Contra (video game)

Contra
Front cover of North American version
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami
Designer(s)	Arcade version Koji Hiroshita (director) NES version Shigeharu Umezaki (director) Shinji Kitamoto (director)
Composer(s)	Arcade version Kazuki Muraoka NES/Famicom version Hidenori Maezawa Kiyohiro Sada
Series	Contra
Platform(s)	Arcade, Famicom/NES, PlayChoice-10, MSX2, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Microsoft Windows[1], MS-DOS
Release date(s)	February 20, 1987 Arcade JP: February 20, 1987 NA: 1987 EU: 1987 NES/Famicom NA: February 2, 1988 JP: February 9, 1988 EU: December 28, 1990 Commodore 64 NA: 1988 EU: 1988 MS-DOS NA: 1988 Amstrad CPC EU: 1988 ZX Spectrum EU: 1988 MSX2 JP: May 26, 1989 Microsoft Windows NA: November 16, 2002 PlayStation 2 JP: May 25, 2006 Xbox Live Arcade INT: November 8, 2006 Virtual Console (MSX2) JP: February 2, 2010 (Wii) JP: October 15, 2014 (Wii U)
Genre(s)	Run and gun
Mode(s)	Single-player, cooperative
Cabinet	Upright
CPU	Hitachi 6309 (12 MHz)
Sound	Motorola 6809 (3 MHz) driving a Yamaha YM2151
Display	Raster, standard resolution (Used: 224 x 280) vertical orientation

Review score
Publication	Score
AllGame	(NES)

Contra (魂斗羅(コントラ), Kontora^?), distributed as Gryzor in Europe and Oceania, is a 1987 run and gun action game developed and published by Konami originally released as a coin-operated arcade game on February 20, 1987. A home version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, along with ports for various computer formats, including the MSX2. The home versions were localized in the PAL region as Gryzor on the various computer formats and as Probotector on the NES, released later. Several Contra sequels were produced following the original game. The name of the game refers to the Contras, a group of CIA-backed Nicaraguan rebels who were frequently in the news in the United States in that period.

Contra employs a variety of playing perspectives, which include a standard side view, a pseudo-3D view (in which the player proceeds by shooting and moving towards the background, in addition to left or right) and a fixed screen format (in which the player has their gun aimed upwards by default). Up to two people can play simultaneously, with one player as Bill (the blond-haired commando with the white tank top and blue bandanna), and the other player as Lance (the shirtless dark-haired commando in the red bandanna). The controls consists of an eight way joystick and two action buttons for shooting and jumping. When the character jumps, he curls into a somersault instead of doing a conventional jump like in other games. The joystick controls not only the player's movement while walking and jumping, but also his aiming. During side view stages, the player can shoot leftward, rightward or upward while standing, as well as horizontally and diagonally while walking. The player can also shoot in any of eight directions, including downwards, while jumping. Pressing the joystick downwards while standing will cause the character to lie down on his stomach, allowing him to avoid enemy fire and shoot low targets. When the jump button is pressed while crouching on a higher platform, the player will drop down to a lower level.