A new Contra game has arrived, and believe it or not, it’s not just another run-of-the-mill installment or one based on a well-known franchise, seeking to please only a certain number of players or exploit the name of this series for no reason.
Behind Contra: Operation Galuga is the WayForward team , none other than the studio that has been in charge of the Shantae saga for some time and that at the time offered us the wonderful Contra 4 for Nintendo DS at the end of 2000.
Contra remains at the top with its difficulty
It’s true, this new installment offers a fairly demanding level of difficulty; however, its developers have taken a very sensible approach and have opted to offer us some interesting options to enjoy the game. You can read our review at this link . Therefore, we can mention the following:
Spoilers start from this point on!
Characters
Initially, we have Bill and Lance, two heroes from the original game. Depending on the chosen mode, we’ll discover that there are others that will be unlocked. However, some will need to be purchased in the store with the credits we earn.
Veteran players
We’ll start with the toughest ones, those players who are like Bruce Willis in Die Hard. We can set the game’s difficulty to the maximum (hard), but that’s not all; we can also select the classic style. You might be wondering, “What is the classic style?” It’s the one where you lose a life when you get shot.
Add to that the difficulty, and you get something of apocalyptic proportions, only for the most demanding fans. Believe us, at this level, things will be far from simple, and what could have been a walk in the park will become a fight for survival, exterminating everything that moves on the screen with surgical precision.
Rookie players
If you find yourself in this place, you’ll realize that you can simply lower the difficulty to the easiest setting and thus exterminate the enemies and have a slightly better chance of surviving.
Furthermore, instead of the classic mode option, you can choose to have a health bar. This means that each life will have a bar, preventing you from dying instantly. Keep in mind that some characters have a larger health bar than others. Ultimately, this will prevent you from dying immediately and allow you to enjoy the game more.
Mixed players
This category includes fans of the game who want to personalize their experience, perhaps by setting the difficulty to hard but with a health bar, or those who prefer an easier difficulty without a health bar. Either way, you can adjust the settings to find the perfect combination for your needs. Ultimately, you’re the one who will enjoy the game the most.
Ways to have a great time
Contra: Operation Galuga allows us to choose several modes, with story mode and arcade mode being the only ones in which we can use the difficulty settings mentioned earlier, leaving arcade mode exempt from these options.
Story Mode: You’ll start with a save file, watching an introduction and learning details about what’s happening in the Galuga archipelago, which triggers the subsequent events in which you must participate. Fortunately, you can play one or two players at a time, traversing a series of points on the map to complete your objective.
In this section, a maximum of two people can play, regardless of skill level. Levels can even be replayed to improve scores or times. However, the difficulty cannot be changed once the game has started. As you progress, new characters and their unique abilities will be unlocked. This can be considered the main mode and the one that provides the game’s backstory.
Arcade Mode: As the name suggests, this mode offers a direct and fast-paced experience, reminiscent of the original Contra. The difference is that you’ll have access to several playable characters, with more becoming available as you unlock them in story mode or purchase them in the shop. This allows for a wide variety of gameplay experiences.
One of the best things about this mode is that up to four people can play, which is both wonderful and chaotic. A little help never hurts, and playing with friends is always a great incentive to keep going. Here, you can’t choose the levels; instead, you progress through each stage, unlike in the story mode.
Challenge mode: This mode is like a pebble in your shoe that you won’t be able to get past easily. This time, you’ll find a large number of levels, but to beat them you must meet the conditions of each one, and they won’t be easy.
This mode is definitely for players who crave a good challenge . You can’t change the difficulty or adjust the upgrades here. You simply have to complete the level using the indicated method, and that will keep you busy until you perfect your moves.
Weapons and upgrades
Weapons are part of our offensive strategy, and in Contra we’ll have a good variety of them, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. So, depending on the situation, it will be wise to use a particular weapon. Below you can identify them with the letter:
The Machine Gun, identified by the letter M , is the most basic weapon and the first one you have when you start. It fires a burst in the direction you point it. It’s ideal for eliminating enemies in lines.
Spread Gun with the letter S : It’s like a shotgun, from which several bullets are fired in different directions. Very useful for covering various angles of your character’s front.
Laser Gun with the letter L : It is quite powerful and allows you to hit more enemies, although it may seem a bit slow.
The Flame Thrower, which starts with the letter F, is a short-range flamethrower that can take out a large number of enemies at once. It can be aimed in any direction and is very effective.
The Homing Gun, identified by the letter H , is a homing rocket launcher, very powerful and damaging. It is one of the ideal weapons against bosses.
Furthermore, if you own any of them, obtaining another one will automatically improve and increase its offensive capabilities, making it more powerful and effective.
The store
There’s also a set of upgrades that we can purchase with in-game credits. This allows us to equip our character with up to two of them to help us during gameplay. For example, they allow us to keep our acquired weapons when we die, or even upgrade a weapon to its maximum level when we obtain it.
We obtain credits by playing in the modes, the most profitable and at the same time the most difficult being Challenge mode, which will help us obtain the necessary money to acquire the precious items that will be very useful.
A whole range of options provides variety for the player. The Contra: Operation Galuga experience is fun, short, and retains its essence. Finally, we can tell you that the Konami Code makes a special cameo appearance .
