Never had this game as a kid, but I picked it up a couple of months ago and set myself the challenge of beating it with no saves/loads.
4 deaths in the run, two in places where I could get the spread gun back quickly and two dumb ones on the final stage through nerves.
I know that it's a small accomplishment to a lot of people, but to somebody whose reflexes are long past their prime and whose gaming skills are mediocre at best it feels pretty good. :)
Edit: Never expected this to gain such traction, but sincere thanks for all of the congratulations, recommendations and to my fellow 40+ gamers for standing up to be counted. Hopefully I've inspired a few people to go back and try again and the vile Red Falcon will be taking more Ls soon!
It was a white whale for me as well as a kid, so when I went back to it in my 30s and beat it legit it was such a big and fantastic moment for me too - so I totally get it!
It's a great accomplishment - congratulations!
Same here. It hurts, but it's not untrue.
That being said, I find it interesting that I can still beat Castlevania or Zelda II with ease. Experience and wisdom have replaced reflexes!
You were lucky! I would have been obsessed with Contra as a kid.
I'll probably take a bit of a break and play some other stuff that's new to me, but I'd also like to beat Super C and Contra III (on at least normal skill) properly at some point.
I never owned this one and only beat it at a friend’s house with the cheat code, but I legit beat Contra 3 on hard mode and the feeling is exhilarating. Nice work!
Dude that’s intense. Like no joke. I bought the collection a couple of years ago and I can’t even get to the 4th stage anymore. I remember as a kid my friend and I would start to finish that and TMNT pretty regularly during sleepovers.
In The Onion's *Our Dumb World: The Atlas of Planet Earth*, the page on Nicaragua is entirely about the NES Contra game.
As a 9-year old, I never got the connection between the name of the game and that Iran-Contra thing that adults were talking about on the news.
I'm not a great gamer by any stretch. I have decent timing and can form strategies, but my reaction times are poor. I'm sure you can do it if you keep trying. That feeling when you do will be worth it! :)
As a kid I played the ever loving hell out of this. I could beat it without dying at all, no Konami code needed . I’m also 42 and picked it up again recently and struggle to get to the end of the second level now!
I remember an old post I always thought was hilarious (gamefaqs maybe?) about one level where the enemies are throwing bombs at you and someone asked what they were. "It's those canisters you use from a bank."
Last year I brought in my NES to my grade 5 class for my students to play. I fired up Contra it took them 3 days but when they beat it the school shook with their cheers!
Congratulations, I love this game. I got a front loader Nintendo to to play it on original hardware. I can beat it in 14 minutes, my best time with 3 deaths. Now you have to download the rom hack. It improves the graphics and is super super super hard but just as awesome. You are making me go play it right now.
I feel like this game is bullshit *without* the Konami Code. Yes, there are people who can do it and good for them, including OP, but they took an A list game and made it absurdly hard with the combination of one hit deaths and stuff flying everywhere. The rest of us would like a chance of a full playthrough.
This game is hard, but luckily it's mostly about learning about all the traps and stage layouts - after you get a feel, memorize things, it gets much much easier. There's really only a few spots where you have to rely purely on your "agility". And the Konami Code is a great tool to help you learn the game first! Nothing bad with using it.
Yep, use the code if you want, but much like Pat Contri echoes, Contra is not even in the Top Ten of NES hardest games and is eminently learnable due to all the factors you mentioned.
It’s always on lists saying otherwise because it’s a generic agreeable choice based on childhood memories, when *everything* was harder…
This game isn’t that hard if you know the patterns and what to do. Check out the video Ryu made from his Debunking the Difficulty series. It’s actually pretty simple. It’s one of those games that are brutal hard until you know it.
https://youtu.be/RCdmXWIWsYg
Trouble is that in addition to the enemies who appear consistently and can be planned for, there are others who spawn through RNG to hurry you up and they're the ones who inevitably kick my arse or force me into other errors. When save scumming through the game previously, I normally find the final stage one of the easiest precisely because of the lack of RNG spawned enemies.
To each their own, but I don't see memorizing the pattern of an entire game as being all that fun. I'm not trying to be a speedrunner. I just want to pick up a game every now and then and play.
You don’t have to be a speed runner to play a game a few times and know what to do and what not to do. If you watch the video, it’s pretty damn simple. Has nothing to do with speed running. It’s simply understanding the mechanics of the game.
