|
|
|
Flashback: Contra (NES)
May 14, 2009, 1:24 AM by ROB
Posted in FLASHBACK, GAMING | 2090 views
This is the third episode in the weekly Flashback series, in which we bring you a new old-school favorite with each installment. Last week, we took a look at Apogee Software's Duke Nukem. Got an idea? Catch me on Twitter @RobLaughter!
ZOMGZ. Since I've posted on the Konami Code love on Facebook and ESPN.com, close to 50% of my free time has been spent in front of my 32" LCD TV playing NES ROMs on my laptop. Contra, of course, is responsible for the bulk of my procrastination.
If you haven't played Contra for the NES, you haven't truly lived. The plot is simple: aliens are taking over the world and you need to stop the evil jerk who is responsible for it all. Players fight through hordes of baddies, dodge showers of bullets, and defeat epic bosses after each side-scrolling level. Between levels, players work their way through faux-3D corridors (impressive for its time) to get to the next stage.
The game itself is extremely challenging; players start with three lives and it takes just one bullet to kill your character. Even with two players, the game is downright difficult, so many players (myself included) resorted to the now-sacred Konami Code (up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start) to start the game with thirty lives. In my recent foray into the game, my friend Kevin and I only managed to get to the third stage before losing all thirty lives. Yeah—we suck.
Contra is near-perfect in graphics, music, and gameplay. When you're ready to play, go buy a vintage NES—there's no other way to play it. If you're hard up on cash (or just lazy), grab an NES emulator and download the ROM. Note: ROMs are copyrighted code; unless you own the original cartridge, downloading a ROM for any other purpose than immediately deleting it is illegal. Don't be naughty.
|
| Comments (1) |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 Subscribe
Find Something
What's New?
Groundskeepers
»Rob Laughter | Blog
»Ethan Lee | Blog
Blogs we like
Gizmodo
Engadget
Coolest Gadgets
Gizmo Watch
OhGizmo!
|
