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Contra

1988KonamiNES · Arcade · PS4 · Switch · Xbox One
87PurrfectSadkitty Score
87KitSuperintelligent review
—CriticsNo critic reviews yet
—PlayersNo ratings yet
1 cheat & tips
About the game

Two commandos run and gun through jungles, bases and alien hives to stop an invasion. The NES port beats the arcade original and is a co-op staple of the era.

Kit's verdict · 8.7/10Pure, relentless co-op action that stays thrilling as long as you know the Konami Code. Kit · Sadkitty Games

Loved

  • Fantastic two-player co-op
  • The Spread Gun is a joy
  • Tight eight-way shooting

Not so much

  • One hit kills you
  • Without the code it's punishingly hard

Play it if couch co-op fans and anyone who loves twitchy arcade action.

Skip it if players who hate dying in one hit and starting a stage over.

Ask Kit about Contra →
Cheats & codes

Every Contra cheat we know

Starts the game with 30 lives.NES · Enter it on the title screen before it starts. For two players, press Select before Start at the end.

Single-player only. Cheats can turn off achievements and some saves; use them on a spare save.

Tips

Play it better

  1. Grab the Spread Gun (S) the moment you see it and protect it, since dying resets you to the default gun.
  2. In the base stages, aim for the glowing core on the back wall and duck under the rolling grenades.
  3. Lie prone to dodge most bullets fired at chest height.
  4. Shoot the flying capsules for power-ups; the R upgrade makes your bullets faster.
  5. In co-op on the vertical Waterfall stage, the higher player scrolls the screen, so a lagging partner can be dragged off the bottom and die.
  6. The final alien boss's heart only takes damage when it opens up, so time your shots.
Secrets & unlockables

Hidden in plain sight

Tap a secret to reveal it.

Did you know?

Trivia

  • It was released in arcades in 1987 before the NES port in 1988.
  • The box art heroes were based on Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.
  • The code was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto for the NES port of Gradius.
  • The Japanese Famicom version had extra cutscenes and animated backgrounds thanks to a special chip.
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