Music cues up and grand entrances are made in The Alien Wars, but in Hard Corps robots just burst through walls and then it’s on. Playing Hard Corps between other series entries this week made me notice just how amazingly fast this game runs. Contra was one of the first series to bring this action to home consoles, giving players unforgettable boss encounters, a world that combines Hollywood blockbusters of the era, and a cheat code to memorize for a lifetime.Ĭontra has gone through many console generations and styles, but these are the top five worth returning to, time and time again.Īt long last, Sega fans had awesome Konami games to dangle over their Nintendo friends’ heads with Castlevania: Bloodlines and then Hard Corps a game that many series fans still hold as the plateau of dual-gun-totting, manly, hyperactive shooters. In the late ’80s, arcade games relied on tough as nails difficulty and a series of increasingly outlandish scenarios to keep kids glued to a cabinet, feeding coins by the minute.

In celebration of the series 25th anniversary this week, it’s time we take a look back. Though the series saw a dip in quality in the PlayStation generation, it still stands as one of the most intense and consistent action series. While other kids were chasing mushrooms, leveling up mages, and debating boss orders, real tough guys were playing Contra. When heroes, not douchebags, wore bandanas

Contra 5 game