Contra is a 1987 action game created and released by Konami for arcade machines. A version for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was made available in 1988, along with versions for other home computers, such as the MSX2. The arcade and computer versions were renamed Gryzor in Europe, while the NES version was called Probotector in the PAL region.

The arcade version of the game was very successful worldwide and ranked among the top four most profitable arcade games in the United States in 1987. The NES version was also successful and received praise from critics, including being named the Best Action Game of 1988 by Electronic Gaming Monthly. Additional games in the Contra series were released after the original game.

Gameplay

Contra uses different ways to show the game. These include a standard side view, a 3D-like view (where the player moves forward by shooting and moving left or right), and a fixed screen format (where the player’s gun is aimed upward by default). Two players can play at the same time. One player controls Bill, a blond-haired soldier with a white tank top and blue bandana. The other controls Lance, a dark-haired soldier without a shirt and wearing a red bandana.

The controls include an eight-direction joystick and two action buttons: one for shooting (left) and one for jumping (right). When a character jumps, they roll instead of jumping normally. The joystick controls movement and aiming. During side view stages, players can shoot left, right, or upward while standing, and horizontally or diagonally while running. Players can also shoot in eight directions, including downward, while jumping. Pressing the joystick down while standing makes the character lie on their stomach to avoid enemy fire and shoot low targets. Pressing the jump button while crouching on a higher platform makes the character drop to a lower level.

The default weapon is a rifle with unlimited bullets that can be changed into four other guns. These can be obtained by destroying pill box sensors, opening flying item capsules, or defeating red-clad guards in enemy bases. The options include a machine gun that fires quickly when held, a laser gun that shoots a strong beam, a fireball gun that fires in a spiral pattern, and a shotgun that fires five bullets in different directions. Two additional power-ups appear in certain areas: one increases firing speed, and the other makes the character invulnerable for a short time. Except for the machine gun and laser gun, each weapon is marked with a Falcon symbol and a letter (F, S, R, or B). In home versions, the machine gun and laser gun also have Falcon symbols with letters (M and L).

A player loses a life if their character (Bill or Lance) touches enemies, misses a base stage’s time limit, or falls into a bottomless pit. When this happens, the character returns to the default weapon on their next life. After losing all lives, players can continue by inserting more coins and pressing Start, up to three times. A second player can join anytime, but if one player loses all lives, they must wait until the other player also loses lives to continue together.

The arcade version of Contra has seven stages (later versions have different numbers). The first stage is a side-scrolling level where the player is dropped into a jungle and must fight enemies until reaching the entrance of the first base. There, they destroy a large sensor to enter. The second stage uses a 3D view, where the player fights through base passageways before time runs out. A map and timer are shown at the top of the screen. Players must destroy generators to disable electric barriers. The third stage is a fixed screen set in the base’s core, where the player destroys the enemy’s defense system to reveal a giant eyeball that shoots fireballs.

Stages 4 through 6 follow similar patterns. Stage 4 is a vertically-scrolling level where the player jumps upward to reach the entrance of a second base. There, they destroy a diamond-shaped sensor guarded by a defense system. Stage 5 is a 3D stage inside another base. Stage 6 is a boss battle against two heads that split into two images each. The heads can only be damaged when their split images align.

The final stage returns to a side-scrolling format. The player fights through enemies, including hovercrafts, armored trucks, and soldiers, through areas like a snowfield, energy plant, and hangar. They reach the alien’s lair, where regular enemies are replaced by otherworldly creatures. The player must defeat a giant alien head that spawns larvae before fighting the final target, a cardiac creature that must be destroyed to complete the mission.

The arcade game had three versions. The Japanese and American versions are nearly identical, except the Japanese version uses kanji for the title. The European version, called Gryzor, only allows two players to take turns instead of playing at the same time.

Plot

The video game Contra takes place in the year 2633 A.D., when the Red Falcon Organization builds a secret base on the fictional Galuga archipelago, a group of islands near New Zealand. Their goal is to destroy all of humanity. To stop them, two soldiers, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, are sent by the Earth Marine Corps' Contra unit, a special group trained in fighting enemies using quick and clever tactics. Their mission is to attack the enemy base and learn the truth about the alien being that controls the Red Falcon Organization.

