"Looking for something easy? Better keep looking."

Contra 4 for the DS is truly an intense experience to say none the less, but if you are a casual gamer who just plays the occasional Tetris then you might want to look again! The Contra series is known for sporting some of the hardest levels known in the gaming industry, and Contra 4 is not any different from what you would expect. There are three game mode settings Easy, Normal, and Hard, but there is something more to this, you may be saying "Well I will just practice on easy that shouldn't be to hard." WRONG easy mode is just as difficult as any other video games most difficult setting, some titles excluded(Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden etc....)

Now lets break the game down a bit:

Game-play: 10/10 OUCH its hard out there but the game is fun and fast paced, you are always kept on the edge of your seat trying to survive the level keeping you coming back for more after you are thrown off the horse. The game offers lots of unlock able content, such as: Challenge mode, New Character, and (Spoilers) The original two contra games making this a full packed game to say the least.

Graphics: 9/10 Well thought out sprite design that is smooth and crisp with little to none graphic clipping.

Level Design: 9/10 Wow, just wow, the levels in Contra 4 are well thought out and help up the challenge of the game, but there is a tiny flaw I thought with it taking advantage of both DS screens making it some times hard to see on coming bullets from the top screen.

Sound: 7/10 Eh, it's okay but the sounds of the weapons kind of took me out of the experience-they could have greatly been improved.

Boss Battles (Yes they deserve their on category): 9/10 Some of the most difficult boss battles I have ever seen in a game! They are fun and challenging at the same time. Once again though the DS dual screens make it some what hard to tell where on coming bullets are coming if one half the boss battle is taking place on the top screen.

Final Words:9/10 This is a must have for all DS owners who are up for a challenge, the level design and difficulty puts this game far above others, so what are you waiting for go get it, GO GET IT NOW!!!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/19/07

Game Release: Contra 4 (US, 11/13/07)