That's what I remembered but man, I haven't played it since it around the time it came out. I just looked it up and SS came out 22 years ago! I can't even believe it's been that long...
Loved your review! I'm exactly the Contra fan this was aimed at--played Contra and Super C over and over as a kid, and I'm enjoying the hell out of playing a new modern remake. It's wonderful. Every single thing you said about this resonated with me
That is awesome David! I too grew up with Contra and I feel like the Dev's at WayForward are just like us as Gamers so IMO they were the perfect Dev team to revitalize Contra. I'm really happy you enjoyed the review!
Awesome! I'm happy to hear you feel the same way I do in that Contra actually feels like Contra again! I'm really hoping Wayforward is already working on the next Contra and maybe even Castlevania. 🤞
@@thunderstashgaming I agree I REALLY hope this games sells well. The overall reviews are sort of middle of the row. Might scare some on the fence people off.
I just checked the Metacritic and see it's sitting at 71%, not great. Hopefully when it goes on sale enough people will pick it up. I think longtime fans of Contra will enjoy the game but I don't know if they will be able to acquire many new fans with it's Metacritic score without chopping the price in half.
I enjoyed Shattered Soldier too, even had it preordered at Best Buy back in the day. I agree, Hardcorps Uprising should have had the Contra name, Konami missed out there because I think some people don't even know that it is a Contra game. Would have sold a lot better with the Contra name.
@@thunderstashgaming Playing it perfectly. Component cable connected to the HDMI converter box. Fiber optic connection on the back of the PS2 slim to my 7.1 Surround sound, Home theater connected to two powered subs. 85inch Samsung QLED mounted on the wall. Gonna be rocking hardcore. 🔥🤘
A few other people commented about Jackal and I 100% agree. I still have my original Jackal cartridge and it's one of my favorite NES games from Konami and that's saying a lot because Konami was on fire during the NES era. I think you will really like the new Contra, I'm definitely going to return to it and try to beat the game in the 1-hit kill mode just as soon as I finish FF7 Rebirth. Thank you for subscribing, I appreciate it!
@@thunderstashgaming I still have my original cartridge as well,lol.FF7 is my favorite game ever and I have to grab FF7 Rebirth.Im playing Helldivers 2 way too much.I want Dragon's Dogma 2 , and Rise of the Ronin.But I'm grabbing FF7 This week.I appreciate your content and how you communicate with your followers..I found a gem in finding your channel pal.
Why did they make it look like a kids' game? The graphics DO NOT look fine. Whoever made this should be ashamed to add this to the Contra games. Bring back dark imagery. Screw this "kid friendly appeal to the masses mobile game" look. Whata trashy move.
I don't like that either it looks like a cell phone game for kids The bright sterile looking graphics ruin it. Needs gritty grungy dirty looking settings And I wish they'd left out all the dialogue and the grunting when they jump
Thought this too, makes me weary. Way Forward do great work, but Aliens and Terminator being a huge part of Contra’s DNA shouldve been obvious. Pulling in an opposite direction is a disservice.
The Genesis exclusive Hard Corps was an excellent Contra just like Konami's other Genesis exclusive, Castlevania Bloodlines. I still have Contra 4 on my DS and it's definitely one of the finest Contra games and one of the few to really knock it out of the park past the mid 90's.
Hard Corps uprising has better graphics and that’s almost 15 years old. In fact I bought it on ps3 for $5. The price tag is far too high and this game will get heavily discounted if you wait. Way Forward have far too much reverence for the NES titles. The best games in the series, and the most innovative, we’re made by nobuya nakazato. Sadly this series has been dead in sprit for 20 years now
I really like Hard Corps Uprising, excellent Contra game. Operation Galuga was safe but fun outing. My hope is that we get more Contra games that stick to the tried and true formula while taking some creative risks. Not creative risks like Rogue Corps, more along the lines of Uprising and Shattered Soldier.
@@thunderstashgaminguprising is okay, but clearly started life as some mecha anime side scroller before having the contra universe stapled onto it. It really lacked the grotesque biological element of contra. This new game should be $20 tops. I think contra fans are too thirsty for anything at this point. I would recommend anniversary collection, cuphead, or blazing chrome way above this overpriced fan-service mobile game
Your right, it seemed like the Contra universe was slapped onto Hard Corps Uprising and I know a lot of developers were trying out cell shading back then but I never thought it was a good fit for Contra however the gameplay was great. I think we are thirsty too but more less I've been hopeful that Contra could get back on the right track again and after playing Operation Galuga I feel confident it is now. All games I own and are great recommendations for anyone who hasn't played them!
The only ones who cant beat Contra without a code are players who dont game. This " Legendary " difficulty surrounding this game is exaggerated. Contra is not a hard game at all. I break that game start to finish, no death with 16 men at the end. I was a kid then. As I said, its hard for those who dont game much. Otherwise gamers been crushed NES Contra.
@@matttipton6009 Yes it is, but that is forced onto you if you want the best ending. Otherwise in the Japanese version, you can play it on normal and still get the best ending and full boss fight.
Yep! I hate how they started talking about Contra like it's legacy is somehow being hard like Ghost N Goblins. It was never hard, it was fun mindless blasting. They started that "Contra Hard" shit with Contra 4 and it suffered for it. I hate the autofiring and stupid cutscenes during the gameplay in this game
Side note, did you happen to play the new Ghost's & Goblins? I've been thinking about buying it for a long time but can't pull the trigger for some reason. I just need someone to tell me if it's good or not.
@@thunderstashgaming I think it's great, I love the old games and they nailed the gameplay. I do miss the double jump from SGnG but everything else about it is fire.
Contra 4 has my favorite Contra soundtrack ever. Man, that waterfall stage track is so amazing and well done. That's just an example of how great it is. The new Contra's soundtrack doesn't live up to that.
I agree with you, the new soundtrack doesn't live up to Contra 4 but thankfully the Contra 4 soundtrack is unlockable in the Perk shop. The waterfall track was also my favorite from Contra 4! I also think the new soundtrack is too quiet. Even after I went into the options and turned down the SFX and turned up the volume on my surround sound, it still doesn't hit as loud as it should. It's faint and I don't understand how they could mess that up because the other soundtracks sound normal. Did you notice that?
@thundersteve85gaming Yup! It's certainly faint, which is a shame. I also prefer pixel art, but otherwise, it's a good game. Thanks, I didn't know it was an unlockable perk! So far, I haven't touched perks, but that motivates me to do it. Maybe I'm too old school.
I too prefer pixel art. I'm the type of person that's more impressive by the 80's and 90's cartoon animation than I am by today's CGI animation. Your welcome! Yeah, the perk shop is really cool and honestly it gives me good reason to return to the game multiple times! Nothing wrong with being too old school man and I'm probably right there with you! 😂
@thundersteve85gaming Today's gaming in general is mostly trash now. They've gone away from the art and craft of why we love gaming in the 1st place. It seems everything is just for a quick cash grab, with lazy development (pushed down from the corporate heads who are clueless). Shell games, with a " we will fix it via 100 patches, over 5 years" instead of making quality from the start, but still charging top tier quality prices. Sorry for the rant brothers, but I'm just fed up with corporatism and greed in general. Streaming is in the same pitiful place. It's worse than what cable originally was!!!Enough already!
Great video. I'm a HUGE Contra fan and was really excited for this. Now that I've beaten Galuga, I'd say it's really good, but not as great as Hard Corps, Blazing Chrome, or Uprising. No matter what, it's WAY better than Konami's current slot machines. Hope it sells well and is an incentive for Konami to give some love to their classics. Bring on a Rocket Knight and a Rebirth collection!
Thank you Matt, glad you liked the review! I can tell you are a huge Contra fan since you know about games likes Blazing Chrome and it's greatness. I agree, I think Galuga is really good and most importantly I think it got Contra back on the winning track, we just need to stay there now and stay away from making games like Rogue Corps. I have the Rocket Knight Collection preordered at Limited Run Games. I had a ton of fun playing that series growing up and would love to see them remake it!
