
	Platform SNES Genre Action Developer / Publisher Konami Released 1992
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Contra III: The Alien Wars

A long time ago (1988), on a console far, far away (NES), Konami introduced Contra to the home console world and another of their successful franchises was born. Although originally introduced to arcades in 1987, it was the home version that really began the successful run of the series.

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While there will always be debate as to which Contra game is the best, many hardcore fans of the series feel it reached it's peak with Contra III: The Alien Wars, released for the Super Nintendo in 1992. This title's colorful and well designed levels, evolved cooperative gameplay, novel use of Mode 7, and innovative controls elevated it not only above other Contra titles, but over many other titles and franchises of the time.

The story is the same as it ever was. It's hundreds of years in the future and the intro movie shows aliens destroying Neo City. One (or two, if you have a buddy) heroes must now save the earth, and in the process will wield a variety of inventive and destructive weapons that seem tailor made to wiping out hordes of enemies and their screen-filling bosses.

Similar to the nepotism of Konami's Castlevania line, this particular title sees the distant offspring of previous characters taking over the alien-busting duties. Continuing the tradition of laughable names meant to sound tough, this title sees Jimbo and Sully making their way through 6 levels of a never ending onslaught of

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aliens, with each level ending with a boss that was a triumph at the time. Indeed, the boss designs in Contra III have since served as the model for what a boss should be. Each one is huge, colorful, well animated, and nothing you would ever expect.

When you put a Konami cartridge into the SuperNES slot, something magical happened. From the first appearance of that red and yellow logo and it's accompanying

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chime, you knew you were in for something special. Contra III delivered on this expectation. In fact, solid design is apparent from the first screen to the final boss. Whether considering the graphics, the control, the level design, the character design, or even the flow, this game delivers on all counts.

As the game begins, you find yourself in a burned out Neo City, making your side-scrolling way to the end of the level and the first of the incredible bosses this game presents. Even in the first level, you are presented with the solid design that this game boasts. In the first level alone, you pilot a tank, traverse a portion of the level while hanging from rails after a bomb turns the streets into an inferno, fight 2 bosses, climb a wall, wield a variety of weapons, blow up buildings, and mow down countless soldiers and dogs. Each character can wield two weapons at once - imagine carrying a guided-missile launcher in one hand and a flame thrower in the other! In this game you can. Or you could opt for the spread gun, the lasers, the standard gun which is no slouch, not to mention the bombs that damage everything on the screen or the protective barriers that shield you from hits. The weapon combinations are remarkable for this type of game. You can jump while firing both of your weapons, essentially making you a twirling soldier of death. You can plant your feet so you can shoot without moving, which is especially useful for highly mobile airborne targets. This agility is requisite for this game, as you are assaulted consistently from all sides - front, back, top, and bottom - all the time, by an enemy who never lets up.

Many games, both then and now, follow one of two design paths; they start with a bang but end with a whimper in play, design, story, or all of the above, or they start slow and save the good stuff for last. This game is a pleasant exception to that rule. In fact, it actually evolves it's gameplay in two different ways:

First, even with all that's required in just that first level, the gameplay evolves as the levels continue. You will find your character climbing vertical surfaces, hanging from rails while fending off flying beasts from above who will grab you and fly off. You will find yourself riding futuristic motorcycles while shooting, you can even jump off them while shooting to hit targets higher off the ground and land back on the bike without missing a beat, even jumping from missile to missile as they fly through the sky. Regardless of what you have done in the game, it never rests on it's laurels, always presenting a new challenge.

The second thing the game does is introduce levels built around the much ballyhooed Mode 7 rotation and scaling capabilities of the Super NES. This was essentially the ability of the system to rotate and scale the background of a game. In Contra III, Mode 7 allowed for a very inventive approach to level design. Besides the side-scrolling levels, there are levels that present a top down view of your character, and moving the character requires the player to actually spin the environment around the character in order to navigate. The levels take place on a ruined freeway and a desert landscape, and this was a unique approach which was implemented well and realized brilliantly. These levels are especially entertaining in two player co-op mode, as each character starts in a different section of the map and navigates the level independently of the other using a split-screen approach.

Before mentioning graphics and sound, mention should be made of the solid controls. When you hit jump, the character jumps. When you let go of the pad, the character stops. He doesn't skid, slide, or take an extra step. When you hit the fire button the character fires and doesn't stop until directed to do so by you. It is solid, responsive control that never ever lets you down. Incidentally, although I mentioned the character will stop firing when you let go of the fire button, there is really no reason to do this. Ammo is unlimited, the damage your guns do is respectable, and the enemies never end. May as well give your thumbs the workout they deserve.

In addition to gameplay are the issues of graphics and sound. While many games of this type take a very bleak approach to the graphical design, this game is nothing but brilliant color. The characters are well animated, there is very little slowdown, the enemies are clever and varied, the environments are well realized and diverse, and the game is always a pleasure to the eyes, no matter which aspect of the visual presentation you address. Along with the detailed backgrounds expansive levels the game presents a graphical feast.

The sound effects are solid, the music is appropriately frantic, and the sounds of enemies and explosions are appropriate. It's neither better nor worse than other solid titles, but it is by no means grating or out of place, and never jars you away from the frantic action on screen. The limitations of the Super Nintendo's sound chip are evident, but the designers have done as much as they can with it and it shows in the best way possible.

The final note goes to the bosses. The Contra series is famous for its boss designs, and in this title each is huge, some are screen-filling, and each presents a unique challenge and approach to ensure defeat. From the infamous giant mutant turtle that busts through the wall at the end of the first level (and was the focus of much positive attention at the time of this game's release) to the giant alien…thing at the end, the bosses were considered a triumph for the designers, and stand as some of the best ever in game design.

As you can probably tell, I am very fond of this series and this game in particular. Many different play titles have been stuffed into this one title, and it is very difficult to find a flaw in this exceptional experience. I suppose one could say the difficulty itself is a flaw, but that has always been a hallmark of the series. This title is difficult, but it isn't impossible, and it is worth seeing through to the end simply to experience one of the best side scrolling games of the series and, in my opinion, of all time.

Darren

(July 18, 2004)