Certain series have roots in old-school gaming centers, such as arcades. Arcade games were tough because they were designed to absorb as many shiny quarters as possible. Console games in the late 1980s and early 1990s retained that spirit. If the timing was off on a jump, you would die. Hesitation meant certain death. For a game to be like that in this day and age is a rarity, unless it has the name Contra in its title.
The story behind Contra Rebirth for WiiWare is rather silly. Lance, who’s one of the characters from the original game, is sent back in time to the 1970s to stop a mysterious dictator known as General Salamander. Lance never makes it back or responds in time (does it matter?), so Bill is sent back to stop the silliness and save his old friend. That’s about it when it comes to plot. It is somewhat worth it to see a heavily muscular man dressed as a woman. It consistently makes me smile.
None of this really matters, though, because the gameplay rocks. Well, most of the time. Contra Rebirth plays out like any other Contra game: You run from one side of the screen to the other, shooting down every single malevolent lifeform in existence. There are three different weapon power-ups: shotgun (the awesome, wide-spread attack), laser and homing missile. Each weapon has its own advantages and will be lost upon death. You can hold two different weapons at once. If you get hit, you die.
Yes, Contra Rebirth can be difficult to play. It’s true to the series’ hallmark of being “a man’s game.” This is even truer on Hard and Nightmare modes since they are closer in difficulty to their older siblings. Thankfully, it controls fluidly. If you get hit, miss a jump or are unable to kill a boss effectively, it is your own fault. Period. Contra Rebirth is a game in which you need to memorize enemy placement, shot patterns and the locations of things. Just choose your preferred controller (Wii-mote, classic controller or Game Cube controller) and blast everything away. Personally, I like the Game Cube controller because it feels more comfortable than the classic controller.
Contra Rebirth is the first Contra game I’ve played that teamwork is almost mandatory. I can work my way through Contra III on my own like nobody’s business. In Rebirth, I need a friend to help. It’s a blast to play through with a second person. The only issue I have is a lack of online multiplayer (gasp!). To have the option to play with someone I know, regardless of location, would be a cool bonus.
Contra Rebirth probably would run perfectly online. The reason is simple: The graphics are pure 32-bit. Everything is bright, colorful and nicely detailed. In other words, Contra Rebirth looks like a high-end Super Nintendo game. There’s a spaceship that’s barraged by aliens and eventually falls through the atmosphere. There’s a city level that operates very similarly to the city level from Contra III. Then there’s one of my favorite levels from a Contra game: riding robotic llamas on a highway that eventually has you riding the boss to the showdown. It looks neat and is just plain cool.
Regarding sound, everything is in its proper place. Shots have that nice “boing” effect. Lasers sound futuristic, and heat-seeking missiles sound potent. The music is epic, though not very memorable. It is fun to listen, and it emphasizes the action perfectly. Voice acting is limited to selection sounds and grunts when you die. I would have liked more.
Contra Rebirth is not made for the diehard Contra fan. It is made for people who find the series too daunting. The different difficulty levels are there to help ease people into the series. At least the harder difficulties are present for the hardcore fans. For about 1,000 Wii points ($10), it’s a pretty good deal. There may not be as much stuff present as in the older games, but it is still just as fun to play. This is especially true if you have friends around.