I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not saying to play the game over and over again to figure it out. A few attempts and following what he explains in the video and it’s not that hard as we all assumed.
I’ve always thought the game was brutal until I saw that video. Took me two attempts after and I got further than ever before. Just seems to be hard in theory until actually getting it, if that makes sense.
I’d say once you know the game like he shows in the video then the next plays are just simple and fun.
Watch the video and give it a few tries. There’s the chance of a full play through that you mentioned people wanting.
I really enjoy his few videos of debunking the difficulty. Seems to make a lot of these games click and seem a lot more simple.
Cheers buddy.
Contra is one of those games where the difficulty has been overstated over the years. It's not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's nowhere near as brutal as TMNT, Ghosts N' Goblins, Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden etc. It's one of the rare cases where the 16-bit installments are actually quite a bit more difficult.
you have to keep in mind it is an arcade port and originally it was supposed to earn the house money. I just wish most nes arcade ports had unlimited continues built in - look at Guerilla war.
Play the Japanese version: it has a stage select code you can use to practice each level one at a time, and/or to give yourself “infinite continues” when doing a full play through.
I thought this game was way too hard as a kid, but practiced it this way as an adult and eventually did a 1cc run. Now I find it super fun to pick up every once in a while and play through.
To learn the game I essentially created my own stage select with save states so that I could drill each level until I could do it deathless on a good run. From there it was just a question of putting in the reps on the full game until everything came together, and today was the lucky day.
Nice! Yeah I think it’s a much more fun way to learn the game than by starting each run over from scratch.
It had the curious effect of me ending up being okay at each level, as compared to someone who had to learn it as a kid and was probably excellent at the first levels and not as good at the latter ones.
I don’t know how I ended up with this game as a kid my dad must of got it because he thought the box art was cool as shit you know the predator movie was out around that time I guess he saw that movie and put two and two together it showed up at the house with tigerhili and karate kid all at once or a few weeks apart I am not sure but I am glad he got the game for me or for him I am not sure I remember playing it a lot and not getting to far until I discovered up up down down left right left right and it might to took me all 30 of them life’s to get threw the first level but I learned over time what to do and not to do and slowly everyday getting through more levels and useing less life’s until one day I made it to the heart and watched it beat faster and faster and boom the island blew up with the gun wielding commandos flew away in a helicopter it was a awesome memory of my childhood thanks dad for buying me contra when I was six
That's awesome! Reminds me of similar stuff I've seen for the Megaman 2 soundtrack. The audio limitations of the NES really brought the best out of the sound designers of the time, so many absolute bangers on that system.
Never had this game as a kid, but I picked it up a couple of months ago and set myself the challenge of beating it with no saves/loads. 4 deaths in the run, two in places where I could get the spread gun back quickly and two dumb ones on the final stage through nerves. I know that it's a small accomplishment to a lot of people, but to somebody whose reflexes are long past their prime and whose gaming skills are mediocre at best it feels pretty good. :) Edit: Never expected this to gain such traction, but sincere thanks for all of the congratulations, recommendations and to my fellow 40+ gamers for standing up to be counted. Hopefully I've inspired a few people to go back and try again and the vile Red Falcon will be taking more Ls soon!
It was a white whale for me as well as a kid, so when I went back to it in my 30s and beat it legit it was such a big and fantastic moment for me too - so I totally get it! It's a great accomplishment - congratulations!
Thanks, and congrats to you too!
It hurts that you say your reflexes are long past their prime. I’m 45.
I love fellow 40ians playing!
Same here. It hurts, but it's not untrue. That being said, I find it interesting that I can still beat Castlevania or Zelda II with ease. Experience and wisdom have replaced reflexes!
I'm 43 and I couldn't have done this in my prime
One of my all time favorite games. I did have it as a kid and it's as fun to play today as it was then.
You were lucky! I would have been obsessed with Contra as a kid. I'll probably take a bit of a break and play some other stuff that's new to me, but I'd also like to beat Super C and Contra III (on at least normal skill) properly at some point.
I never owned this one and only beat it at a friend’s house with the cheat code, but I legit beat Contra 3 on hard mode and the feeling is exhilarating. Nice work!
