Contra III: The Alien Wars

"Konami, please look back to this game when you create new ones!"

The game was made 1992/93 by the exellent company Konami, for SNES system.

I’m quite sure the contra3: the alien wars and Super Probotector is the same game and there are no differences between the two titles, it’s just that the first name is the U.S. version, the second is the european. In the U.S. version, I think the heroes are two humans, in the european they are two robots. Just so you know, my review is based on the european version Super Probotector(not that it effects the game in any way, just so you know as you read on through the review. Notice that the two robots at the storyline).

The contra-series has always been a very popular series and Konami has received a lot of compliments for it. Contra3: the alien wars(third game in the series) was maybe the biggest hit and has always been one of the best 2D platforming games ever, and many fans around the world still enjoy it.

[Story:]
”It’s time for revenge! Let’s attack aggressively!” that’s the first line you’ll see at the intro sequence, and only that gives me the chills. It’s such a classic intro and the story is quite classic nowadays. Okay, the concept may not be the best ever(how many games do you think has the main storyline as aliens invading earth? Many...) I extended the contra3 story a bit myself, but it follows the main storyline as much as possible.

A.D. 2636: Far future

”Once the two mega robots made by human hands had finished the aliens that tried to conquer earth in the late 90s, everybody thought it was over. The people started to relax, and many years went on. New kids were born, old men died, and with them the story of the war and the two guardians faded slowly away. After a while, the story was just a legend, something that never had happened.

A sunny day in United States largest city, a huge shadow appears(like in independence day) and all of a sudden, a giant laserbeam comes down to the ground, and km’s was burned and destroyed. People all over the world was shocked and some of them thought the reckoning day was about to begin. Prophets started telling everyone that soon the world was coming to an end and all kind of stories. America’s military gathered up and started to figure out want was happening. Everything happened so quickly that nobody had recognized what was going on and most research labs were destroyed at the crash. The object was finally described as a meteor shower and the people cared less about what had happened and more for what should be done for the few survivors. People started to rebuild the city and bury the victims. Nobody could even think it was something else. Everyone thought it was over, but nobody knew what was going on...

The alien rebels!!!

They had waited for their powers to come back, summoned their robots, and now they want revenge about what happened before.
Now they had destroyed most of the united states’ defense and military forces, so they were waiting for the right time to attack again, when the humans were relaxing and unaware of the threat. 3 years later, one stubborn scientist in N.Y. that didn’t believe the ”meteor theory” was searching the ground where the ”meteor” had hit the earth. He was dressed in a typical long white scientist coat. He dug with a shove at the ground and found a glowing piece of rock. He put on a glove on his right hand and picked it up. The doctor brought it to his basement lab where he discovered it was a rock that had been hit by some strange energy force. Could it be an unknown force from space? He knew that most of his crew would just laugh at him and he maybe would be fired for a kinda theory like this, so he kept the secret for himself.

The doctor started to research about the ”meteor crash” and read in many books and arkives before he found what he was searching for. He found out that a kind of aliens that tried to attack earth were beaten badly in the late 90s by two robots by a legendary story. He reads quickly through the text, and finds out that the two robots were unplugged a long time ago in a storage room inside the factory. Quickly, he runs through the lab, pushing everyone and everything aside. Briefing fastly, he finds the key in a box and opens the door. Spiderweb is everywhere. He walks down the steps, wondering if the legend is true. He lit up the lamp, and saw two rusty robots in the corner. Quickly, he runs over there, changes the batteries and steps back to observe. Slowly, the two robots stand up and lift up their weopons from the floor.They know why they have been re-energized. They push the doctor aside, and step out of the building. The doctor quickly returns to his computer, watching the two robots journey.

Mankinds only hope are out there now, and they got the odds against them. The aliens are well prepared.”

