This week has been so hectic that I completely forgot what day was. Thankfully I remembered, and I managed to rustle up a quick distraction for you all. Welcome to Work Avoidance Wednesday, where we play ALL the games and the points don’t matter!
Today’s title is one that is forever cemented in my brain, and one that I expect every single one of you to recognise and remember. You can’t have had a proper childhood if you never played Contra. Seriously, this is a game that everybody needs to have played at least once in their life!
Released for the NES back in 1988 (the year of my birthday, hooray!), players took control of Bill Rizer and Lance Bean. Their job was simple: go forth and shoot and front-flip over everything that moved, whether it be foot soldier or giant alien bosses.
They had access to several weapons. There was the default pewpew, white-bulleted gun, which was surprisingly strong, albeit a little annoying to use. Then there was the machine gun, laser gun, and the all time favourite, scatter gun (I still think the S stands for shotgun ok). If a player ever picked that up, any progress forward was made a lot easier.
The trick really, was to avoid death. The screen was forever full of bullets and enemies. The game was notoriously hard back then, and still is today. Players only have 3 lives and a handful of continues to make it through to the end. HOW DID I EVER FINISH THIS AS A KID?
No, I never made use of the Konami code, I promise. I didn’t even know that existed until a few years ago (I’m a bad person, I know). I did try it with today’s game however, and couldn’t get it to work. Maybe you can? Up, up, down, down, left,right, left, right, B, A, start! It’s meant to be done in the title screen as far as I know. UPDATE: it doesn’t work on the original site I linked, but it does in this one.
Interested in playing? Do it right here.
To be perfectly honest, I’m going to spend the rest of the day figuring out how to get to the end once more. WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT? WHERE DO I PAY REAL MONEY FOR EXTRA LIVES?
Last Updated: June 10, 2015
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:04
Man, the co-op on this was magnificent!
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:05
Also, LOL at “WHERE DO I PAY REAL MONEY FOR EXTRA LIVES?”
“Gamers” these days, so sad
Thats_how_I_Troll
June 10, 2015 at 11:05
NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!
Edit: NNNNOOO!!!!!!
ReEdit: NNNNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
hairyknees
June 10, 2015 at 11:06
YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! SUCCUMB!!!
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:06
Lance Bean…
http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2014/08/SeanBean.jpg
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:07
Bastard! I used to work but I took the
gun in the knee! Also this is painful to watch…Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:10
Kids
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:11
Was about to post this myself. These kids suck.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:13
NOT EVEN TO THE FIRST BRIDGE??????
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:13
I know right!
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:17
Wait which one am I?
http://media.giphy.com/media/6yRVg0HWzgS88/giphy.gif
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:18
EPICFACEPALM
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:17
HURR DURR REGEN HEALTH HURR DURR
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:18
bwahahaha!
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:10
Still never finished this game….. Finished the ones after. But not the original
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:10
lol Noob!
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:12
U WOT MATE? SAY THAT TO MY FACE I REK YOU!!! 1V1 ME NOOB
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:12
I’ll say it to your face but I wont co-op Contra with you 😛
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:13
That cut deep bro
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:14
Awwww, I’ll teach you young grasshopper
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:17
OUCH!!!
hairyknees
June 10, 2015 at 11:12
Time to redeem yourself 😛
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:12
Indeed 🙂
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:15
Cant get past stage 7 hey?
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:18
BWHAHAHAHAHA
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 17:05
Yoh yoh yoh
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 17:21
XD love you man!
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 20:48
🙂
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:11
First stage done!
Save: Press F5, Load: Press F8? Get that crap out of here XD
hairyknees
June 10, 2015 at 11:11
AMEN
Ranting Raptor
June 10, 2015 at 11:12
BAH
Anyone who saves is a loser
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:14
FYI The Contra code works!
hairyknees
June 10, 2015 at 11:18
It does? Only got it to work on another site O_O
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:19
Check the B A keys maybe? But you have to type it in before the demo starts. Aaaahh memories.
Stosta
June 10, 2015 at 11:31
I think the fact that there wasn’t much as to play kept us going. I still cant make it past the first level!
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:50
LOL this is one of maybe ten games I had. So we played it so much that we memorized the entire game
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:50
Aaaaaaaand done! Thanks for this @hairyknees:disqus
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:51
xD
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 11:53
I forgot that we had turbo buttons on the Famicom/Golden China controllers. Finger is a bit numb,
Admiral Chief's Adventure
June 10, 2015 at 11:56
There is a that’s what he/she said joke in there somewhere
hairyknees
June 11, 2015 at 23:40
<3 glad you enjoyed 🙂
Nikola
June 10, 2015 at 12:12
Contra!!!!!!
Hammersteyn
June 10, 2015 at 17:21
XD