RETROCANON
← Full Contra guide

Where to start with Contra

Fast two-player run-and-gun action where one hit matters and every screen is a set-piece ambush.

Start with Contra III: The Alien Wars

The most immediate classic Contra: huge bosses, readable spectacle, and the right amount of 16-bit excess.

Contra III: The Alien Wars

1992 · SNES

Contra goes full SNES apocalypse with rotating overhead stages, screen-filling bosses, and co-op chaos at peak speed.

16-bit sequels

3 releases & editions

Then play…

  1. Contra: Operation Galuga

    2024 · Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

    A modern reimagining of the first Contra that keeps the Galuga Island setup but expands stages, characters, and co-op tools.

    RemakeModern revivals

    The friendliest modern doorway into the original Contra setup, especially for players who want current controls and co-op options.

    6 releases & editions

  2. Contra 4

    2007 · Nintendo DS

    WayForward's DS sequel stacks two screens of bullets, grapples, and callbacks while keeping the series brutally direct.

    Modern revivals

    A faithful modern sequel that understands the arcade/NES lineage without feeling like a museum piece.

    2 releases & editions

  3. Contra: Hard Corps

    1994 · Genesis / Mega Drive

    The Genesis Contra is frantic, branching, and theatrical, with multiple characters and bosses that rarely sit still.

    16-bit sequelsHard Corps

    A wilder alternate path after Contra III, with branching routes and a more characterful 16-bit identity.

    3 releases & editions

  4. Contra: Shattered Soldier

    2002 · PlayStation 2

    A hard PS2 return to side-scrolling patterns, weapon cycling, and route mastery after the awkward 3D years.

    Modern revivals

    A severe score-and-pattern sequel for players who already know they want Contra at its least forgiving.

    3 releases & editions

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