the arcade. Guess what? It was such a dramatic success, that it was ported over to the NES. And it's ready to give you a big thrill-in terms of action, adrenaline pumping thrill, and a nightmare-class difficulty.
Story:
I thought there was no story to this game at first, but a friend of mines was kind enough to actually tell me the background. Well, here it is.
An asteroid is detected right before it crashes off the coast of New Zealand-and is seemingly ignored. Approximately 50 years later, the "Red Falcon" emerges from the asteroid, now an island fortress, and declares war on humanity.
As a member of a 2-man crack commando squad, your mission is simple-blow the crap out of the island and save mankind.
Control:
Varies, but it's pretty much simple. One button to shoot, one button to jump, and a control pad/joystick to move, depending on the version you are playing.
Gameplay:
Run, shoot, run, shoot some more, rinse and repeat. It's simple, but addictive and fun.
Enemies:
Enemy soldiers, snipers, turrets, tanks, ALIENS. They've got it all.
Difficulty:
If you're a new gamer, you'll be in sheer hell when you play this. One hit, you're dead. And worst of all, you've got only 3 lives to make it through this nightmare. Don't worry, you'll gain a bonus life every time you reach a certain score-that is, IF you can reach it.
Music:
Pretty awesome for a NES soundtrack.
In conclusion:
Contra is an awesome game-so awesome, that gamers of all kinds should give it a try.