Nothing still comes close to that PS2 version alien designs we're on a whole another worldly level on its own of greatness are there still though that super contra 3 for the super Nintendo that's still stands out to has excellence of course nothing beats the original timeline for any universe certainly nothing today
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🎮 Contra Series Overview* - Overview of the Contra series and its historical significance, - Contra's reputation for being challenging and beloved by fans, - Mention of the legendary Konami Code and its impact on gameplay. 01:07 *🚀 Contra: Operation Galuga Overview* - Introduction to Contra: Operation Galuga as a reimagining of the original Contra game, - Description of the setting and storyline of the game, - Mention of the iconic characters and their roles in the game's narrative. 02:16 *🔫 Gameplay Mechanics and Features* - Explanation of character selection and abilities, - Introduction to the aim lock feature and its significance in gameplay, - Comparison of graphics to previous Contra games and emphasis on gameplay over graphics. 03:11 *🎶 Sound and Music* - Discussion of sound effects and their nostalgic appeal, - Overview of the soundtrack options and their availability, - Appreciation for the inclusion of various soundtracks without additional cost. 04:29 *💰 Content and Replay Value* - Description of the content available in the game, including story mode, arcade mode, and challenge mode, - Overview of the perks available in the perk shop and their significance in gameplay, - Mention of the game's difficulty settings and their impact on gameplay experience. 05:39 *🕹️ Challenge Modes and Trophies* - Explanation of the different challenge modes available in the game, - Overview of the trophies and achievements and the challenges required to unlock them, - Emphasis on the game's appeal to both casual and hardcore players. 07:51 *😊 Emotion and Charm* - Reflection on the nostalgic and charming aspects of the game, - Appreciation for the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while still feeling fresh, - Mention of unexpected Easter eggs and references that add to the charm of the game. 10:08 *💸 Pricing and Value Proposition* - Evaluation of the game's pricing and value proposition, - Comparison to other remastered games in terms of pricing and content, - Recommendation to fans of the Contra series to consider purchasing the game. Made with HARPA AI
Wait... i though it had online co-op? It doesnt? Wtf.😂😂😂😂 Hard corps uprising is a better game, and that game is 12+ years old. Wtf. At least. This game is going in the right direction, so there is hope for the future of the series. Now.. where is Castlevania at? Konami?? Where is it?
I wish it had online co-op, seems like everyone was hoping it would have it. I haven't played Hard Corps Uprising in a long time but I agree it is a great Contra game. Right, most important thing is that Contra is on the right track again now it needs to stay on this track and not veer off the path as it tends to do. 100%, bring on Castlevania. It's been far too long.
First: Is the stache real? Have you ever given anyone a moustache ride (Adult Swim Ref) Second: Gameplay does indeed reflect Contra of yesteryear. I find it funny how people take graphics into the pricing when we have indie teams and 8bit graphic games in 2024 that literally trump AAA studio games. (halls of torment, vampire survivors, etc) But - such a high asking price for what many people who have never played the series or understand short gameplay vs. replay I can understand and actually agree with. Eventually it will go on sale, but by then many will have forgotten or move on. Switch users will never see a pricedrop, and PC gamers simply play the Contra Collection which currently is less than ten bucks. Good review, nice stache, sad to see the latest Contra barely given notice due to the retail price.
🤣 Yes my mustache is 100% real and yes of course I have. 😂 I agree with you. I appreciate great graphics but having great graphics doesn't make a game great and I don't think WayForward set out to make Contra a graphical showpiece. You and I both know there are plenty of great modern-day games with 8-16-bit art styles. Also, agree with you regarding the asking price. I think it can be a steep asking price for people who have never played Contra or for people who either do not understand or cannot appreciate the short gameplay model. I think the 80's and 90's generation of gamers know the model well since it's what we grew up with. Right, it will go on sale eventually, they always do but many will have forgotten about it and moved on to the next best thing. I've gotta say I've never seen a console that has never had a price drop and charged $10 more for most of its multiplatform titles like the Nintendo Switch. I agree, many people that are interested in trying Contra will just pick up the collection. The collection has been on sale multiple times on the Switch E-shop and Playstation Store for $4.99. If I was someone who had never played Contra before but was interested in trying it out to see if I liked it and I saw I could pick up the collection with 10 Contra games for pennies compared to the new title's $40 price tag, I would totally pick the collection over Operation Galuga. Thank you again for the great comment and what I consider some expert insight. I couldn't have summed it up any better and thank you on the Stache! 🥸
I liked the first Contra for Nes but became a HUGE fan since Super C and Contra III. I wonder, Who remembers Contra Force for Nes? That had potential, the gameplay was too slow tho.
I'm right there with you. I've been a believer since the first Contra and it was games like Super C, Contra III and Contra: Hard Corps that made me a lifelong fan. I have the actual physical cartridge for Contra Force. If only that game didn't suffer from massive slowdown. I was hoping they would have fixed it and made it playable on the Contra Anniversary Collection. :(
My biggest grip is the music. It sounds like random notes playing very softly with the occasional familiar theme from the first game thrown in. Other than that, it's fun and looks good enough.
I know what your talking about. Honestly, the new soundtrack has some decent tracks but the unlockable music is where it's really at. I did mess with the music in the options and turned down the SFX and turned up my surround sound to try and get more out of the new soundtrack. It helped a little bit. As soon as I changed it to the other soundtracks though it really hit. So IMO, the new soundtrack is decent but the Contra 4, Contra Remix and Castlevania soundtracks really cook.
It's all in how you value your gaming experience. This is the type of game that's meant to be replayed multiple times to unlock all the additional content.
Thank you, Nino! I got a bunch of Nintendo T-shirts from NerdHerdPrinting.com. I can't remember if this is one of the T-shirts that they normally sell. When I bought the Contra shirt it was part of a large custom order containing 25 different videogame t-shirts. Custom order meaning I just had to email the high-quality box art image for the T-shirt. I will also say that the Owner was really great to work with and is also a big Gamer. We exchanged a few emails and he owns like every gaming console. Additionally, I will say that the shirts are high-quality materials and prints. I bought them about a year ago and every shirt I bought still looks great.
It was heavy on the nostalgia. Feels like they were going for a faithful reboot of Contra. My hope is that we see more risks taken for the next Contra game without trying to reinvent the wheel.
Thank you Goto10Gaming, I tried to cover all the important bases! It's good to finally have the Contra back that we all know and love. Next up for Konami, let's figure out what were doing with Castlevania already...
This game is incredibly nostalgic it's for the kids that played it in the 90s use that infinite life code we all know this game does everything my Nintendo didn't do when I was a kid it's just right😊
This game strongly reminds me of Shattered Soldier - SS even has the lock in place option along with an option to lock your gun in place so you can keep the same angle while you move around.
The lock-in-place control option really gives you a greater level of control and it's something I hope makes it's way into all the future Contra games.
Good call! It is a really fun Contra, I think you'll like it! I bought it digitally and also have a Konami exclusive physical version coming that I bought from their store. I'm all about buying physical so I totally get why you'd want to buy the disc version!
I eventually did it too. If I get the spread gun and hang onto it I’m good. It melts bosses up close. Managed to beat Super C on NES this way without dying.
@jasenwm LOL! I don't think so. It's easier than you think. The 30 lives becomes a safety net for most people and they get used to having all of those lives so they just use the code everytime. But when you eventually get good enough, you realize that you're getting to the Alien's Lair with 23+ lives and you actually needed about 7-10 of those 30 lives. You get 7 lives eventually in extra lives along the way anyway. If you can get to the Alien's Lair with more than 20 lives after using the code, you're good enough to play with no code and just a few practice rounds away from being able to say that you can beat the game with no code. I thought Contra was significantly easier than Super C. I have beaten Super C also with no code. But I'm not good enough to pick it up after several months and do it like I can Contra.
Thank you very much RippleTKO and I'm glad you were stumbled upon my channel! I had a blast playing it and I think Contra is in good hands now with WayForward!
Just watched your contra tier listing video and for the most part agree with your ratings. What would you rate this one? I haven't finished it yet but I'm leaning toward an 'A' tier.😀
Thanks for checking out my Contra tier list video! I'm going to go with 'A' tier for sure. It's not the best ever but it's damn good and a very important step in the right direction for Contra!
I'm happy you enjoyed the game! I too wonder if we will get an updated with online co-op. I've seen games before release without online play and have had it added post launch. I think adding online co-op would would help get a lot of people off the fence that are on the fence right now due to it not having online play.
Great review! This reminds me of Streets of Rage 4 on how it was worked on and revitalized. Which Castlevania game did you have? I have SOTN 360 on my Xbox but I'm not sure if that's going to be found to unlock the Castlevania soundtrack.
Thank you! Yes, it totally reminded me of Streets of Rage 4 or even TMNT Shredders Revenge and I love both of those games. It's tough to narrow down but I have Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Advance Collection and Requiem which includes SOTN and Rondo of Blood. I feel like SOTN will unlock the Castlevania soundtrack for you. It is after all the best Castlevania so it would be insulting if it didn't! Honestly playing Contra with the Castlevania soundtrack is really cool and works quite well!
It's a good remake, but between the amount of game they removed and the shortness it creates in the game overall, there is no way you can justify it being $40. $15 would still be a cash grab, but forty is insulting to everyone. SMFH 🤦
I have a feeling that Konami wouldn't accept anything less than $40 but if WayForward was in control of the pricing, it may have come in around $20-30, purely speculating of course. Just my thought given the recently released bare bones Metal Gear Master Collection that had less games than the PS3 Metal Gear Legacy Collection but they still charged $60 for it. 🤷♂️
I would push back a little on past contra titles not being Graphics powerhouse type of games. Graphics presentation of SNES contra was front and center and Mega Drive version was designed with one of its goals to push the hardware to its limit.
