Contra 4
- November 27, 2007 16:17 PM PST
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After a decade-plus of 3D missteps, Konami finally delivers a Contra title worthy of succeeding the SNES classic, The Alien Wars. One part homage and one part evolution, Contra 4 is two screens of delicious torture.
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At first glance, Contra 4 seems like it would be a better fit for the Sony PSP. The wide screen could have accommodated the action better and the ability to choose between analog or digital controls would have been welcome. Konami, however, saw the potential that lay in the DS' dual screens and took the opportunity--to double the difficulty.
The enemies are still brain-dead and their weapons largely ineffective, but the onslaught never stops, and you've got twice as much area to keep your eyes on. The invisible area in between the screens is a bit of an issue, as you'll sometimes lose track of a bullet or an enemy in there, but thankfully, the stages are usually set up to avoid that problem.
While Contra 4 ups the difficulty, you are given a few neat tricks to help even the score. Special weapons, a Contra hallmark, have been given a big upgrade. You can switch between two weapons a la Contra 3 and new abilities like the grappling hook gives you some much needed maneuverability.
Contra 4 also features immense replay value. The game itself is fun enough to warrant multiple playthroughs, but you can unlock a bunch of awesome content including the original NES Contra and Super C. With three of the best 2D shooters all housed on one cart, Contra 4 is an amazing value. It may not make use of the system's touch-screen, but Contra 4 is the perfect portable title: it's easy to play in short bursts but also engrossing enough to get sucked into.--Dave Rudden
