"The ultimate old school DS title of the year"

Contra 4 is pure Contra gaming goodness that I thought I'd never see again. Attempts at bringing Contra into the 21st century hasn't always been successful, and even the better ones have never really brought back all the magic. However, Contra 4 is one that finally does.

The Good
Contra at its finest
Simple but incredibly precise controls , unforgiving old school difficulty, great platforming, gigantic bosses, top notch sprite animations, and a rocking old school soundtrack. Contra 4 delivers these in spades. This is the game Contra fans have been waiting for. The new addition of the two screens and the grappling hook also fit in just fine to the classic formula. There will be times where that small gap hides an enemy, but this issue becomes less and less once you get the hang of the game. The addition of Challenge Mode with its 40 insanely difficult challenges is also an awesome addition with tons of gameplay value.

Great Unlockables
You wouldn't usually consider a Contra game to have much value, but Contra 4 puts that old foe to rest. Contra 4 is bustling with good unlockables and not just concept art. There are lots of characters to unlock, as well as the NES versions of the original Contra and Super C.

Great Level Design
A game like Contra succeeds and fails based on its levels. Fortunately, Contra 4 plays it safe and has excellent level designs, many of which are inspired by its predecessors. If you've played the old Contras, you'll recognize a lot of old friends and will love seeing them with a couple of new tricks up their sleeves.

Punishing Difficulty
Contra 4 brings back that age old itch of old school gaming. Even the best players will be inching their way to the end, but like the best games of its kind the journey and satisfaction of beating a game as difficult as this is worth it.

Multiplayer
Contra 4 offers multi-card 2 player cooperative play. Contra has always been more fun with a friend at your side, and this one is no different.

The Bad
No single-card multiplayer
An understandable omission, but still worth mentioning.

Not for Everyone
Contra 4 is a difficult game that not everyone will appreciate. If you don't have the patience to lose a whole lot before winning, you probably will want to pass on this game. Though Easy mode can probably be beaten by everyone, you won't get to see the last 2 levels of the game and Normal is much more difficult. Hard mode is just insane and Challenge Mode will have you cursing in words... well you get the point.

The Bottom Line
Contra has always been a love-it or hate-it kind of game, and this latest installment is no different. If you are man enough to handle the intensity of old school gaming where game over actually means you start from the very beginning than lock and load for Contra 4.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/01/08

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