Great point! You're right; the graphics presentation of SNES Contra was indeed front and center, and the Mega Drive version really did push the hardware to its limits. Thanks for pointing that out! I wish Konami would have made at least a couple more Contra's during that golden 16-Bit Era.
I am wrong and you are close to right. I just went back and looked it up, thank you for the correction. There are 3 trophies related to the challenges and they are as follows: Gryzor Noob - Complete 1 challenge Hardcore Uprising - Complete 10 challenges Ganbare! Go, Man! - Complete 20 challenges There are 30 challenges in total so you only need to complete 20/30 challenges. Are you going to try and go for the Platinum/Achievement?
I was able to beat it without the Konami code and it was tough for me. Some of the people in the comments said they've beaten the game without dying which is incredibly impressive.
Yes, I still have my original NES cartridge. That is a game that doesn't get enough love and IMO deserves a re-release of some sorts. It doesn't need to be a big budget or anything but I'd love to see Jackal make a comeback!
Thats only good if you live with someone who is willing to play. Online co op makes it easy to just jump online with random players and have fun. In 2024 it's expected to have online co op, it's insane that they didn't even add that feature @DiscoDrew412
Thank you for subscribing! I just watched a review for Super Cyborg and a demo impressions video for Iron Meat and they both look awesome. I'm going to download Super Cyborg and then reach out to the Iron Meat team to see if I can get on the list for a review code. Coincidentally I've had Prison City on my radar to play and review in the near future and I see they also developed that too, nice!
I think I will too, I am going to try to play and review it fairly soon here! I checked “HowLongToBeat.com” and it says it’s around 6.5 hours to do the main mode + extra’s so looks like I’ll be able to beat it in one sitting which means it shouldn’t be too tough to fit in. Does that sound right to you?
I need to go back and play Shattered Soldier again because it's been a while for me but I still have my original copy that I preordered from Best Buy back in the day. A lot of people still have a lot of love for Shattered Soldier and some love for Neo Contra.
@@thunderstashgaming at first I didn't like shattered soldier because it was different. Once I got the hang of it and you're able to lock your position stationary and moving that was it for me. Plus the soundtrack is awesome. Neo Contra had the same mechanics but it was just too cheesy for me.
Ok, I thought I recalled Neo Contra being a little cheesy but wasn't sure so thanks for confirming that. Well, now I'm looking forward to playing Shattered Soldier again. I'm a big fan of videogame soundtracks myself so even more reason to revisit. Position lock is sort of a gameplay game-changer IMO.
Thank you for giving a warning to the comments section. I picked it up on PS5 because I wasn't confident the Switch version would runs smoothly. Unfortunate that they couldn't get it to run at 60FPS.
I 100% agree with you and that is the exact reason why I wanted to pick it up on the Switch... I wonder if they have any wiggle room to work with for a performance patch?
I gotta disagree with supporting a game that is this phoned in. It's not our responsibility to support a sub par product to ensure we get more Contra. It's Konami's responsibility to put out a good product. If this is the treatment Contra is gonna get, then I'd rather not have any more of it.
I appreciate your perspective and understand where you're coming from. While I enjoyed the game, I agree that it's crucial for companies like Konami to deliver high-quality products, especially for beloved franchises like Contra. It's always important to voice our opinions and hold developers accountable to ensure they meet the standards we expect. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I didn’t hesitate to buy it , it is a classic game, old memories, and if konami is reading this,, there are a lot of classic nes games that CAN be remade,, castleavania rondo of blood, Super castlevania ,SOTN etc like me , a lot of people will buy them,
100% agree! I'm ready for Castlevania and so are all your fans. Totally, Konami was one of the biggest and best Developers during the 80's and 90's and they have a huge IP catalog just waiting for a new entries or a reboot!
No online co-op is a good thing cuz I hate online co-op and online only games. I like playing by myself and with friends without have to have internet.
That's awesome man, I'm glad you enjoyed the demo. I feel like Metal Slug and Contra go hand in hand. Both long-running series with wonderful takes on the Run N Gun formula.
I agree, Hard Corps on Genesis was a huge deal for Contra just like Castlevania Bloodlines was for Castlevania fans. I still love Contra Hard Corps and was so happy Hard Corps was included in the Contra Anniversary Collection.
Awesome, glad you are enjoying the game! Right, it's definitely a revival worth supporting with the hope that our support will ensure future Contra games developed by WayForward. 🤞
I think I speak for everyone when I say I would love it if it was only $10 bucks. Even if WayForward wanted to charge less, Konami would never allow it. They always charge top dollar for their IP unfortunately.
That's just it Conta's 1 - 3 (NES/SNES) wasn't that hard. New Contra's seemed to forget that and they made them unplayable, with Contra Operation Galuga being a exception to that rule, hard but still playable and there fore fun. (He's right Neo Geo's Metal Slug ROCK!) Would love to see Super C done up like this too... that'd be a day one buy for me.
You make a great point! The classic NES/SNES Contra games had a balanced difficulty that kept them challenging yet fun. It’s a shame that some of the newer entries missed that mark, but Contra: Operation Galuga did a great job of capturing that spirit while offering a tough but enjoyable experience. And yes, Metal Slug on Neo Geo is definitely one of my favorites! I even have a Neo Geo arcade machine in my Barcade with all the Metal Slugs games! A Super C remake or reimagining in that style would be amazing-I'd be all in for that too. I'm hoping they have the greenlight to to reimagine all of the 8/16 bit games! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
That would be awesome. Maybe in the future? Maybe Konami will make a Contra in-house and use UE5. The upcoming Metal Gear Snake Eater Remake is using UE5 so maybe there's a chance? 🤞
True story, I grew up playing couch co-op. My first taste of online play was with the Dreamcast! I'd personally take couch co-op over online play but if we could have both I'd take it. I did actually have a lot of fun playing TMNT Shredders Revenge with online co-op but like you, online play will never be a make a break for me.
I hear you on that Sir. It seems the cost of game development just keeps going up and in most cases it's passed on to the consumer. I think in a perfect situation, this game would have done really well if it were priced somewhere between $20-25.
@@thunderstashgaming 20 quid yes. That would be worth it all day long. I bought a physical copy and that softens the blow a lil bit cos at least I actually own the game.
Hopefully it will receive a couple more patches. I haven't heard which version is going to be shipping on the physical versions yet. The physical version isn't set to go into printing production until June at the earliest so there's still some time to patch it up.
I beat and finished the game back in the day with a GameShark it was still a couple hours with unlimited lives and weapons it was ahead of its time with boss battles I can’t see beating it any other way it was impossible
GameShark, so classic... It really was ahead of its time with the screen-filling boss battles. I hear you on that, Contra is a truly tough series. I think the hardest one has got to be Contra Hard Corps on the Genesis. Did you ever play that one?
After I beat the story mode, I started an 'Arcade Mode' run, chose the Castlevania soundtrack and Bill as my character. He makes a comment about the soundtrack on level 1. If for some reason you can't replicate it, let me know and I will finish my current arcade run and try to replicate it on my next run. 👍
The price seems to be a big sticking point for some.Even if it was several levels longer I think there would be an issue. I think gamers are used to 30 to 40 hour games.Contra is just not meant to be played like that.Its best to be played for a sitting and then play it again some other time. Now I do think te developer could have added alternative paths in each level furthering replayability even if you end up and the same boss.And maybe something in each change changes after you finish the game.At times it borrows a bit too much from earlier games but it has a nice fresh coat of paint and enough new.I think its great there is even a new game and it would be even better if it gets supported for more in the series or a Castlevania game.
Right, I noticed that the price was a sticking point for people and really wanted to dive into the amount of content they added. I agree with all your points. I think Gamers are used to 30-40 hour games and there are Gamers that say if it's not a long game then it's not worth it to play which I find concerning but to each their own I guess. I would have liked to have seen alternate paths within the level as well, that was something I was hoping to see or even alternate paths on the map like we had with Castlevania III on NES. It does at times borrow too much from the originals but I think this is a good start for a reboot and hope that we get more Contra games that try new things and I'd love to see them take a stab at Castlevania. 🤞
Those two are right up there at the top for me along with Contra III on the SNES and Hard Corps on the Genesis. I'd really love to see Contra 4 ported over too, I hate to see it stuck on the DS forever.
Well, have to work al lot of rust. I beat Contra 3: Alien Wars on hard for the true ending when I was young. Did it on the American and European version (Super Probotector: Alien Rebels). My practice was on the EU version.
The price tag (especially on the digital release) seems a little outrageous given the visual quality of the game. Like that 2014 Xbox Live Strider game visually looked better than this and that was $14.99. It’s too back the characters are 3D. Like they could’ve kept the backgrounds 3D so they could do different things with perspective. But WayForward should never do 3D models. The character models in this look like the terrible characters models in Double Dragon Neon. On the other hand, WayForward does something like DuckTales Remastered and that has pretty fantastic looking hand drawn characters.
