Contra: The Alien Wars Game by Factor 5/Konami Reviewed by The Avardancer Size: 1 Megabit Save: Password, 4 characters Released: 1994 Works with: Any version of Game Boy **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: Well, here is a review for Contra: The Alien Wars. The game is actually a port of the SNES version by Factor 5. Konami just allowed Factor 5 to make the game. Kind of like the deal between Konami and Alpaloosa for Contra: Legacy of war on the Play Station game console. Okay, suddenly.. my hopes for the game just sank. Wait a second. Factor 5 makes the awesome Turrican shooter games and they developed all those nice new audio compression tools and software. I wonder what they will do with this game? **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: If you have beaten Super Contra 3: The Alien Wars for the Super Nintendo game console.. you won't find much new. This is basically a straight port. Okay, some differences are evident. The bosses for one are not as strong. But the level lay-out is similar and lots of the SNES action is intact. There are spots where you need to jump and fire. You find yourself in tons of cool battles. The bosses are nice and big. And mostly pattern driven. The enemies are thick and evil. A true infestation with NO slowdown! The game isn't with out some qualms, though. The gameplay can be a bit easy, and the game doesn't seem very long. It's like a lot of Konami games. Short, sweet, and somewhat easy. The swarms of foes make the game VERY cool. Lots of nice, fast-paced shooting. You don't need to think. You need to react. The game actually has a sense of adrenaline. No two player mode though. :( The game's story is simple. Aliens... led by Red Falcon have landed on Earth and destroyed cities, killed people, and eaten well... lots of people. The game is from 1994, remember that when you turn it on. The game's plot, and ending make it look like this game inspired Independence Day. (It probably did.) This is what the movie would be like... had the aliens landed and started to roam the streets in search of people to kill; instead of staying inside their spacecrafts. That movie would have been WAAAAY cooler if Will Smith had gotten "Contra" on those aliens. Welcome to Earth... indeed. The name "Contra" means "Against" in Spanish. That sums up the whole game in a word. It's you against anything that moves. If it moves; shoot it! The game has a side-scrolling view and a top-down "Legend of Zelda" type view. All of this is VERY cool. The weapons in the game just enchance the game. You are given limited continues. Story-wise the game comes before Operation C. Kinda cool huh? The sequel was released before the first game. :) Liked: Everything. Hated: No two-player. :( **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The game looks like the SNES version would in black and white with some detail removed. Okay... it looks better than the first Contra game: "Operation C"; and that is saying a lot. Nice HUGE bosses. No Super Game Boy broder. No Color Game Boy support. A simple; yet effective Super Game Boy color scheme. The close-ups of the soliders are "gritty"; and seem a bit cheesy. (Look! Is that Tom Hanks?) The aliens look AWESOME! The game has NO SLOWDOWN! It doesn't let up for a second! Oh, the weapons look very cool too. The flamethrower is toasty, crispy, good. Liked: The aliens that fill the screen and the lack of slowdown. :) Hated: Umm. No Game Boy Color support and no Super Game Boy border. Simple Super Game Boy colors. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: This is where Factor 5 lays down the smack hard and heavy! The music is long, varied, and excellent! In the Super Game Boy... the sound is enchanced with realistic explosions, and umm.... alien screams. Very cool. The sound rocks hard and heavy! The music is fast-paced, fitting and excellent! The music in the beginning sounds like it could have been from the Mortal Kombat movie. Read this Midway: "Let Factor 5 design the next Game Boy Color Mortal Kombat. They will make it good." Liked: The music! The Super Game Boy enchanced sound! Hated: Umm... nothing actually. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: the game is designed to be fast-paced, slightly easy, and full to bursting with action! And it is. The play control is responsive and you can shoot in any direction. You cling to walls, jump, and dodge stuff. And you can hold down the button for auto-fire. ;) The game is a bit short though; but name one Konami game that isn't pretty short? The game has a suprising amount of variety. It doesn't feel the same all the time at all. Liked: Action that doesn't get boring. You'll want to play through again and again for a higher score. Hated: Umm... short? **************************************************************************** Improve: Give it color and make it louder, with more explosions, more bosses, and just more of this kickin' game play! RIYL: Shooting stuff, action, Contra, lots of fast-paced action. **************************************************************************** Final Words: This game doth kicketh behind! An excellent example of an action game done right. The textbook case of how an exciting game should be made. A definate buy for action/shooter fans alike. I suggest that you pick up a copy for yourself. It's some good stuff. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ***** Graphics: **** Sound/Music: ***** Play Control/Game Design: ***** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 24 out of 25 Final Score: 96% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: The following Passwords get you to very good places. UNLIMITED LIVES! = B32R LEVEL SKIP! = H2F2 Press start to skip levels. These two codes can be used at the same time. :)