Contra is an action game from 1987 created by Konami for arcade machines. A version for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) came out in 1988, along with versions for other home computers like the MSX2. In Europe, the arcade and computer versions were called Gryzor, and the NES version was named Probotector in the PAL region.

The arcade version was very successful, ranking among the top four highest-earning arcade games in the United States in 1987. The NES version was also successful, receiving praise and winning the title of Best Action Game of 1988 from Electronic Gaming Monthly. Many follow-up games were made after the original Contra.

Gameplay

Contra has different ways to play, including a standard side view, a pseudo-3D 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). Up to two players can play at the same time. One player controls Bill, a blond-haired commando wearing a white tank top and blue bandana, and the other controls Lance, a shirtless dark-haired commando with a red bandana.

The controls include an eight-way joystick and two action buttons: one for shooting and one for jumping. When a character jumps, they roll into a somersault 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 downward while standing makes the character lie down to avoid enemy fire and shoot low targets. Pressing the jump button while crouching on a high platform causes the character to drop to a lower level.

The default weapon is a rifle with unlimited ammunition that can be upgraded. Upgrades include a machine gun (fires rapidly when held), a laser gun (shoots a powerful beam), a fireball gun (shoots rounds in a twisting path), and a shotgun (shoots five bullets in different directions). Two additional power-ups appear in specific areas: a rapid-fire upgrade that increases shooting speed and a barrier that makes the character invulnerable for a short time. Most upgrades are marked with Falcon-shaped symbols and letters (F, S, R, B). The machine gun and laser gun also have Falcon-shaped symbols marked with letters (M and L) in home versions.

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 reverts to the default rifle 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 all 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 fights through a jungle to reach the entrance of the first base, where they must 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 displayed at the top of the screen. Players must destroy generators to deactivate electric barriers. The third stage is a fixed screen in the base’s core, where the player must destroy the enemy’s defense system to expose a giant eyeball that shoots fireballs.

Stages 4 through 6 follow similar patterns. Stage 4 is a vertical level where the player jumps to the top of a waterfall to reach the entrance of the second base, where they must destroy a diamond-shaped sensor guarded by a defense system. Stage 5 is another 3D stage inside a base, and 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 the side-scrolling format. The player fights through enemy defenses (including hovercrafts, armored trucks, and soldiers) across areas like a snowfield, an energy plant, and a hangar. The player reaches the alien’s lair, where regular enemies are replaced by otherworldly creatures. The player must fight a giant alien head that spawns larvae before defeating a cardiac creature 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, titled Gryzor, only allows two players to take turns instead of playing simultaneously.

Plot

Contra is set in the far future of the year 2633 A.D., when the evil Red Falcon Organization has built a base on the fictional Galuga archipelago near New Zealand. Their plan is to destroy all humans. Two soldiers, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean from the Earth Marine Corp's Contra unit (a special group trained to fight enemies in tough situations), are sent to the island to stop the enemy and learn about the alien being controlling them.

The promotional materials for the US arcade version make the future setting less noticeable. The instructions for the later NES and home computer versions change the game's setting from the future to the present day and move the location from Galuga to the Amazon Jungle.

Release

Under a license 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 were based on the original arcade game. An IBM PC version 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 featured actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. This image was later used on the packaging of the NES version. 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, starring 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 has some differences from the arcade version to fit the NES hardware better. The arcade version was also released by Nintendo in 1988.

For example, effects like explosions are shown at 30 frames per second instead of 60 frames per second to work around the NES's limitations. Another game that used this method 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 have unique designs. Instead, they are both shown as shirtless commandos, 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 keep playing.

The symbols for the Machine Gun and Laser Gun power-ups were changed to letters (M and L) in the NES version. The Rapid Bullets and Barrier power-ups also appear more often because the flying item capsules now show up regardless of the weapon the player is using. The NES version adds a seventh power-up that clears all enemies on the screen.

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

The level designs in the NES version are different from the arcade version. For example, the base stages (Stages 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 3. 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. Because of cost reasons, the NES version used a simpler chip called the UNROM board, which had less memory. The Famicom version also included cutscenes, an extra music track, and environmental effects.

The game starts with a prologue explaining the story, followed by a map of the Galuga archipelago shown at the beginning of each stage. Cutscenes between stages show Bill (or Lance) reporting 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 animations in some stages (like windblown palm leaves in Stage 1 and a snowstorm in Stage 5), a different jingle when clearing the final stage, and a level select cheat code.

Probotector is a version of Contra for the PAL region (used in Europe and other areas) released on December 28, 1990. This version changed the human characters and some enemies to look more robotic. This change was made to avoid German censorship laws that banned violent video games for minors. Later Contra games for home consoles in the PAL region also used the Probotector name and similar changes. Starting with Contra: Legacy of War, Konami stopped using the Probotector name and made most later games with only small changes.

An MSX2 version of Contra was released in Japan on May 26, 1989. This version is very different from the arcade and NES versions. Because of the MSX2's hardware limits, the game does not scroll but instead uses flip-screens (like other MSX2 games). It uses the SCC sound chip.

Instead of one-hit kills, the player has an energy gauge that allows Bill Rizer to take multiple hits before losing a life. There are two main power-ups: a Falcon-shaped one that increases speed and a gun-shaped one that lets the player switch weapons. After picking up 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 only for one player (Lance Bean does not appear), and there is no continue feature. If a player loses all lives, the game ends immediately. However, the Game Master II cartridge can save progress using its S-RAM backup.

• A PlayStation 2 version of the arcade game was released in Japan on May 25, 2006, as part of the Oretachi Gēsen Zoku series by Hamster Corporation.
• A second release was made for the Xbox 360's Live Arcade on November 8, 2006, by Digital Eclipse. The same version was also included in the Konami Classics Vol. 2 compilation on December 15, 2009.
• The arcade version was also part of Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits for the Nintendo DS.
• During Konami Mobile's time, several mobile phone versions of Contra were released, based on

Reception

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

Critics generally gave the arcade game positive reviews when it was first 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 that Gryzor was a game with a lot of action and no breaks, making it very tiring to play.

The NES version of the game received praise from critics. Arnie Katz, Bill Kunkel, and Joyce Worley of Computer Gaming World called Contra on the NES "a truly outstanding action game" with a "smoothly moving and well-designed game world." Four reviewers in the Japanese gaming magazine Famicom Tsūshin gave the Famicom (NES) version 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 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 in 1989. Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser 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. In 2006, gaming website IGN ranked Contra as No. 1 on its list of the "Toughest Games to Beat." Nintendo Power listed it as the seventh best NES game, calling it one of the best multiplayer games for the system. Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked the NES version as the 45th best console video game of all time, noting that it "set the standard for all two-player simultaneous action games." GamesRadar placed it as the 10th best NES game ever made, saying it might be better than the arcade version. Game Informer included it in its list of best games ever, ranking it 13th. The staff said the game was not revolutionary but was still fun. In 2017, Contra ranked 82nd in "The Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time," a list created by analyzing 44 top games lists from 1995 to 2016.

Legacy

The game Contra was followed by Super Contra in the same year. Super Contra is the only sequel to Contra created for arcade machines by Konami. After the NES versions of Contra and Super Contra (which was renamed Super C for its release in the United States) became popular, later games in the series were made specifically for home consoles. These included Contra III: The Alien Wars for the Super NES and Contra: Hard Corps for the Genesis. These games helped make Contra one of Konami's most well-known game series. As of 2024, the Contra series includes 13 games.

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

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

The Konami code, which was 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 them complete the challenging game.

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