Hopefully it won't take too long for a price drop. I hear you on the graphics. I didn't pay much attention to them while I was playing the game because I'm busy trying to dodge bullets but I think you make a good point about the 3D models. I think it could have looked a lot better if they went the more Ducktales Remastered route because that game still looks gorgeous today.
I have 14,730 points right now that I can redeem for PSN credit which equates to almost $60 free dollars! I hope everyone is taking advantage of the PlayStation Stars program the way we are!
It really is because they award you with points just for playing games. I really like the Playstation Stars program and I hope that Sony keeps it around for a long time!
🤣 Yeah, figured I'd throw in some Castlevania background music since you can unlock the Castlevania soundtrack. I think the Castlevania soundtrack works surprisingly well with Contra!
I do too, it was a very unexpected and highly appreciated easter egg. I am a huge Castlevania fan and of course, I love the music in Castlevania so this was especially cool.
What no online coop wtf... why bother making this game. And why do the graphics look so garbage? Hard Corps rising looks better and plays smoother. This looks so janky.
I still enjoyed it. The graphics won't blow you, or anyone, away, I agree with you there. But the game plays exactly like Contra III which is a great thing considering the Contra game we got before Operation Galuga.
😂 I bought it from NerdHerdPrinting! Super high quality shirts and the Owner is a big gamer himself! www.nerdherdprinting.com/game-shirts?Category=Console%2520Shirts
That's awesome, that's the way to play it. I've got my brothers and cousins coming over for Easter and am going to see if they want to play. Couch co-op definitely made Contra more enjoyable in the past!
Good call on picking up the physical. I always go physical even if it means I have to double dip sometimes as I will with Contra. Do you know when the physical is shipping?
@thundersteve85gaming here in the UK it's April 26th. Don't get me started on double dipping, Jesus I own about so many copies of games. Physical forever. I'm one of those ass holes who buys the digital and then buys the physical but never opens it. Indie only of course
🤣 I do the same thing man. I double dip way too often and keep them sealed. Physical 4 Life. I have no idea when the physical copy will come out here. Limited Run is handling the physical version so it could be a really long time until we see it arrive.
@thundersteve85gaming eeeeee limited run man. I've picked up 5 games from them but they just soooo over priced and the wait is ridiculous!!! Feel the pain. Its that fear of missing out in the collector in us. Subbed!
I know, LRG is a bit pricey especially if your picking up anything outside of the standard edition and they take forever to ship the games. The first game I bought from LRG was Saturday Morning RPG back in 2018 but I will say their shipping has improved since then. Basically if I buy something from LRG, I already own it digitally so I'm never waiting for a game to arrive so I can play it but it's still annoying it takes so long! Thanks for subbing Sir!
In my experience it's not available during gameplay unfortunately. I've found that we are only able to change the music when we start a new story mode or arcade mode run which is unfortunate. I'm hoping that Contra will receive a patch update where you can change up the music on the fly.
I think Shattered soldier had the best soundtrack .
Yes, it would be cool if Operation Galuga had a modifier with the SS soundtrack
We really need a re-release of that. Was disappointed it wasn't on the contra collection
I agree, I would love to see Shattered Soldier make a return. I remember I had SS preordered back in the day at Best Buy, I was super hyped for it.
Yeah but it wasn't that great of a game tbh
That's what I remembered but man, I haven't played it since it around the time it came out. I just looked it up and SS came out 22 years ago! I can't even believe it's been that long...
I've beat Contra on nes many times with only one life watched the end credits and beat it again with the same life I played it so much as a kid
You Sir are a legend for that. One life is incredibly impressive.
@@thunderstashgaming Thanks!
Same ive gone thru the original contra several times on nes with one life 😎👍🏻
Absolutely Sir!
Extremely impressive Sir. 🤝
It warms my heart to see so many Contra fans uniting again for a brand new game.
I agree, it's nice to be back in business with Contra. Contra has a special place in many gamers hearts. Hopefully Castlevania is next. 🤞
We can’t unite…there’s no co-op
Missed opportunity by the Developer for sure.
I didn't know Geraldo Rivera was a gamer ;)
Heck Yeah he loves videogames! 🤣
🤣😭⚰️
😅😅😂
He's everywhere
He is always has been.
Loved your review! I'm exactly the Contra fan this was aimed at--played Contra and Super C over and over as a kid, and I'm enjoying the hell out of playing a new modern remake. It's wonderful. Every single thing you said about this resonated with me
That is awesome David! I too grew up with Contra and I feel like the Dev's at WayForward are just like us as Gamers so IMO they were the perfect Dev team to revitalize Contra. I'm really happy you enjoyed the review!
I beat it today this game is great for old school fans. Contra is…. Contra again!
Awesome! I'm happy to hear you feel the same way I do in that Contra actually feels like Contra again! I'm really hoping Wayforward is already working on the next Contra and maybe even Castlevania. 🤞
@@thunderstashgaming I agree I REALLY hope this games sells well. The overall reviews are sort of middle of the row. Might scare some on the fence people off.
I just checked the Metacritic and see it's sitting at 71%, not great. Hopefully when it goes on sale enough people will pick it up. I think longtime fans of Contra will enjoy the game but I don't know if they will be able to acquire many new fans with it's Metacritic score without chopping the price in half.
Ninja Gadien, Rc Pro Am, Excite bike, metal gear, duck hunt, Legend of Zelda.
All legendary NES games that I grew up with and still own today.
Shattered Soldier was pretty damn good and as was Hardcorps Uprising. Konami not giving Uprising the Contra name was beyond stupid…
I enjoyed Shattered Soldier too, even had it preordered at Best Buy back in the day. I agree, Hardcorps Uprising should have had the Contra name, Konami missed out there because I think some people don't even know that it is a Contra game. Would have sold a lot better with the Contra name.
I just ordered Shattered Soldier on Amazon.
Gonna play the crap out of it when I get my hands on it.
Death metal and Contra 🔥🔥
@@nWoPorViDathat soundtrack for Shattered Soldier is so good that I bought the CD on some import site. It’s FANTASTIC!!!
Now I really want to play Shattered Soldier again.
@@thunderstashgaming
Playing it perfectly.
Component cable connected to the HDMI converter box.
Fiber optic connection on the back of the PS2 slim to my 7.1 Surround sound, Home theater connected to two powered subs.
85inch Samsung QLED mounted on the wall.
Gonna be rocking hardcore. 🔥🤘
I gotta get this..I wish they remade Jackal.Omg I loved that game.You just gained a new sub bro.Great video
A few other people commented about Jackal and I 100% agree. I still have my original Jackal cartridge and it's one of my favorite NES games from Konami and that's saying a lot because Konami was on fire during the NES era. I think you will really like the new Contra, I'm definitely going to return to it and try to beat the game in the 1-hit kill mode just as soon as I finish FF7 Rebirth. Thank you for subscribing, I appreciate it!
Jackal!!!! OMG loved that game!!!
@@thunderstashgaming I still have my original cartridge as well,lol.FF7 is my favorite game ever and I have to grab FF7 Rebirth.Im playing Helldivers 2 way too much.I want Dragon's Dogma 2 , and Rise of the Ronin.But I'm grabbing FF7 This week.I appreciate your content and how you communicate with your followers..I found a gem in finding your channel pal.
@@BostonBugsy Yes!!! My cousin and I use to play it so much.I listen to the OST just for the nostalgia.
Jackal is so freakin good. Still hoping I run into the actual Jackal arcade someday.
Why did they make it look like a kids' game? The graphics DO NOT look fine. Whoever made this should be ashamed to add this to the Contra games. Bring back dark imagery. Screw this "kid friendly appeal to the masses mobile game" look. Whata trashy move.
I don't like that either it looks like a cell phone game for kids The bright sterile looking graphics ruin it. Needs gritty grungy dirty looking settings And I wish they'd left out all the dialogue and the grunting when they jump
It's made with Unity. Looking good is not in the feature set of that game engine.
Thought this too, makes me weary. Way Forward do great work, but Aliens and Terminator being a huge part of Contra’s DNA shouldve been obvious. Pulling in an opposite direction is a disservice.
All in all I don't have hate the game I really hope it does very well and we get more..Just no Saturday morning cartoon graphics
I love how people will spend 60+ dollars on Assassins Creed 10: The Search For More Money, yet whine if any 2d game is over 20 bucks😂
🤣 Love that title, this is all so true. The way some gamers view and value 2D games or shorter games is beyond comprehension.
1:21 I'm sorry Archee-pelago 😂 ark-i-pel-a-go
🤣 When the word came out I knew I butchered it but just kept going. Glad someone called me out for it!
Conta had a fully fleshed out story in Contra Hard Corps on the Genesis. It even had multiple endings too
Hard Corps on Sega is an amazing game and underrated at times. It's right up there with the best of them.
Contra Hard Corps (SEGA) was the best of classic contra to me.