As you figured, the aliens are back to conquer earth and the two robots are back to defeat them. The story won’t effect the game so much, it’s more action than anything else. The contra3 story is maybe not so original but it definitely fits for this type of game and it is what’s needed. Quite good. As I said, the story is not what makes Contra3 such a great game...

Score storyline: 8.2/10

<~>Graphic:<~>
Graphic is decent to be on Snes, and very good to have been made 6,7 years ago. Bullets and enemy-movements is smooth, no trouble with the resolution at all. Background graphic is well done and there is nothing to complain about. The backgrounds are very well animated and the pictures of wrecked skyscrapers and buildings creates a fitting atmosphere(you don’t think often about the background when you play the game, but if you stop and look, you see that it is great graphic). The bosses and enemies are all quite detailed and most of them are sharp and well animated. The special effect-graphics are cool and nice. This is what you can expect from the SNES and a 2D game. I love it!

Graphic score: 8.4/10

|Audio(Music/Sound):|
It’s hard to describe music with words, but if I say the music for Contra3 must be one of the best I’ve heard(including ff3 for Snes) you know what I’m talking about. I love running through the stages, hearing this music. Very fitting music to the game, and explosive, fast and good. You can’t be disappointed of it.

Music score:8.8/10

*Control:*
The control in this game is awesome. You have full control of your hero, and you can direct him exactly as you want, shooting whenever, wherever and in any way. You move quickly without any interrupts, and can hold the shoot-button pressed and the robot will continue shooting(auto-firing). No problems to jump over gaps, target enemies or anything else annoying occurs through the whole game. You can carry up to two weopons at the same time, and you use the ”L” and ”R” buttons to change between them, and the innovative way to use BOTH of them at the same time is fantastic. The two modes where you play(one in 2D, the other from a view up on a map) work both perfect. The control is so good that I don’t I know any game that has better.

Control score: 9.7/10

~Challenge:~
The challenge is also great. You can choose among ”Easy”, ”normal” and ”hard”, for the mode that fits you best. If you play on ”Hard” this game is no doubt next to impossible to beat. Don’t stand somewhere to earn lives, just try to run the game from beginning to end, then you will recognize how hard it is. In the challenge catagory, I also count how varying the game is, and that’s maybe this game’s slack. There are not more stages than needed, so the game is not so big. That’s a little bit uncool, but it really doesn’t matter much. When you beat it for the fifth time, you maybe don’t want to go for another round, but you may want to play some anyway.

Challenge score:7.7/10

/Gameplay:
This game covers everything. 1P mode, two players at the same time, everything you wanted(and needs) is right here. Team up with a buddy or play alone, your choice. Personnally, I prefer playing with a friend(more fun) but alone is also fun. You have
7 different weopons to choose among(if you count the starting weopon and invicibility), each with its own abilities, strengths/weaknesses and so on. Try to use them together and figure out what each one of them is good for! Some classic weopons like the ”laser”(personal fav!) and the ”spray gun” is still left since the old games, and some new ones are added(the crash bomb, homing etc.) You will enjoy contra3, the time you’re playing it.

Score gameplay: 8.4/10

Replay value: 8.3/10

+Summary:+
I’d say this is the best game you can get for the lowest amount of money(you won’t find it for more than 16 U.S. anywhere).
The reason why Contra3: the alien wars does not receive best able score(a 10) is that it’s just a little too short. But otherwise, it’s one of the best 2D shoot ‘em up games I’ve played, even since I looked at it for the first time to now. No, I’m not sentimental, Contra3 really is a game that time can’t defeat...

Overall score: 9.2/10.

TOTAL SCORE: 9/10

Audio(music) 8.8/10
Control 9.7/10
Challenge 7.7/10
Storyline 8.1/10
Graphic 8.4/10
Gameplay 8.4/10
Replay 8.3/10
Overall 9.2/10.
Total 9/10

One line synopsis(describing the game)”Konami, please look back to this game when you create new ones!”

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/19/01, Updated 03/19/01