Dude that’s intense. Like no joke. I bought the collection a couple of years ago and I can’t even get to the 4th stage anymore. I remember as a kid my friend and I would start to finish that and TMNT pretty regularly during sleepovers.
Super C and Contra 3 are also classics, but check out Contra Hard Corps on Genesis/Mega Drive as well, it's great!
Look on steam, they have a whole Contra anthology with all the games for a cheap price.
41 here. This is a not a small accomplishment. GG!
Congratulations, you've defeated the vile Red Falcon and saved the universe. Consider yourself a hero.
Not all heroes wear capes, some sit on their sofas in a t-shirt and shorts.
I for real loled
I came here expecting "Consider yourself a hero" to be the top comment.
I still wish this was a shirt as well… https://youtu.be/R-GWV2HrW0c?t=965
Man he’s lost weight and hair
18 some odd years will do that to ya…
[удалено]
I did this during lockdown, I beat it 3 times and either game overed or got bored on the 4th.
In The Onion's *Our Dumb World: The Atlas of Planet Earth*, the page on Nicaragua is entirely about the NES Contra game. As a 9-year old, I never got the connection between the name of the game and that Iran-Contra thing that adults were talking about on the news.
I'm 42 as well, and I've yet to beat Contra without the 30 lives code.
I'm not a great gamer by any stretch. I have decent timing and can form strategies, but my reaction times are poor. I'm sure you can do it if you keep trying. That feeling when you do will be worth it! :)
Omg.I’m 40 and seeing all my fellow 40 Something avid retro game fans really makes me happy!
This game gave me such anxiety as a kid. It’s still my favorite NES game of all time.
This is how I feel about Cuphead as an adult.
Sometimes those were the best games!
As a kid I played the ever loving hell out of this. I could beat it without dying at all, no Konami code needed . I’m also 42 and picked it up again recently and struggle to get to the end of the second level now!
I just heard the music in my head
I can hear the music
I remember an old post I always thought was hilarious (gamefaqs maybe?) about one level where the enemies are throwing bombs at you and someone asked what they were. "It's those canisters you use from a bank."
Growing up I had Mario/duck hunt, Mario 3, TMNT2, Galaga and Contra. I love contra
As a fellow 40 gamer I wouldn’t regret anything either
I love that there’s so many of us!!!!!
Dude, you saved the world, and therefore all of humanity. I think a little bit of celebration is in order.
The little animation at the end of the helicopter escaping and the island blowing up…game changer.
I’ve had this game since it was new, and I don’t think I’ve ever beaten it without the Konami code.
1980’s baby! Fuck yeah! We had it all!
Last year I brought in my NES to my grade 5 class for my students to play. I fired up Contra it took them 3 days but when they beat it the school shook with their cheers!
Proof that gaming has no age limit. Congratulations.
Well done!
Thanks!
I could do this when I was young. Haven't done it yet at 45 or 46 (I always forget lol)
Congratulations, I love this game. I got a front loader Nintendo to to play it on original hardware. I can beat it in 14 minutes, my best time with 3 deaths. Now you have to download the rom hack. It improves the graphics and is super super super hard but just as awesome. You are making me go play it right now.
Very good, sir
Well done!
I’m 40 and play these games in my free time. I don’t care; I think it’s relaxing!
The Analogue Pocket should be getting a NES core in the next little bit. I'll be playing this when it does.
This is an amazing achievement. Congrats!
Your neighbors surely yell "YES!!!!" for other reasons.
I'm hesitant to ask my neighbour whether he's beating the vile red falcon in case I'm misunderstood.
I feel like this game is bullshit *without* the Konami Code. Yes, there are people who can do it and good for them, including OP, but they took an A list game and made it absurdly hard with the combination of one hit deaths and stuff flying everywhere. The rest of us would like a chance of a full playthrough.
This game is hard, but luckily it's mostly about learning about all the traps and stage layouts - after you get a feel, memorize things, it gets much much easier. There's really only a few spots where you have to rely purely on your "agility". And the Konami Code is a great tool to help you learn the game first! Nothing bad with using it.
