Nintendo Entertainment System · 1988
Contra
A fast-moving side-scrolling shooter where aim, timing, and quick reflexes define every stage.
- Publisher
- Konami
- Format
- Cartridge
- Genre
- Run and gun
- Released
- 1988
01
Overview
The player controls a soldier racing through jungle and industrial stages, blasting waves of enemies while dodging relentless fire. Progress is tracked through a password system, so players must memorize or write down codes to resume after each session. A two-player option lets friends take on the same levels together or compete within the same playthrough.
02
Why it matters
Contra helped define the run and gun formula on the NES, pairing demanding precision shooting with a sense of constant forward momentum. Its password system and two-player design made it a fixture of shared cartridge sessions in the late 1980s.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete copy includes the cartridge, manual, and packaging box, with the game itself remaining consistent across regional prints. Packaging artwork, box color, and label details can vary by region, so collectors usually check those elements separately from the cartridge.
04
Playing it today
The game runs on original NES hardware and on modern emulation setups, with no special peripherals needed. Its password system means progress depends on writing down codes between sessions, which is straightforward but not automatic.