For modern, I prefer Contra 4 (DS) .
The Genesis exclusive Hard Corps was an excellent Contra just like Konami's other Genesis exclusive, Castlevania Bloodlines. I still have Contra 4 on my DS and it's definitely one of the finest Contra games and one of the few to really knock it out of the park past the mid 90's.
Hard Corps uprising has better graphics and that’s almost 15 years old. In fact I bought it on ps3 for $5. The price tag is far too high and this game will get heavily discounted if you wait. Way Forward have far too much reverence for the NES titles. The best games in the series, and the most innovative, we’re made by nobuya nakazato. Sadly this series has been dead in sprit for 20 years now
I really like Hard Corps Uprising, excellent Contra game. Operation Galuga was safe but fun outing. My hope is that we get more Contra games that stick to the tried and true formula while taking some creative risks. Not creative risks like Rogue Corps, more along the lines of Uprising and Shattered Soldier.
@@thunderstashgaminguprising is okay, but clearly started life as some mecha anime side scroller before having the contra universe stapled onto it. It really lacked the grotesque biological element of contra. This new game should be $20 tops. I think contra fans are too thirsty for anything at this point. I would recommend anniversary collection, cuphead, or blazing chrome way above this overpriced fan-service mobile game
Your right, it seemed like the Contra universe was slapped onto Hard Corps Uprising and I know a lot of developers were trying out cell shading back then but I never thought it was a good fit for Contra however the gameplay was great. I think we are thirsty too but more less I've been hopeful that Contra could get back on the right track again and after playing Operation Galuga I feel confident it is now. All games I own and are great recommendations for anyone who hasn't played them!
The only ones who cant beat Contra without a code are players who dont game.
This " Legendary " difficulty surrounding this game is exaggerated. Contra is not a hard
game at all. I break that game start to finish, no death with 16 men at the end. I was a kid then.
As I said, its hard for those who dont game much. Otherwise gamers been crushed NES Contra.
Beating Contra 3 on SNES hard mode is definitely a lot harder!!
@@matttipton6009 Yes it is, but that is forced onto you if you want the best ending. Otherwise in the Japanese version,
you can play it on normal and still get the best ending and full boss fight.
Yep! I hate how they started talking about Contra like it's legacy is somehow being hard like Ghost N Goblins. It was never hard, it was fun mindless blasting. They started that "Contra Hard" shit with Contra 4 and it suffered for it. I hate the autofiring and stupid cutscenes during the gameplay in this game
Side note, did you happen to play the new Ghost's & Goblins? I've been thinking about buying it for a long time but can't pull the trigger for some reason. I just need someone to tell me if it's good or not.
@@thunderstashgaming I think it's great, I love the old games and they nailed the gameplay. I do miss the double jump from SGnG but everything else about it is fire.
Contra 4 has my favorite Contra soundtrack ever. Man, that waterfall stage track is so amazing and well done. That's just an example of how great it is. The new Contra's soundtrack doesn't live up to that.
I agree with you, the new soundtrack doesn't live up to Contra 4 but thankfully the Contra 4 soundtrack is unlockable in the Perk shop. The waterfall track was also my favorite from Contra 4! I also think the new soundtrack is too quiet. Even after I went into the options and turned down the SFX and turned up the volume on my surround sound, it still doesn't hit as loud as it should. It's faint and I don't understand how they could mess that up because the other soundtracks sound normal. Did you notice that?
@thundersteve85gaming Yup! It's certainly faint, which is a shame. I also prefer pixel art, but otherwise, it's a good game.
Thanks, I didn't know it was an unlockable perk! So far, I haven't touched perks, but that motivates me to do it. Maybe I'm too old school.
I too prefer pixel art. I'm the type of person that's more impressive by the 80's and 90's cartoon animation than I am by today's CGI animation.
Your welcome! Yeah, the perk shop is really cool and honestly it gives me good reason to return to the game multiple times! Nothing wrong with being too old school man and I'm probably right there with you! 😂
No online co-op is trash, though, and unacceptable for 2024.😒
For real. Hardcorps uprising had that and it was a blast.
Agreed it was the deciding factor on me passing. The demo was good tho
Switch version even worst
Won't disagree with you there, I think it should have had online Co-Op and that would have increased the fun-factor and replay value.
@thundersteve85gaming Today's gaming in general is mostly trash now. They've gone away from the art and craft of why we love gaming in the 1st place. It seems everything is just for a quick cash grab, with lazy development (pushed down from the corporate heads who are clueless). Shell games, with a " we will fix it via 100 patches, over 5 years" instead of making quality from the start, but still charging top tier quality prices. Sorry for the rant brothers, but I'm just fed up with corporatism and greed in general. Streaming is in the same pitiful place. It's worse than what cable originally was!!!Enough already!
40$ hell nah 25$ at most
Great video. I'm a HUGE Contra fan and was really excited for this. Now that I've beaten Galuga, I'd say it's really good, but not as great as Hard Corps, Blazing Chrome, or Uprising. No matter what, it's WAY better than Konami's current slot machines. Hope it sells well and is an incentive for Konami to give some love to their classics. Bring on a Rocket Knight and a Rebirth collection!
Does not compare to Shattered Soldier
Thank you Matt, glad you liked the review! I can tell you are a huge Contra fan since you know about games likes Blazing Chrome and it's greatness. I agree, I think Galuga is really good and most importantly I think it got Contra back on the winning track, we just need to stay there now and stay away from making games like Rogue Corps. I have the Rocket Knight Collection preordered at Limited Run Games. I had a ton of fun playing that series growing up and would love to see them remake it!
Nothing still comes close to that PS2 version alien designs we're on a whole another worldly level on its own of greatness are there still though that super contra 3 for the super Nintendo that's still stands out to has excellence of course nothing beats the original timeline for any universe certainly nothing today
Shattered Soldier is an excellent Contra. For me personally, I think Contra III: The Alien Wars is peak Contra.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 *🎮 Contra Series Overview*
- Overview of the Contra series and its historical significance,
- Contra's reputation for being challenging and beloved by fans,
- Mention of the legendary Konami Code and its impact on gameplay.
01:07 *🚀 Contra: Operation Galuga Overview*
- Introduction to Contra: Operation Galuga as a reimagining of the original Contra game,
- Description of the setting and storyline of the game,
- Mention of the iconic characters and their roles in the game's narrative.
02:16 *🔫 Gameplay Mechanics and Features*
- Explanation of character selection and abilities,
- Introduction to the aim lock feature and its significance in gameplay,
- Comparison of graphics to previous Contra games and emphasis on gameplay over graphics.
03:11 *🎶 Sound and Music*
- Discussion of sound effects and their nostalgic appeal,
- Overview of the soundtrack options and their availability,
- Appreciation for the inclusion of various soundtracks without additional cost.
04:29 *💰 Content and Replay Value*
- Description of the content available in the game, including story mode, arcade mode, and challenge mode,
- Overview of the perks available in the perk shop and their significance in gameplay,
- Mention of the game's difficulty settings and their impact on gameplay experience.
05:39 *🕹️ Challenge Modes and Trophies*
- Explanation of the different challenge modes available in the game,
- Overview of the trophies and achievements and the challenges required to unlock them,
- Emphasis on the game's appeal to both casual and hardcore players.
07:51 *😊 Emotion and Charm*
- Reflection on the nostalgic and charming aspects of the game,
- Appreciation for the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while still feeling fresh,
- Mention of unexpected Easter eggs and references that add to the charm of the game.
10:08 *💸 Pricing and Value Proposition*
- Evaluation of the game's pricing and value proposition,
- Comparison to other remastered games in terms of pricing and content,
- Recommendation to fans of the Contra series to consider purchasing the game.
Made with HARPA AI
Wow, that's pretty awesome... Better than I could have summarized it.
Not really. I'm buying it on sale. If it was a shattered soldier remake then i wouldn't wait at all!
Wait... i though it had online co-op?
It doesnt? Wtf.😂😂😂😂
Hard corps uprising is a better game, and that game is 12+ years old. Wtf.
At least. This game is going in the right direction, so there is hope for the future of the series.
Now.. where is Castlevania at? Konami?? Where is it?
I wish it had online co-op, seems like everyone was hoping it would have it. I haven't played Hard Corps Uprising in a long time but I agree it is a great Contra game. Right, most important thing is that Contra is on the right track again now it needs to stay on this track and not veer off the path as it tends to do. 100%, bring on Castlevania. It's been far too long.
First: Is the stache real? Have you ever given anyone a moustache ride (Adult Swim Ref)
Second: Gameplay does indeed reflect Contra of yesteryear. I find it funny how people take graphics into the pricing when we have indie teams and 8bit graphic games in 2024 that literally trump AAA studio games. (halls of torment, vampire survivors, etc)
But - such a high asking price for what many people who have never played the series or understand short gameplay vs. replay I can understand and actually agree with.