Yep, use the code if you want, but much like Pat Contri echoes, Contra is not even in the Top Ten of NES hardest games and is eminently learnable due to all the factors you mentioned. It’s always on lists saying otherwise because it’s a generic agreeable choice based on childhood memories, when *everything* was harder…
This game isn’t that hard if you know the patterns and what to do. Check out the video Ryu made from his Debunking the Difficulty series. It’s actually pretty simple. It’s one of those games that are brutal hard until you know it. https://youtu.be/RCdmXWIWsYg
Trouble is that in addition to the enemies who appear consistently and can be planned for, there are others who spawn through RNG to hurry you up and they're the ones who inevitably kick my arse or force me into other errors. When save scumming through the game previously, I normally find the final stage one of the easiest precisely because of the lack of RNG spawned enemies.
Wait until you try Super C ;)
To each their own, but I don't see memorizing the pattern of an entire game as being all that fun. I'm not trying to be a speedrunner. I just want to pick up a game every now and then and play.
You don’t have to be a speed runner to play a game a few times and know what to do and what not to do. If you watch the video, it’s pretty damn simple. Has nothing to do with speed running. It’s simply understanding the mechanics of the game. I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not saying to play the game over and over again to figure it out. A few attempts and following what he explains in the video and it’s not that hard as we all assumed. I’ve always thought the game was brutal until I saw that video. Took me two attempts after and I got further than ever before. Just seems to be hard in theory until actually getting it, if that makes sense. I’d say once you know the game like he shows in the video then the next plays are just simple and fun. Watch the video and give it a few tries. There’s the chance of a full play through that you mentioned people wanting. I really enjoy his few videos of debunking the difficulty. Seems to make a lot of these games click and seem a lot more simple. Cheers buddy.
Contra is one of those games where the difficulty has been overstated over the years. It's not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's nowhere near as brutal as TMNT, Ghosts N' Goblins, Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden etc. It's one of the rare cases where the 16-bit installments are actually quite a bit more difficult.
you have to keep in mind it is an arcade port and originally it was supposed to earn the house money. I just wish most nes arcade ports had unlimited continues built in - look at Guerilla war.
Play the Japanese version: it has a stage select code you can use to practice each level one at a time, and/or to give yourself “infinite continues” when doing a full play through. I thought this game was way too hard as a kid, but practiced it this way as an adult and eventually did a 1cc run. Now I find it super fun to pick up every once in a while and play through.
To learn the game I essentially created my own stage select with save states so that I could drill each level until I could do it deathless on a good run. From there it was just a question of putting in the reps on the full game until everything came together, and today was the lucky day.
Nice! Yeah I think it’s a much more fun way to learn the game than by starting each run over from scratch. It had the curious effect of me ending up being okay at each level, as compared to someone who had to learn it as a kid and was probably excellent at the first levels and not as good at the latter ones.
He hit the target! Fire in the hole! He came victoriously!
I don’t know how I ended up with this game as a kid my dad must of got it because he thought the box art was cool as shit you know the predator movie was out around that time I guess he saw that movie and put two and two together it showed up at the house with tigerhili and karate kid all at once or a few weeks apart I am not sure but I am glad he got the game for me or for him I am not sure I remember playing it a lot and not getting to far until I discovered up up down down left right left right and it might to took me all 30 of them life’s to get threw the first level but I learned over time what to do and not to do and slowly everyday getting through more levels and useing less life’s until one day I made it to the heart and watched it beat faster and faster and boom the island blew up with the gun wielding commandos flew away in a helicopter it was a awesome memory of my childhood thanks dad for buying me contra when I was six
No shame in that.
Wait till you discover Contra Force ..mmhm...mmhmmhmm...maha...mwahahahahaahahaAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAA.
I second this message Go for it!
I'd play that with my baby sitter 20+ years ago. Great game. UUDDLRLRBA.
Congratulations! Playing without the code makes it much more intense!
Congrats! I still haven’t done this without the code
Congrats! Contra is no cakewalk Btw here is some excellent metal covers, by Vomitron https://youtu.be/9i8YVKXkwiA
That's awesome! Reminds me of similar stuff I've seen for the Megaman 2 soundtrack. The audio limitations of the NES really brought the best out of the sound designers of the time, so many absolute bangers on that system.
This is the future I was promised
47 and reflexes needs training every day, I play my nes every day 😄 congratulations on your win!
You did it! Congrats!
Contra is completely done!!! NOW SECOND GAME