Contra 1987

In Contra, your objective is to guide your commando through eight side-scrolling and top-down stages, eliminating enemy soldiers, turrets, and monstrous creatures. You control your character with a joystick for movement and buttons for jumping and shooting.

You can shoot in eight directions, and collecting power-up icons that fly by in capsules will upgrade your weapon from the standard rifle to more powerful options like the Spread Gun, Laser, or Machine Gun. The game is known for its high difficulty, with one-hit deaths requiring precise platforming and quick reflexes to avoid enemy fire and environmental hazards.

Early on, focus on memorizing enemy patterns and securing the Spread Gun, as its wide shot coverage is invaluable. During tense moments, such as boss fights, keep moving and prioritize dodging over dealing damage to survive longer.

The game supports two-player cooperative play, which can make navigating the challenging levels more manageable.