Game Debate #92: Contra

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

3 minutes ago, mbd39 said:

The controls are excellent. For example you have a lot of control over your jumps which really helps with the platforming aspect.

But you do need a good condition dpad and some thumb precision. If you can't hit down without accidentally hitting a diagonal then you're toast.

 

The controls are stiff and rigid though like ghost n goblins

[mbd39 | 2,029]

Just now, docile tapeworm said:

The controls are stiff and rigid though like ghost n goblins

In what way are the controls stiff? I would associate stiff with a game like Castlevania where you have more limited movement and no control over your jumps. That's not true of Contra. The controls never feel unresponsive either.

 

 

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

7 minutes ago, mbd39 said:

In what way are the controls stiff? I would associate stiff with a game like Castlevania where you have more limited movement and no control over your jumps. That's not true of Contra. The controls never feel unresponsive either.

 

 

They are responsive but. I’m always left feeling like the character moves to slow or doesn’t jump far enough. Like you ever move the controller in the air thinking it will help the character on screen move more? That’s how I feel the whole time playing contra. I can play it and I have run through a few loops but it’s just not that good imo.

And castlevania it’s awful stiff. I get frustrated after the first stage.

Edited March 13, 2022 by docile tapeworm

[Dr. Morbis | 2,091]

1 hour ago, docile tapeworm said:

What do they call it?

I'd call Mega Man a "shoot 'n wait" since half the screens have some sort of gimmick platform or "ride" you have to wait for and/or hop onto and then wait some more for it to take you somewhere.  And even worse, once that stupid charge shot is created (in MM 4?) you wait even more as you have to hold down the B button for your shot to charge.  LAME!!!!!!!.........

That being said, I love me some Mega Man, but it is not run'n'gun and it ain't no Contra...

[Kguillemette | 1,547]

2 hours ago, Californication said:

Don'y think I've heard anyone call Mega Man a run-gun before.

How else would you describe it? You run and platform through levels blasting baddies.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,091]

26 minutes ago, Kguillemette said:

How else would you describe it? You run and platform through levels blasting baddies.

Action Platformer.

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

Action Platformer.

Contra is an action platformer So is double dragon 

Edited March 13, 2022 by docile tapeworm

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

43 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

I'd call Mega Man a "shoot 'n wait" since half the screens have some sort of gimmick platform or "ride" you have to wait for and/or hop onto and then wait some more for it to take you somewhere.  And even worse, once that stupid charge shot is created (in MM 4?) you wait even more as you have to hold down the B button for your shot to charge.  LAME!!!!!!!.........

That being said, I love me some Mega Man, but it is not run'n'gun and it ain't no Contra...

Rookie. I never have to wait on the m buster to charge. It’s smooth like butter. I don’t like it as much as laying down some rapid fire with the p buster. And the sound is awful but if you know what your doing you don’t have to wait on it.

i think mm qualifies as a run n gun as much as contra does. What elements in contra that mega man doesn’t have nominate it more so than mega man?

Edited March 13, 2022 by docile tapeworm

[T-Pac | 7,585]

Probotector is better than Contra because robots.

-CasualCart

[Californication | 1,478]

51 minutes ago, docile tapeworm said:

Rookie. I never have to wait on the m buster to charge. It’s smooth like butter. I don’t like it as much as laying down some rapid fire with the p buster. And the sound is awful but if you know what your doing you don’t have to wait on it.

i think mm qualifies as a run n gun as much as contra does. What elements in contra that mega man doesn’t have nominate it more so than mega man?

I could be wrong, but I feel like you can duck in most run and gun's. But really the pacing of Mega Man is much slower and run and gun's generally allow you to shoot in eight directions.

 

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

15 minutes ago, Californication said:

I could be wrong, but I feel like you can duck in most run and gun's. But really the pacing of Mega Man is much slower and run and gun's generally allow you to shoot in eight directions.

 

By pace you mean?…. I can stand still in contra and never move forward.

if shooting in eight directions and ducking are part of the criteria than you right.

Edited March 13, 2022 by docile tapeworm

[Tanooki | 4,950]

I gave it an 8 which seems semi-less than popular.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good game, quite good, but not great.  They got a nice formula down with it, and if you grind enough you can get the speed up to survive the action.  But that said, it's kind a floaty and thin, borderline cheap in places but Contra is known for the arcade cheap as that is its roots.  I just have played better run and gun, not a lot, but some from that century.   I've had the cart off and on since the mid 90s, got it after the NES was toast but these days I don't care to bother much, and given I have the premium my arcade cabinet with the limited quarter setup the actual arcade used I find it more fun to hammer away at.  The NES game has a few but not crushing compromises, but largely it's pretty faithful which is good given the year.

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

Great game. Contra 3 is king though.

[WhyNotZoidberg | 586]

Not exactly a personal favorite of mine, but gave it 9 because everyone should play it.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

One of my favorite NES games. 10/10.

[NESfiend | 1,515]

On 3/12/2022 at 7:59 AM, JamesRobot said:

I couldn't think of a single reason to give it less than a 10.

The only reason I could think of is I like Super C a little better. But thats not enough. Both 10s imo and no nostalgia factor there. Remember seeing someone else play a couple levels of contra as a kid, but thats as much exposure as I had to either game

[JeremiahJT | 75]

I like it. It is a good game so I gave it a 6. I never played it as a kid. I knew about it of course, but it was never one I sought out to play. Part of me does want to get good enough to beat it without the Konami code, but only a small part.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

14 hours ago, NESfiend said:

The only reason I could think of is I like Super C a little better. But thats not enough. Both 10s imo and no nostalgia factor there. Remember seeing someone else play a couple levels of contra as a kid, but thats as much exposure as I had to either game

I'd give both 10s. I can't even pick one over the other. They're both classics.

[Webhead123 | 687]

Who am I kidding? How can this be anything but a 10? One of the games that came with my NES the birthday that I got it and I've played it pretty consistently since then. As a kid, I had to rely on the Konami code to get anywhere with it but once I had played enough to basically memorize the enemy patterns and put in just a little bit of effort, I was able to start playing the game proper. Today, I can usually beat the game with only 1 or 2 deaths and I even managed a no-death run. That was an amazing feeling, especially with the knowledge of how tough the game seemed as a youth and how far I've come with it.

The graphics and music are superb, the controls are almost flawless. Yeah, a 10. One of my most-played video games of all time and one I will happily fire up at the drop of a hat, beat in 20 minutes and sit back and feel satisfied. This is what gaming on the NES is all about, right here.

Super C is also excellent and probably even a hair better than the original.

Edited March 17, 2022 by Webhead123

[JamesRobot | 5,825]

On 3/13/2022 at 2:12 PM, CasualCart said:

Probotector is better than Contra because robots.

-CasualCart

But Contra has Arnold Schwarzenegger and he's a robot.  From the future!

[wongojack | 220]

9/10

I THINK this was the first game I ever played co-operative with another human.  It is possible I played Gauntlet in the arcade earlier, but this one definitely made more of an impression and gave you that feeling that you could do better and make more progress with just "one more go."

Great game, but I've never finished it, and I don't really care too.  I think the lack of interest in mastering the higher levels is what takes it down from 10 to 9 for me.