Spanning three decades and 14 main series games, Contra is undoubtedly one of Konami’s finest creations. This classic run and gun-style shooting game started as a coin-operated arcade game back in 1987 and is viewed by many as setting the stage for other popular franchises such as Metal Slug and Gunstar Heroes. Not all Contra games have been received with the same enthusiasm, so today we are breaking down all the games in this series from best to worst.
1/14 Contra: Hard Corps (1994, Genesis)
Contra: Hard Corps is the only one in the franchise that was released on Sega consoles. This challenge game has a darker tone to its plot, with players being able to select different characters for gameplay as they battle crime and hacked robots.
2/14 Contra (1987, NES)
The pioneering game in the series migrated from a coin-op game to the NES in 1988, with its classic Contra side-scrolling perspective, pioneering pseudo-3D perspectives, and the infamous 30-lives Konami code. Contra is still loved by fans of the series and shows Konami’s prowess at game development which they still use today when designing new online slots for real money.
3/14 Contra III: The Alien Wars (1992, SNES/Game Boy)
Contra 3: The Alien Wars saw the jump from 8-bit to 16-bit Hardware. Gone were the days of slow-moving bullets, ushering the dawn of machine guns slaying Aliens and taking on some memorable bosses.
4/14 Super Contra (1988, NES)
Super Contra kept the majority of the gameplay, accessories, and feel of the original, with the introduction of the overhead perspective.
5/14 Contra 4 (2007, Nintendo DS)
Even though Nintendo DS was not the most comfortable console, Contra 4 offered players a new challenge across two vertical screens.
6/14 Contra: Shattered Soldier (2002, PS2)
Contra: Shattered Soldier was the first in the series to be released on PlayStation 2, and it kept the much-beloved 2D-gameplay of the original games with greater 3D characters and backdrops.
7/14 Hard Corps: Uprising (2011, PSN/Xbox 360)
Hard Cops: Uprising was released digitally and boasted gorgeous anime hand-drawings, as well as more acrobatic characters.
Overall, this offering keeps the winning Contra formula but brought the series into the new decade.
8/14 Operation C (1991, Game Boy)
Released exclusively to Game Boy, this game was limited by the console’s tiny and monochromatic screen. Despite this, Operation C features many elements from its predecessor and made auto-firing a default option.
9/14 Contra ReBirth (2009, WiiWare)
With a mixture of different levels, bosses, and gameplay elements from previous games, Contra ReBirth isn’t being great, but it was definitely fun.
10/14 Contra Force (1992, NES)
Contra Force seems to have been rushed, with the final product often feeling as being unfinished and slow. However, this was the first Contra game to have selectable characters.
11/14 Neo Contra (2004, PS2)
The second PS2 release is not the most memorable entry, as it took a step away from the classic side-scrolling perspective and replaced it with an overhead perspective.
12/14 Contra: Legacy of War (1996, PS1/Saturn)
Contra: Legacy of War used isometric gameplay but it was very poorly executed great. Even though it was developed in 32-bit, it felt more clunky than its 16-bit predecessors.
13/14 Contra: Rogue Corps (2019, PSN/Nintendo Switch/Microsoft/Xbox One)
The latest addition to the Contra series was largely bland, with average graphics, and an uncomfortable game for Nintendo Switch users. Luckily, Konami’s recent online slot games are much better received!
14/14 C: The Contra Adventure (1998, PS1)
C: The Contra Adventure is the one that most fans of the series tend to forget. A single-player only game with terrible visuals that was anything but Contra – ouch!
