Contra Games – Play Contra and Super Contra Online

Contra in a nutshell

Contra came out in arcades in 1987 and on the NES a year later, and it became one of the defining games of the 8-bit era. Two commandos, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, fight through jungle, alien bases and waterfalls to stop the Red Falcon invasion. One hit kills you, enemies never stop coming and the bosses fill the screen – which is exactly why finishing it with a friend feels so good. In Brazil many players simply called it "the Rambo game".

The Contra games in order

The list also includes later spin-offs – Super Contra Force, the PlayStation games Contra: Legacy of War and C: The Contra Adventure – and the fan-made Contra Gender Swap, which replaces the two heroes with female commandos.

Which Contra should you play first?

Start with Contra (NES) – ideally with a friend and the Konami code. When you have beaten it, move on to Super Contra and then the 16-bit games.

Weapons and tips

• S – Spread gun. Five bullets in a fan. The best weapon in the game; protect it at all costs.
• M – Machine gun, L – Laser, F – Fire ball, R – Rapid fire and B – Barrier (temporary invincibility).
• Lie down to dodge many bullets, and jump while shooting diagonally to hit enemies above you.
• In co-op, the player who scrolls the screen too fast can pull their partner to death – move together.