Eventually it will go on sale, but by then many will have forgotten or move on. Switch users will never see a pricedrop, and PC gamers simply play the Contra Collection which currently is less than ten bucks.
Good review, nice stache, sad to see the latest Contra barely given notice due to the retail price.
🤣 Yes my mustache is 100% real and yes of course I have. 😂
I agree with you. I appreciate great graphics but having great graphics doesn't make a game great and I don't think WayForward set out to make Contra a graphical showpiece. You and I both know there are plenty of great modern-day games with 8-16-bit art styles.
Also, agree with you regarding the asking price. I think it can be a steep asking price for people who have never played Contra or for people who either do not understand or cannot appreciate the short gameplay model. I think the 80's and 90's generation of gamers know the model well since it's what we grew up with.
Right, it will go on sale eventually, they always do but many will have forgotten about it and moved on to the next best thing. I've gotta say I've never seen a console that has never had a price drop and charged $10 more for most of its multiplatform titles like the Nintendo Switch. I agree, many people that are interested in trying Contra will just pick up the collection. The collection has been on sale multiple times on the Switch E-shop and Playstation Store for $4.99. If I was someone who had never played Contra before but was interested in trying it out to see if I liked it and I saw I could pick up the collection with 10 Contra games for pennies compared to the new title's $40 price tag, I would totally pick the collection over Operation Galuga.
Thank you again for the great comment and what I consider some expert insight. I couldn't have summed it up any better and thank you on the Stache! 🥸
I liked the first Contra for Nes but became a HUGE fan since Super C and Contra III. I wonder, Who remembers Contra Force for Nes? That had potential, the gameplay was too slow tho.
I'm right there with you. I've been a believer since the first Contra and it was games like Super C, Contra III and Contra: Hard Corps that made me a lifelong fan. I have the actual physical cartridge for Contra Force. If only that game didn't suffer from massive slowdown. I was hoping they would have fixed it and made it playable on the Contra Anniversary Collection. :(
My biggest grip is the music. It sounds like random notes playing very softly with the occasional familiar theme from the first game thrown in. Other than that, it's fun and looks good enough.
I know what your talking about. Honestly, the new soundtrack has some decent tracks but the unlockable music is where it's really at. I did mess with the music in the options and turned down the SFX and turned up my surround sound to try and get more out of the new soundtrack. It helped a little bit. As soon as I changed it to the other soundtracks though it really hit. So IMO, the new soundtrack is decent but the Contra 4, Contra Remix and Castlevania soundtracks really cook.
40$ for a game that takes 1 hour to finish is not a good deal
I would have loved for Konami to charge $20 for it!
Since you were able to finish the game this quickly it is probably not worth the money
It's all in how you value your gaming experience. This is the type of game that's meant to be replayed multiple times to unlock all the additional content.
Awesome review! Where did you get that t-shirt? Thanks Nino
Thank you, Nino! I got a bunch of Nintendo T-shirts from NerdHerdPrinting.com. I can't remember if this is one of the T-shirts that they normally sell. When I bought the Contra shirt it was part of a large custom order containing 25 different videogame t-shirts. Custom order meaning I just had to email the high-quality box art image for the T-shirt. I will also say that the Owner was really great to work with and is also a big Gamer. We exchanged a few emails and he owns like every gaming console. Additionally, I will say that the shirts are high-quality materials and prints. I bought them about a year ago and every shirt I bought still looks great.
@@thunderstashgaming Thanks!
Absolutely! 👍
Finally a remake of the original NES Contra, well done
I agree and think it was great for a NES remake!
It's alright. Heavily nostalgia derivative, especially the first game. It's fun but not worth 40 bucks.
It was heavy on the nostalgia. Feels like they were going for a faithful reboot of Contra. My hope is that we see more risks taken for the next Contra game without trying to reinvent the wheel.
Great video! Subscribed
Thank you so much for the support! Glad you enjoyed the video, and welcome to the channel! 🎮
I was curious about this game and you covered about everything, looks like a fun contra game!
Thank you Goto10Gaming, I tried to cover all the important bases! It's good to finally have the Contra back that we all know and love. Next up for Konami, let's figure out what were doing with Castlevania already...
This game is incredibly nostalgic it's for the kids that played it in the 90s use that infinite life code we all know this game does everything my Nintendo didn't do when I was a kid it's just right😊
I had a blast with Operation Galuga! I can't wait to see where the series goes next and I hope it's not a long wait!
This game strongly reminds me of Shattered Soldier - SS even has the lock in place option along with an option to lock your gun in place so you can keep the same angle while you move around.
The lock-in-place control option really gives you a greater level of control and it's something I hope makes it's way into all the future Contra games.
but this game only have lock in place button, not lock gun angle.
This looks dope boi!!!
Ima buy the disc version bc I wanna keep it forever.....forever ever.
Good call! It is a really fun Contra, I think you'll like it! I bought it digitally and also have a Konami exclusive physical version coming that I bought from their store. I'm all about buying physical so I totally get why you'd want to buy the disc version!
I freaking love this game. I'm currently playing it with my 8yr old daughter. Totally worth 40 bucks.
That's awesome man, I'm glad you are enjoying it. It really does feel like a modern-day version of Contra!
Is this game difficult like the older ones
I can beat the original Contra with no code. I didn't think it was that big of an accomplishment.
No sir you are a god
I eventually did it too. If I get the spread gun and hang onto it I’m
good. It melts bosses up close. Managed to beat Super C on NES this way without dying.
@@matttipton6009 I can beat it. I just have to use 28 out of 30 lives first
@jasenwm LOL! I don't think so. It's easier than you think. The 30 lives becomes a safety net for most people and they get used to having all of those lives so they just use the code everytime. But when you eventually get good enough, you realize that you're getting to the Alien's Lair with 23+ lives and you actually needed about 7-10 of those 30 lives. You get 7 lives eventually in extra lives along the way anyway. If you can get to the Alien's Lair with more than 20 lives after using the code, you're good enough to play with no code and just a few practice rounds away from being able to say that you can beat the game with no code. I thought Contra was significantly easier than Super C. I have beaten Super C also with no code. But I'm not good enough to pick it up after several months and do it like I can Contra.
Once you get the spread, they're all dead.
Great video! Just encountering your content for the first time & I dig your take!
Thank you very much RippleTKO and I'm glad you were stumbled upon my channel! I had a blast playing it and I think Contra is in good hands now with WayForward!
Just watched your contra tier listing video and for the most part agree with your ratings. What would you rate this one? I haven't finished it yet but I'm leaning toward an 'A' tier.😀
Thanks for checking out my Contra tier list video! I'm going to go with 'A' tier for sure. It's not the best ever but it's damn good and a very important step in the right direction for Contra!
I love the game and i have a feeling we will get an update with co op
I'm happy you enjoyed the game! I too wonder if we will get an updated with online co-op. I've seen games before release without online play and have had it added post launch. I think adding online co-op would would help get a lot of people off the fence that are on the fence right now due to it not having online play.
Great review! This reminds me of Streets of Rage 4 on how it was worked on and revitalized.
Which Castlevania game did you have? I have SOTN 360 on my Xbox but I'm not sure if that's going to be found to unlock the Castlevania soundtrack.
Thank you! Yes, it totally reminded me of Streets of Rage 4 or even TMNT Shredders Revenge and I love both of those games.
It's tough to narrow down but I have Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Advance Collection and Requiem which includes SOTN and Rondo of Blood. I feel like SOTN will unlock the Castlevania soundtrack for you. It is after all the best Castlevania so it would be insulting if it didn't! Honestly playing Contra with the Castlevania soundtrack is really cool and works quite well!
It's a good remake, but between the amount of game they removed and the shortness it creates in the game overall, there is no way you can justify it being $40. $15 would still be a cash grab, but forty is insulting to everyone. SMFH 🤦
I have a feeling that Konami wouldn't accept anything less than $40 but if WayForward was in control of the pricing, it may have come in around $20-30, purely speculating of course. Just my thought given the recently released bare bones Metal Gear Master Collection that had less games than the PS3 Metal Gear Legacy Collection but they still charged $60 for it. 🤷♂️
@@thunderstashgamingI agree. I don't think they'd actually charge that little, but that's what they're actually worth. 👍
Totally agree with you on that. 🤝
Exactly right. Go back and look at all the extras added in for contra 4. Look at what was done for hard corps uprising.
Contra og is $15 at most.
I would push back a little on past contra titles not being Graphics powerhouse type of games. Graphics presentation of SNES contra was front and center and Mega Drive version was designed with one of its goals to push the hardware to its limit.
Great point! You're right; the graphics presentation of SNES Contra was indeed front and center, and the Mega Drive version really did push the hardware to its limits. Thanks for pointing that out! I wish Konami would have made at least a couple more Contra's during that golden 16-Bit Era.
10:54 There are two achievements related to challenges and neither require you to beat all of them.
