Contra
1987 · Run and Gun · Arcade / NES
Overview
Contra is a 1987 Konami arcade and NES run-and-gun game that became one of the defining multiplayer action games of the 8-bit era. Players control commandos Bill and Lance as they battle through jungles, fortresses, and alien bases to stop an extraterrestrial invasion, firing constantly and jumping with split-second precision. The NES version introduced the famous Konami Code — Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A — which granted 30 extra lives and became the most famous cheat code in gaming history. Contra's cooperative two-player mode, relentless pace, and demanding difficulty made it a beloved classic that still defines the genre.
Deep Dive
Contra was heavily inspired by the 1980s action film aesthetic — specifically Predator, Aliens, and The Terminator — with its two muscular commandos, dense jungle settings, and alien antagonists. The arcade version featured a mix of side-scrolling and behind-the-back third-person shooting stages, while the NES port streamlined the experience into pure side-scrolling with superior level design. Weapon pickups — spread guns, rapid fire, lasers, and flamethrowers — changed gameplay dramatically and were hotly contested in co-op play. The game's difficulty was brutal by design, but the Konami Code made it accessible to casual players while retaining challenge for purists. The franchise spawned over a dozen sequels and the term 'Contra-style' became shorthand for a specific type of demanding but satisfying run-and-gun action.