The promotional materials for the original US arcade version of the game do not emphasize the futuristic setting. Later versions, such as those for the NES and home computers, changed the game’s time period to the present day and moved the location from Galuga to the Amazon Jungle.

Release

With permission from Konami, Ocean Software created versions of the game titled Gryzor (the name used in Europe) for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC. These versions were released in Europe in 1988. The Commodore 64 version was later released in North America under the name Contra. Ocean's versions closely followed the original arcade game. A version for the IBM PC was made by Banana Development Inc. and released in North America. This version was called Gryzor in Europe. The cover art for Ocean's Gryzor versions, created by Bob Wakelin, was inspired by the movie Predator, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. This image was later used for the NES version's packaging. The Japanese MSX2 version had a unique photo cover, but Wakelin's illustration was still used on the back cover. Another character in the game was inspired by the 1982 movie Rambo, which starred Sylvester Stallone. A similar game called The Contras was released for the TRS-80 Color Computer by Sundog Systems.

The game Contra was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America in February 1988. This version was developed directly by Konami and included changes to better fit the NES's hardware. The same game was also released in arcades by Nintendo in 1988.

For example, effects like explosions were shown at 30 frames per second instead of 60 to work around the NES's limitations. Another game that used this technique was Recca.

The game can be played by one or two players. However, due to the NES's graphics limits, the characters Bill and Lance no longer had unique designs. Instead, they are both shown as shirtless soldiers, with Bill wearing blue pants and Lance wearing red pants. If one player loses all their lives, they can use the other player's remaining lives to continue playing.

The symbols for the Machine Gun and Laser Gun power-ups were changed to letters (M and L) in this version. The Rapid Bullets and Barrier power-ups also appear more often because the flying item capsules now appear no matter which weapon the player has. The NES version added a seventh item that clears all enemies on the screen when collected.

The NES version reorganized the seven stages from the arcade version into eight stages. Stages 2 and 3 were combined into one, which changed the numbering of the Waterfall level from Stage 4 to Stage 3. Stages 5 and 6 were combined into a new Stage 4. The final four stages of the NES version (Snowfield, Energy Zone, Hangar, and Alien Lair) were based on different areas from the arcade version's final stage.

The level designs in the NES version are very different from the arcade version. For example, the two base stages (Stage 2 and 4) no longer have maze-like structures or time limits. The boss of the Waterfall stage was also changed from a diamond-shaped sensor to an alien statue.

Contra was one of the first NES games to include the Konami Code. Entering the code at the title screen gives the player 30 lives instead of the usual three. This cheat remains active even after the player runs out of lives and uses a continue to retry a stage.

The game was released for the Famicom in Japan on February 9, 1988. The Famicom version used a Konami cartridge and a special chip called the VRC2, which allowed for animated backgrounds. The NES version did not use this chip due to cost, so it used a simpler, less powerful chip called the UNROM board. The Famicom version also included cutscenes, an extra music track, and environment effects.

The game begins with a prologue that explains the story, followed by a map of the Galuga archipelago shown at the start of each stage. Cutscenes are shown between stages, where Bill (or Lance) reports to headquarters. In later stages, Bill (or Lance) also points his gun toward the screen.

The ending sequence is slightly different. If the player holds the Select and Start buttons during the credits, a secret message appears after the Konami logo. Other differences include a sound test mode, added background animations (like windblown palm leaves in Stage 1 and a snowstorm in Stage 5), a different jingle for clearing the final stage, and a level select cheat code.

Probotector is a modified version of the NES Contra released for the PAL region on December 28, 1990. This version changed the human characters and some enemies to look more robotic. This change was made to avoid Germany's censorship laws, which banned violent video games for minors. Later Contra games for home consoles also used the Probotector name and similar changes. Starting with Contra: Legacy of War, Konami stopped using the Probotector name and made future games with fewer changes.

An MSX2 version of Contra was released in Japan on May 26, 1989. This version differs greatly from the arcade and NES versions. Because of the MSX2's hardware limits, the game does not scroll but uses flip-screens, like in other MSX2 games such as Metal Gear and Vampire Killer. The game uses the SCC sound chip.

Instead of one-hit kills, the MSX2 version has an energy gauge that lets Bill Rizer take multiple hits before losing a life. There are two main power-ups: a Falcon-shaped item that increases speed and a gun-shaped item that lets the player switch weapons. After collecting the weapon power-up, the player can choose between the default Normal Gun or four other weapons. The shotgun is not in this version and is replaced by the Rear Gun, which fires in two directions at once.