I am wrong and you are close to right. I just went back and looked it up, thank you for the correction. There are 3 trophies related to the challenges and they are as follows:
Gryzor Noob - Complete 1 challenge
Hardcore Uprising - Complete 10 challenges
Ganbare! Go, Man! - Complete 20 challenges
There are 30 challenges in total so you only need to complete 20/30 challenges. Are you going to try and go for the Platinum/Achievement?
Although we can't forget about Contra 4 from 2007 which was made by wayforward and well-received by fans (although the difficulty had mixed reviews).
100%, I still have Contra 4 CIB on my shelf and absolutely love it. I'd like to see more people be able to experience Contra 4.
But does it have online co-op?
Unfortunately it does not which I feel was a real missed opportunity. Contra would have been a lot of fun to play online.
70s and 80s babies only, 90s babies probationary, everyone else not welcome! Don't 2000s my Contra!
🤣 Love it!
I wouldn’t say I beat the original contra on 1 life but I certainly didn’t need the Konami code. It’s a decent difficulty game
I was able to beat it without the Konami code and it was tough for me. Some of the people in the comments said they've beaten the game without dying which is incredibly impressive.
Remember Jackyl? The game with the jeeps?
Yes, I still have my original NES cartridge. That is a game that doesn't get enough love and IMO deserves a re-release of some sorts. It doesn't need to be a big budget or anything but I'd love to see Jackal make a comeback!
No online co-op, pass.
I’m good with couch co op 👍
Thats only good if you live with someone who is willing to play. Online co op makes it easy to just jump online with random players and have fun. In 2024 it's expected to have online co op, it's insane that they didn't even add that feature @DiscoDrew412
I got my Contra fix with Super Cyborg...it is AWESOME. And the same team is making Iron Meat!
Edit: Subbed, you're a refreshing reviewer
Thank you for subscribing! I just watched a review for Super Cyborg and a demo impressions video for Iron Meat and they both look awesome. I'm going to download Super Cyborg and then reach out to the Iron Meat team to see if I can get on the list for a review code. Coincidentally I've had Prison City on my radar to play and review in the near future and I see they also developed that too, nice!
@@thunderstashgaming Cool! I think you're really going to like Super Cyborg. I'd love to see your take on it.
I think I will too, I am going to try to play and review it fairly soon here! I checked “HowLongToBeat.com” and it says it’s around 6.5 hours to do the main mode + extra’s so looks like I’ll be able to beat it in one sitting which means it shouldn’t be too tough to fit in. Does that sound right to you?
Shattered soldier and neo contra lock controls were the best hands down.
I need to go back and play Shattered Soldier again because it's been a while for me but I still have my original copy that I preordered from Best Buy back in the day. A lot of people still have a lot of love for Shattered Soldier and some love for Neo Contra.
@@thunderstashgaming at first I didn't like shattered soldier because it was different. Once I got the hang of it and you're able to lock your position stationary and moving that was it for me. Plus the soundtrack is awesome. Neo Contra had the same mechanics but it was just too cheesy for me.
Ok, I thought I recalled Neo Contra being a little cheesy but wasn't sure so thanks for confirming that. Well, now I'm looking forward to playing Shattered Soldier again. I'm a big fan of videogame soundtracks myself so even more reason to revisit. Position lock is sort of a gameplay game-changer IMO.
@@thunderstashgaming yes. Shattered soldiers soundtrack goes perfectly with the action. Haven't played it in years. I still have my copy also well.
I'm going to dust off the PS2, break out the component cables, and try it out using my RetroTink 5X Pro and see how the picture looks.
10$ yes 40$ no
I'm sure it will eventually go down to $10 bucks. I've seen the Anniversary Collection for as low as $4.99 on the Nintendo E-Shop and PSN Store.
No online nope see you on game pass
Yeah, very unfortunate that there's no online play. This would have been a blast to play online much like TMNT Shredders Revenge was.
If you have older Contra Arcade game saves you'll get the " Retro Mix" just like the "Vania Mix" you mentioned with Castlevania saves.
Those soundtracks are really cool easter eggs. Playing Contra with the Castlevania soundtrack really does work surprisingly well.
Don't buy the game on the Switch. It's a sluggish experience at 30sfps. You've been warned.
Thank you for giving a warning to the comments section. I picked it up on PS5 because I wasn't confident the Switch version would runs smoothly. Unfortunate that they couldn't get it to run at 60FPS.
@@thunderstashgaming It's ashame because it would sell a lot better on the switch considering it origins on Nintendo.
I 100% agree with you and that is the exact reason why I wanted to pick it up on the Switch... I wonder if they have any wiggle room to work with for a performance patch?
“Archie Pelago” 😂
I know 🤣, I totally butchered it. 🤷♂️
I gotta disagree with supporting a game that is this phoned in. It's not our responsibility to support a sub par product to ensure we get more Contra. It's Konami's responsibility to put out a good product. If this is the treatment Contra is gonna get, then I'd rather not have any more of it.
I appreciate your perspective and understand where you're coming from. While I enjoyed the game, I agree that it's crucial for companies like Konami to deliver high-quality products, especially for beloved franchises like Contra. It's always important to voice our opinions and hold developers accountable to ensure they meet the standards we expect. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I didn’t hesitate to buy it , it is a classic game, old memories, and if konami is reading this,, there are a lot of classic nes games that CAN be remade,, castleavania rondo of blood, Super castlevania ,SOTN etc like me , a lot of people will buy them,
100% agree! I'm ready for Castlevania and so are all your fans. Totally, Konami was one of the biggest and best Developers during the 80's and 90's and they have a huge IP catalog just waiting for a new entries or a reboot!
No online co-op is a good thing cuz I hate online co-op and online only games. I like playing by myself and with friends without have to have internet.
I hear you on that, I'm a fan of single player gamers and local multiplayer myself.
i've never been a contra fan myself but after playing the demo of this , i'm loving it , will be picking this up on release ! (metal slug fan)
That's awesome man, I'm glad you enjoyed the demo. I feel like Metal Slug and Contra go hand in hand. Both long-running series with wonderful takes on the Run N Gun formula.
Contra on the genesis / mega drive was big deal at the time! Otherwise agree, not a limit pushing series
I agree, Hard Corps on Genesis was a huge deal for Contra just like Castlevania Bloodlines was for Castlevania fans. I still love Contra Hard Corps and was so happy Hard Corps was included in the Contra Anniversary Collection.
I'm loving the game. Yes its 40 bucks, but I will support this type of revival.
Awesome, glad you are enjoying the game! Right, it's definitely a revival worth supporting with the hope that our support will ensure future Contra games developed by WayForward. 🤞
Too expensive, 10$ is fair price.
I think I speak for everyone when I say I would love it if it was only $10 bucks. Even if WayForward wanted to charge less, Konami would never allow it. They always charge top dollar for their IP unfortunately.
I got it on steam for $35 and I feel it was well worth it.
Happy to hear you enjoyed it as much as a I did! Hopefully we will get another Contra sooner rather than later!
That's just it Conta's 1 - 3 (NES/SNES) wasn't that hard. New Contra's seemed to forget that and they made them unplayable, with Contra Operation Galuga being a exception to that rule, hard but still playable and there fore fun. (He's right Neo Geo's Metal Slug ROCK!) Would love to see Super C done up like this too... that'd be a day one buy for me.
You make a great point! The classic NES/SNES Contra games had a balanced difficulty that kept them challenging yet fun. It’s a shame that some of the newer entries missed that mark, but Contra: Operation Galuga did a great job of capturing that spirit while offering a tough but enjoyable experience. And yes, Metal Slug on Neo Geo is definitely one of my favorites! I even have a Neo Geo arcade machine in my Barcade with all the Metal Slugs games! A Super C remake or reimagining in that style would be amazing-I'd be all in for that too. I'm hoping they have the greenlight to to reimagine all of the 8/16 bit games! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Do you think the enemy bullets are too fast?
They didn't seem too fast to me.
Can we get a Unreal 5 Engine Contra 😫
That would be awesome. Maybe in the future? Maybe Konami will make a Contra in-house and use UE5. The upcoming Metal Gear Snake Eater Remake is using UE5 so maybe there's a chance? 🤞
They even kept the NES pause sound effect 🙂
One of the first things I noticed and appreciated. That pause sound effect is so classic.
I don't care about online co op! Back in the 90s we didn't have online co op! We didn't have online co op in the early 00s either 😂
True story, I grew up playing couch co-op. My first taste of online play was with the Dreamcast! I'd personally take couch co-op over online play but if we could have both I'd take it. I did actually have a lot of fun playing TMNT Shredders Revenge with online co-op but like you, online play will never be a make a break for me.
This game looks kind of meh. Way Forward should stick to Shantae games cause that's what they do best.
Shantae is a great series for sure. I will say that the gameplay feels great and is classic Contra.
