Contra 4

For Nintendo DS

Contra 4 is finally here, and its gonna kick some asses and take some names. As a true sequel to the side-scrolling NES and arcade games that launched the series into fame, Contra 4 stays true to the formula and is as challenging as ever. Of course, the infamous Konami code will give you some help this time around, but don’t expect me to give it to you. If you don’t have it memorized, its just too bad for you. But let me reiterate- this game is HARD. Not hard like “Man, all these levels are gonna take a long time to play through”, but more like “OH MY GOD IF I DIE FROM ANOTHER STUPID RANDOM THING I’M GONNA BASH A HOLE IN THE WALL.” But even in light of this, it’s a great game that really teaches you classic gaming skills such as pattern recognition and reaction timing.
As far as the atmosphere of the game, the colors are vivid, the action is constant, and your characters are total badasses who are obviously on some futuristic steroids of some kind. Which is cool, because when you are hitching a ride by hanging on a rocket launching itself into space while shooting at bad guys, you pretty much aren’t taking any crap from anybody. The weapons and controls are mostly the same as they were in the originals, so that is good news. The dual-screen play is great and although sometimes it’s a little difficult to watch the top while playing on the bottom, the game is still fun. With plenty of unlockables such as older games in the series like Super C and Probotector, Contra 4 is the perfect thing for nostalgic gamers in need of an adrenaline rush on the go.