It was 1987.Lethal Weaponwas in theaters, Bon Jovi released “Livin’ on a Prayer,” the Lakers beat the Celtics 4-2, and nearly every kid you knew had a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in their living room. Their game library may not have been all exactly the same, but it was almost certain they owned a copy ofSuper Mario Bros.,The Legend of Zelda,Metroid, and, of course,Contra.
Konami’s famous run ‘n’ gun series has spanned decades and continues to this day. A new game is on the horizon, and players unfamiliar with the franchise may be interested in its history. Or perhaps you’re a fan looking for a reminder. Either way, our list of allContragames in release order will set you straight.
How to play allContragames in release order
What’s next forContra?
Contrais a legendary game. Many who grew up playing it recall its blistering action, rocking soundtrack, and brutal difficulty. That is unless you knew about the magical button combination that granted 30 lives.Contramay not have been the first to include the Konami Code (that honor goes to 1986’sGradius), but it did popularize its use.Contrasaw you storming a jungle, solo or alongside a friend, to stop Red Falcon at all costs. It was the beginning of a saga, one that had its fair share of ups and downs.
Contrafans deserve a win, and hopefully one is coming soon. After the utter disappointment that wasContra: Rogue Corps, players may have nearly written off the franchise for good. But there is optimism. Konami is teaming up with 2D gaming aficionados WayForward to createContra: Operation Galuga. A throwback to the original,Operation Galugais the kind of kickass, traditional run-and-gun actionContrafans crave like plants to electrolytes. We’ll have to wait and see to find out if it lives up to the name.
If you’re done checking out our list ofContragames in release order, we have one for another 1987 Konami classic:Castlevania.
