If you happen to hear the word “contra” these days, chances are very good it’s being used to refer to this game, not the infamous U.S.-orchestrated contra missions in Iran and Nicaragua. If it seems odd that an NES game is better known than the bloody slaughter of indigenous civilians by American mercenaries, you probably haven’t played the game–you would know better.
Featuring countless foot soldiers, hideously difficult bosses and dozens of unique weapons to decimate them, Contra would have been flawless if it hadn’t been so insanely difficult. Thank God for the legendary Konami cheat code!