Contra: Evolution It’s Hard to Miss with a Spread Gun: Hardcore Droid
The original Contra is a fantastic game that, while not the pinnacle of its series*, still holds up phenomenally well. It’s easily one of the most influential games of its era, ushering in a proud lineage of side-scrolling platform shooters. More importantly, Contra is legendary for its difficulty, to the point where its 30-live-bonus cheat, the fabled Konami code, is culturally ubiquitous, as it is the only way most players were able to beat the game on NES or in arcades. So when I found out about Konami’s project to remake the original Contra: Evolution, my excitement was tempered by my fear of the cynical hack jobs often found in mobile ports. However, I’m pleased to report that while it doesn’t always hit the mark, Contra:Evolution is overall a surprisingly decent and well-crafted remake of one of the most hardcore games ever made.