The MSX2 version has 19 stages. Stages 1 through 6 are from the arcade version. Stages 7 through 9 are based on the final stage of the arcade version, similar to the final four stages of the NES version. Stages 10 through 19 are new and take place in an underground facility under the Galuga Archipelago.

Unlike the arcade and NES versions, the MSX2 version is single-player only (Lance Bean does not appear). There is no continuation feature, so the game ends immediately if the player loses all lives. However, the Game Master II cartridge can save progress using its S-RAM backup.

• A PlayStation 2 version of the arcade Contra was released in Japan on May 25, 2006, as part of the Oretachi Gēsen Zoku retro game collection by Hamster Corporation.
• A second release was made for the Xbox 360's Live Arcade on November 8, 2006, with Digital Eclipse handling the conversion.

Reception

In Japan, the arcade game was the top game on the Game Machine chart for table arcade cabinets in April 1987. In the United Kingdom, Gryzor became very popular in arcades, and the home computer versions reached the top of the Gallup charts. In the United States, Contra was one of the top four most successful arcade games in 1987. The 1988 version of the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) became and stayed widely popular. The game sold 2 million copies. Much of its popularity came from the ability for two players to play together at the same time.

The arcade game received mostly positive reviews from critics when it was released. Peter Shaw of Your Sinclair said Gryzor was one of his favorite games at the time. Clare Edgeley of Computer and Video Games wrote, "Lots of shooting and no time to rest makes Gryzor a very tiring game to play."

The NES version of the game was also well-received. Arnie Katz, Bill Kunkel, and Joyce Worley of Computer Gaming World called Contra on the NES "a truly outstanding action game" with a "scrolling and beautifully drawn playfield." Four reviewers in the Japanese gaming magazine Famicom Tsūshin gave the Famicom (NES) version of the game scores of 6, 8, 7, and 6 out of 10. A review in Famicom Hisshoubon praised the game’s excellent graphics, especially the way characters flip when they jump. Electronic Gaming Monthly named it the Best Action Game of 1988. AllGame editor Skyler Miller said Contra became the standard by which future platform shooters would be judged. The MS-DOS version of the game received a negative review in Dragon No. 142 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in 1989. They criticized Konami’s copy protection, which caused the game to fail to start on their computers.

In 2004, the NES version of Contra was added to GameSpot’s list of the greatest games of all time. Contra was voted No. 1 by the gaming website IGN as the "Toughest Game to Beat." Nintendo Power ranked it as the seventh best NES game, calling it one of the best multiplayer NES games. Electronic Gaming Monthly listed the NES version as the 45th best console video game of all time, noting it "set the standard for all two-player simultaneous action games to follow." GamesRadar ranked it the 10th best NES game ever made, considering it possibly better than the arcade version. Game Informer included it in their list of best games ever at number 13. The staff said the game was not revolutionary but was fun. In 2017, Contra ranked 82nd in "The Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time," a statistical analysis by Warp Zoned of 44 "top games" lists published between 1995 and 2016.

Legacy

After the release of Contra, Super Contra was developed later the same year. It is the only Contra sequel for arcade machines created directly by Konami. The success of the NES versions of Contra and Super Contra (which was renamed Super C in the United States) led to more sequels made for home consoles, such as Contra III: The Alien Wars for the Super NES and Contra: Hard Corps for the Genesis. These games became one of Konami's most popular series. As of 2024, the Contra series includes 13 games.

The music from the arcade version of Contra is part of the video game album Konami Game Music Vol. 4: A Jax, released by Alfa Records on May 10, 1988. The album was available on CD (catalog number 28XA-201), cassette (ALC-22922), and vinyl (ALR-22922).

In April 2017, Beijing Starlit Movie and TV Culture announced plans to make a live-action movie version of Contra in China. Wei Nan was listed as the screenwriter. The film was expected to be released on June 6, 2018, but it was not released by that date.

The Konami code, first used in the home versions of Gradius, became widely known when it was added to the home versions of Contra. In Contra, the code gave players 30 extra lives to help complete the challenging game.

A board game version of Contra was created by Blacklist Games and Kess Co. and was released in 2022.