Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Old-school"

Contra was great. I used to play it as many times as I got killed by slow-moving enemy bullets and humongous armored alien football lackeys. Super Contra ups the ante in more ways than one with bigger bosses, some new weapons and tougher difficulty. As is the case with many other arcade ports before and after it, Super Contra for the 360 Arcade is as faithful to the original source as its going to get, and you can enhance the experience by smoothing out the original graphics to compliment HD displays.

Rizer and Bean are back yet again to deal with Red Falcon, who have taken over the U.S. military and turned them into mindless purplish aliens. The premise is basically the same--infiltrate enemy lines, navigate enormous jungles, take down helicopters and tanks, and blast your antagonists into a gooey mass of purple jelly. The classic weapons make a comeback, but come slightly varied from the original game--like the Spread gun. A new weapon has been thrown in the mix--a devastatingly-powerful Shotgun that easily punches holes into even the steeliest of defenses. The 3D levels from the first game are gone--replaced by two top-down stages reminiscent of Commando or Mercs. They're nice, but just not as exciting as the 3D levels.

One thing that hasn't changed is the difficulty, and in many cases, Super Contra is perhaps even more unforgiving than its past relative. Enemies are faster and more aggressive, and bullets are ever more numerous than before. What doesn't help at all are the slippery controls--taking into account numerous complaints made by most gamers regarding the 360's directional pad, dodging bullets and avoiding specific obstacles can be more trouble than its worth. It's a lot more worse off during the top-down stages where you don't have any opportunity to duck enemy fire (like you could during the 3D stages in the original game)--you're now forced to run around (slowly, in fact) to avoid getting killed by what seems like an endless array of bullets.

Still, Super Contra is a great challenge for those who seek it, but more casual gamers might be hesitant to take the plunge. It's not a game for everyone, but as it stands, it's a pretty fun romp in its own merit.