It’s a good game for sure. Didn’t get 35 quids worth of value outta it tho
I hear you on that Sir. It seems the cost of game development just keeps going up and in most cases it's passed on to the consumer. I think in a perfect situation, this game would have done really well if it were priced somewhere between $20-25.
@@thunderstashgaming 20 quid yes. That would be worth it all day long. I bought a physical copy and that softens the blow a lil bit cos at least I actually own the game.
I agree, just another reason why physical needs to remain forever.
It's a $5 game with 5 bosses and no online coop. Glitched on release so physical copies are trashed, and will never be worth collecting.
Hopefully it will receive a couple more patches. I haven't heard which version is going to be shipping on the physical versions yet. The physical version isn't set to go into printing production until June at the earliest so there's still some time to patch it up.
I beat and finished the game back in the day with a GameShark it was still a couple hours with unlimited lives and weapons it was ahead of its time with boss battles I can’t see beating it any other way it was impossible
GameShark, so classic... It really was ahead of its time with the screen-filling boss battles. I hear you on that, Contra is a truly tough series. I think the hardest one has got to be Contra Hard Corps on the Genesis. Did you ever play that one?
A man of culture i see 👍 first time on this channel good take on the game
Yes Sir I am and thank you for checking out my review of Contra! Are you going to pick it up?
@@thunderstashgaming oh yes i finish the demo and really enjoy it took me back to the good ' ol NES days . Totally picking it up
Awesome, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Not worth, saved you 15 mins, you're welcome, take care!
Did you play it?
I have contra2 on little NES and damnit i cant get past the first level and wont accept the up up down, down L,R,L,R, B,A start 😅😮
Try memorizing all the areas and enemy attacks. IMO, that's the best way to beat games from the 8-16-bit era in general.
The series deserves so much more than this nostalgic cash-grab 💸
I like the direction it's heading in now but I'm always left wanting more.
When do the characters make mention of the music in the game? It's a nice touch but I've never noticed it.
After I beat the story mode, I started an 'Arcade Mode' run, chose the Castlevania soundtrack and Bill as my character. He makes a comment about the soundtrack on level 1. If for some reason you can't replicate it, let me know and I will finish my current arcade run and try to replicate it on my next run. 👍
The price seems to be a big sticking point for some.Even if it was several levels longer I think there would be an issue. I think gamers are used to 30 to 40 hour games.Contra is just not meant to be played like that.Its best to be played for a sitting and then play it again some other time. Now I do think te developer could have added alternative paths in each level furthering replayability even if you end up and the same boss.And maybe something in each change changes after you finish the game.At times it borrows a bit too much from earlier games but it has a nice fresh coat of paint and enough new.I think its great there is even a new game and it would be even better if it gets supported for more in the series or a Castlevania game.
Right, I noticed that the price was a sticking point for people and really wanted to dive into the amount of content they added. I agree with all your points. I think Gamers are used to 30-40 hour games and there are Gamers that say if it's not a long game then it's not worth it to play which I find concerning but to each their own I guess. I would have liked to have seen alternate paths within the level as well, that was something I was hoping to see or even alternate paths on the map like we had with Castlevania III on NES. It does at times borrow too much from the originals but I think this is a good start for a reboot and hope that we get more Contra games that try new things and I'd love to see them take a stab at Castlevania. 🤞
I beaten GBA version of Contra. It took me a month.
Congrats and way to stick with it. The Contra games are tough but the gratification you get from finally completing it is totally worth it IMO!
The Contra on nes and Contra 4 on DS are my favorite Contra's. I wish theyd port Contra 4 over to the Switch or something.
Those two are right up there at the top for me along with Contra III on the SNES and Hard Corps on the Genesis. I'd really love to see Contra 4 ported over too, I hate to see it stuck on the DS forever.
added scanlines and other effects with reshade on PC ua-cam.com/video/eKZo5rRk4I8/v-deo.htmlsi=PnbyxbAmNVzYxY-D&t=262
Well, have to work al lot of rust. I beat Contra 3: Alien Wars on hard for the true ending when I was young. Did it on the American and European version (Super Probotector: Alien Rebels). My practice was on the EU version.
I've got a lot of rust to work off too! Contra III was the only Contra I was able to beat on hard mode actually.
The price tag (especially on the digital release) seems a little outrageous given the visual quality of the game. Like that 2014 Xbox Live Strider game visually looked better than this and that was $14.99.
It’s too back the characters are 3D. Like they could’ve kept the backgrounds 3D so they could do different things with perspective. But WayForward should never do 3D models. The character models in this look like the terrible characters models in Double Dragon Neon. On the other hand, WayForward does something like DuckTales Remastered and that has pretty fantastic looking hand drawn characters.
Hopefully it won't take too long for a price drop. I hear you on the graphics. I didn't pay much attention to them while I was playing the game because I'm busy trying to dodge bullets but I think you make a good point about the 3D models. I think it could have looked a lot better if they went the more Ducktales Remastered route because that game still looks gorgeous today.
I cant really talk about the cost as i used my psn points to essentially not pay for it lol i keep forgetting about them lol
I have 14,730 points right now that I can redeem for PSN credit which equates to almost $60 free dollars! I hope everyone is taking advantage of the PlayStation Stars program the way we are!
@thundersteve85gaming it's a nice surprise when you get a free game and got money left to spend elsewhere.
It really is because they award you with points just for playing games. I really like the Playstation Stars program and I hope that Sony keeps it around for a long time!
I must have missed that note about castlevania. I was wondering why the castlevania ost was there lol
🤣 Yeah, figured I'd throw in some Castlevania background music since you can unlock the Castlevania soundtrack. I think the Castlevania soundtrack works surprisingly well with Contra!
@@thunderstashgaming I love how konami rewards lifetime customers in subtle ways like this.
@@thunderstashgaming konami and Namco know their music is much loved
I do too, it was a very unexpected and highly appreciated easter egg. I am a huge Castlevania fan and of course, I love the music in Castlevania so this was especially cool.
What no online coop wtf... why bother making this game.
And why do the graphics look so garbage? Hard Corps rising looks better and plays smoother. This looks so janky.
I still enjoyed it. The graphics won't blow you, or anyone, away, I agree with you there. But the game plays exactly like Contra III which is a great thing considering the Contra game we got before Operation Galuga.
I truly wish they'd make NES's Ninja Gaiden remake.
Ohh man, that would make me so happy. It's a shame we haven't received any 2D Ninja Gaiden games outside of the original trilogy on the NES.
Ummmm yeah I need link to grab that shirt sir😅
😂 I bought it from NerdHerdPrinting! Super high quality shirts and the Owner is a big gamer himself! www.nerdherdprinting.com/game-shirts?Category=Console%2520Shirts
give the game "Bro Force" a try.
Love Broforce! I own it digitally and have a physical copy that came in a couple of weeks ago. More people should play it!
I was just about to get until I saw no online 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
It's unfortunate there's no online play. I was hoping it would maybe get online play down the line but the odds of that happening are pretty slim.
My son and I just played through this and had a blast! Definitely more fun with 2 players! Was very satisfied!
That's awesome, that's the way to play it. I've got my brothers and cousins coming over for Easter and am going to see if they want to play. Couch co-op definitely made Contra more enjoyable in the past!
Doom eternal like contra n super contra will be a nice thing😶🌫
Absolutely! Doom Eternal on Switch runs surprisingly well!
Does the code still work for this one?
Yes it does!
Can I play it at keyboard? Thx
Yes you can, there's a keyboard and mouse binding here: www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Contra:_Operation_Galuga
@@thunderstashgaming thx
I'm getting it but waiting the extra month for the physical release
Good call on picking up the physical. I always go physical even if it means I have to double dip sometimes as I will with Contra. Do you know when the physical is shipping?
@thundersteve85gaming here in the UK it's April 26th. Don't get me started on double dipping, Jesus I own about so many copies of games. Physical forever. I'm one of those ass holes who buys the digital and then buys the physical but never opens it. Indie only of course
🤣 I do the same thing man. I double dip way too often and keep them sealed. Physical 4 Life. I have no idea when the physical copy will come out here. Limited Run is handling the physical version so it could be a really long time until we see it arrive.
@thundersteve85gaming eeeeee limited run man. I've picked up 5 games from them but they just soooo over priced and the wait is ridiculous!!! Feel the pain. Its that fear of missing out in the collector in us. Subbed!
I know, LRG is a bit pricey especially if your picking up anything outside of the standard edition and they take forever to ship the games. The first game I bought from LRG was Saturday Morning RPG back in 2018 but I will say their shipping has improved since then. Basically if I buy something from LRG, I already own it digitally so I'm never waiting for a game to arrive so I can play it but it's still annoying it takes so long! Thanks for subbing Sir!
Is the retro remix playable during gameplay?
In my experience it's not available during gameplay unfortunately. I've found that we are only able to change the music when we start a new story mode or arcade mode run which is unfortunate. I'm hoping that Contra will receive a patch update where you can change up the music on the fly.