Summary
There is no gamer today that hasn’t at least heard of theContraseries. For many, the earlyContragames were among the first few video games they’ve ever played, and the first ones they fell in love with. This “run and gun"shooter seriesis a staple and an innovator in the genre, with most of the games in the series garnering positive reception.
As with many video game series, however, some of the games in theContrafranchise don’t hold up to its reputation. While most of the games have achieved legendary status, some fans feel aren’t up to par with what the series is known for. With that in mind, here is every video game in theContraseries, ranked from worst to best.
Updated April 13th, 2024, by Evan Regan:While the series has faded from the spotlight since its heyday in the 1990s, Contra remains one of the most legendary names in video games. This series, once praised for its tough-as-nails combat and jaw-dropping boss fights would be right at home with the sensibilities of modern gamers. It’s no surprise, then, that developer Wayforward has released a brand-new Contra title -Contra: Operation Galuga - to try and get the franchise back into the public conversation. With a new Contra game on the market, that meant this list was incomplete, and so it has been updated to feature the latest game in the Contra franchise and rank it amongst its peers.
C: The Contra Adventure
C: The Contra Adventureis the eighth title in the series and wasreleased on the PlayStation console. It is by far the most negatively receivedContratitle. A lot of people dismissed the game for its boring gameplay and for not capturing the essence of the earlier titles.
Some also argue that thisContragame is way easier than its predecessors, and that’s mainly due to the main character having an actual health bar rather than the standard life icons the series is known for.
14Contra: Legacy Of War
The First Entry Developed Outside Of Konami
Contra: Legacy of Waris the seventhContragame and the first one to come out on the PlayStation 1. It is also the firstContratitle to not have beendeveloped by Konami. This fact is ultimately what a lot of players bring up when discussing how the title is one of the worstContragames ever published.
While it utilized the PS1’s 3D capabilities, many still found its visual aspects unattractive. Many have also pointed outhow broken the gameplay mechanics were, which destroys what so many players loved about the earlier games.
The Beginning Of Modern Contra
Contra: Rogue Corps
CONTRA is back! Two years after the Alien Wars ended, the Damned City erupts from the final battleground. From the midst of the chaos, a group of total scoundrels emerges. These rogues might not be typical heroes, but they’re here to save the world… or get rich trying. Like all games in the franchise, expect action packed battles, customizable gear, gigantic bosses and explosive multiplayer action.Choose from Local and Online CO-OP action for up to 4 players with 4 outrageous characters – each with their own weird style and colorful attitude. Build over 100 weapons and augment your character with bionic body parts earned in-mission. Experience the character progression, weapon development and customization system that ensures extensive replayability as crazy new heroes and big bosses join the Contra universe.Pre-order to get two T-Shirt skins for Hungry Beast. One featuring the iconic duo Bill and Lance, the other featuring the classic Contra logo.
Contra: Rogue Corpsis the fourteenth game in the series and its most recent title as of 2021. Despite being the most recent title, and having access to modern engines and innovations, thisContratitle failed to receive the praise its predecessors did.
This is due to the game’s restrictive gameplay, which a lot of players feel contradicts the essence of the earlier titles, and its bland graphics, despite beingreleased in 2019. The game felt like a half-baked attempt at aContrarevival, and it rubbed fans the wrong way.
12Contra Force
The First Stumble In Contra’s Legacy
Contra Forceis the fifth title in the series. As one of the earliestContratitles, which had thus far been stellar,Contra Forcehad a lot to live up to. Ultimately, the fifthContratitle ended up being its worst so far at the time it was released.
A lot of players noted how unresponsive and heavy the gameplay feels. It was also plagued with issues where the game would slow down whenever there were enemies on the screen, which for a game in this genre - and with this degree of difficulty - was a massive issue.
11Neo Contra
The First Contra Game To Go Isometric
Neo Contra,the tenth game in the series, departed from the traditional side-scroller perspective of the franchise. Instead, the game mainly uses an isometric top-down point of view with multidirectional shooting. It also occasionally uses athird-person shooter perspective, something already familiar to the series.
Despite steering away from something traditional to the series, many players felt the game kept what madeContrapopular. It had fast-paced combat, responsive controls, and over-the-top action, all of which were utilized to great effect.
10Contra: ReBirth
A Memorable Contra Entry On The Wii
Contra: ReBirthis the twelfth game in the series and was released on the WiiWare. When it was released in 2009, a lot of players felt like the game was an homage to the earlyContratitles. The game felt very similar to the early games in the series, most especiallyContra III.
A lot of players enjoyed the game for its solid and responsive combat, and for utilizing everything the series is beloved for. It had incredible bosses and was reasonably challenging, everything one expects from aContratitle.
9Operation C
The Series' First Handheld Title
Operation Cis the thirdContragame and was released for the Nintendo Game Boy, making it the series' first handheld title. Despite the hardware limitations of the Game Boy, Konami managed to fit aContratitle into their portable device and make it exciting and action-packed.
Operation Cplayed almost exactly like the previous twoContratitles, for better and for worse. It used layouts, models, and even music from the earlier games, which is one of this title’s most common criticisms. Regardless, it was still mostly well-received by those who managed to play it, fans of the series and newcomers alike.
8Contra 4
Contra’s Foray Onto The Nintendo DS
Contra 4is the eleventh game in the series. It was released on the Nintendo DS in 2007, making it the first handheldContratitle since 1991. It continued the narrativeContra, Super Contra,andContra IIIfollowed, and its gameplay system is incredibly similar to those titles as well.
Many consideredContra 4to be the series returning to its roots. Its gameplay, themes, and everything in between are extremely reminiscent of the earlyContragames. For these reasons, and for doing them right, the game was positively received.
7Contra: Shattered Soldier
Konami’s Return To The Series
After the failure ofContra: Legacy of WarandC: The Contra Adventure,which were both developed by Appaloosa Interactive, Konami decided to take back the reins and publish the next title themselves, while giving fledgling developer Kijirushi Games development duties. The result of this effort isContra: Shattered Soldier,the ninth game in the series.
As if to correct the wrongs of the previous two titles,Contra: Shattered Soldierreturned to its roots. It once again used the traditional2D side-scroller formulawith fast-paced action and considerable difficulty. In the end, the game was praised for returning to what made the series successful, and doing it properly. This title is also notorious for being one of the hardest games in the series.
Considering it’s only been four years sinceRogue Corps,theContraseries is practically on a comeback relative to its 9-year-long absence in the previous decade.Contra: Operation Galugabrings the series to modern consoles, and acts a something of a “soft” reboot of the franchise, even as it drives theContrabrand forward into the future.
The term “soft” is key there. This is still a newContragame by every measure. However, several levels and boss fights take heavy inspiration from classic examples in the series. However, which these may be familiar on the surface, the developers at Wayforward took care to ensure that they put their own updated spin on each of them. Couple that with some of the series' most varied (if not overly challenging) combat, and outside of its uninspired story and disappointing graphics, this is the brand newContragame that fans of the series have been waiting for.
