It was really hard holding out on buying Contra 4 ever since its release back in November. I told my wife that I wanted it for Christmas, and the waiting paid off. Not only did she deliver, but so does Contra 4.

I’ve had several things to say about Contra 4 in the past. At first I hated the whole idea of it. How dare Konami had over the reigns to an unproven company like WayForward? How dare WayForward use Bill Rizer, Lance Bean, Mad Dog, and Scorpion all in the same game when we know they’re all the same people. Then they released some concept art, and I realized that maybe things were in good hands. WayForward gets it. They get the cheesy references. They get the classic gameplay. These guys aren’t just hired suits, they’re fans just like me and hopefully you, only they’re smart enough and talented enough to create this shit. Never in a million years would I imagine that a studio in California that normally turns out licensed garbage would not only understand Contra, but absolutely do it justice and showing up their peers in the process.

So as you can see, I’m basically in love with this game. I love it so much I almost want to rewrite history and throw it into my Best Games of the Year list. It was a ballsy move on Konami’s part to call this game Contra 4, especially since there have been at least four Contra games released since The Alien Wars, but when you play the game it makes sense. It takes everything we’ve learn from Contra 1 through 3, and builds on those ideas. While the game mostly resembles the original Contra in the graphics department, with it’s bright colors, and easily distinguishable characters, elements from The Alien Wars, like juggling between two items and being able to lock your character in place to shoot have made the jump. Taking a page from Hard Corps and Shattered Soldier, stages are littered with tons of boss battles. Of course, WayForward has added their own little touches as well, like the ability to drop weapons (in case you pick up a bad one), double up on two of the same gun for extra fire power, and access to a handy grappling hook that will get your player up to the second screen with ease.

The game is basically as hard as you would think it is, but it’s completely playable and diligent players will be able to master it over time. I’ve played a few sessions over the last 3 days, and I’m nearing the end of the final stage on Normal mode. It’s not impossible, it just requires patience, and you need to understand that you’re going to die all the time until you perfect your run. You’ll want to get good at it too, because each stage feels unique, has insane action, creative boss battles, and memorable music. Speaking of the sound, WayForward has decided to go back and use classic sound effects from the original NES game, which is a rather brilliant idea. These are the sounds that defined Contra two decades ago, so why not celebrate these sounds? It’s very similar to how Nintendo has kept the classic coin collecting noise from Super Mario Brothers in all of their games. The music is mostly all new, with hints of themes from previous games. In fact, I actually recommend that people play the game with a pair of headphones on, it sounds great and the music only serves to get your more pumped up.

Oh, and the icing on the cake is the amount of fun little treats WayForward tucked inside. For long time series fans the game features a gallery that showcases ever title in the Contra series, including the terrible PS1 games, that this game has no problem saying doesn’t count in the grand scheme of things. It even pokes a bit of fun at Neo Contra as well. The NES versions of Contra and Super C are also unlockable, among other things.

Your assignment? Go play Contra 4 if you own a DS.