If you asked me what I thought was the best game of the 1980s, it would be hard for me to answer.There were a lot of really important and amazing games from that era, from Genesis IV arrive Run away arrive super mario bros 3.However, if you ask me what is most Games from the 80s were, I’ll answer you right away: Contra.Even before 1987 predator Popular theaters, Contra Hit the arcade with its signature Jungle Commando action. It’s become a cliché though that the “normal” world of the game is quickly replaced by the “normal” world. Horror inspired by HR Giger, Contra was one of the first and best to do it, seeing you infiltrate the body of a giant alien creature in the unforgettable final stretch. Even the title ContraIt’s an odd name for a game ostensibly aimed at children, and there’s a military and political scandals This feels emblematic of this decade.
However, while the images from this series always remind me of the 80s, ContraThe run-and-gun game is timeless. This becomes obvious once you spend a few minutes reading the latest entry in the series, Contra: Operation GalugaAdmirably, it captures the familiar thrill of shooting enemies with a spread gun, as well as the nerve-wracking tension of facing a giant biomechanical monster. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Tomm Hulett, game director at development studio WayForward, about finding the balance between capturing the classic, essence of a game. Contra Feel Also looking for ways to update gameplay for a new era.
He gave me a perfect example of how the team approached this problem, referencing an old tradition of the original game’s vertical waterfall section scrolling so fast that you left your partner behind, causing them to lose their lives.This is still something you can do Operation galuga– It might seem weird if you can’t. “But,” Hewlett said, “it’s worth noting that while we retain these typical Contra At some points we eased the frustration… letting your friends leave will cost you 1 HP instead of a whole life. “
Yes, although the original Contra (and its direct sequel) is the famous one-hit kill game, Operation galuga Giving you the option to play with health, taking a few hits before your character dies. However, this is just an option, so those who want to tackle the new game like they did the earlier classics can definitely do that too. “It speaks to our whole philosophy that it’s completely authentic Contra—We didn’t ‘remove’ things that seemed outdated, but we did make them more modern and fairer,” Hewlett said. Same old thing Contra You know and love it, but now, you can make it more approachable if you want, which is different from making it simple.As we all know, NES games also have their own way of doing this: enter the so-called konami code and play for 30 lives.
Konami participated in the production Operation galuga,besides.As Hulett explains, the company that created the Contra Understand the challenges inherent in producing a new series today, keeping the series defined while remaining accessible to newcomers. “Konami definitely hopes this game will bring new players into the world Contra brand,” he said, “but they also completely agreed with us that this couldn’t be a simple game or it would be disappointing Contra fan. It has to be the most challenging, but also the easiest to achieve, Contra once! The real challenge is threading the needle. “
Part of the way the game accomplishes this is through perks, unlockable advantages like increased mobility, weapon upgrades, and extra lives that you can use to give yourself a bit of an edge. “This system is loosely inspired by radius V, You’ll gain extra lives the longer you play the game,” Hulett explains. “But instead, here, players can choose which advantage is fun or useful to them. “
He hopes these new additions Contra The formula encourages more players to take on the series’ familiar challenges head-on. “Back in 2007, the dominant thinking was that buying a game entitles players to experience its content and ‘challenges’, which was artificial and outdated,” he said. “Since then, a number of high-profile games have been released, and players overall are more open to challenging games where mastering them is a reward in itself. This gives me hope that more players may seek to conquer their first one Contra This time. “
and Operation: Operation Seems like a good entry point for newcomers looking for their first time Contra.In fact, when I see game trailer, I thought it was a remake of the original game. However, as I played through the first few stages, I found that while they had many familiar moments and locations, they also departed from the game in some major ways. Hulett explained,
As far as the story goes, it’s a retelling of the original Contra. So you still have to start in the jungle of Galuga Island. However, we greatly expanded the story and built the world. And then, from a gameplay perspective, it’s a completely new game. Even though the setting is familiar, we didn’t recreate the level layout or boss modes.Let’s approach this like the next title Contra series. Likewise, we continue to develop (classic, 2D) Contra The gameplay everyone knows and loves, instead of rewinding to where it started.
If any studio were to tackle the tricky task of evolving a classic Contra Gameplay-wise, WayForward seems like the best person to do it. In 2007, the studio launched Contra 4 Available for Nintendo DS, the first numbered entry in the series since 1992 Contra III: Alien Wars on the Super Nintendo console. Contra 4 Critically acclaimed by fans, it retains the exciting gameplay of previous games in the series, but is faster-paced and more explosive than ever.
I asked Hulett, even though it’s been more than 15 years now, where is WayForward? Contra 4 Reported on the work on the new game. “There are a lot of people from Contra 4 During their time working at WayForward,” he said, “many of them worked on Operation galuga as well as.For example, in addition to myself and creative director Matt Bozon (who directed C4), the lead level designer is back to complete our first pass of many stages. As far as the company is concerned, I think many would agree that WayForward “leveled up” as it was developed Contra 4, and the game opens up a lot of great opportunities for other publishers and other franchises.if Disadvantages: and is another such milestone. “
There’s always a danger with a new entry in a beloved but long-dormant series that it ends up feeling too reliant on what came before it, and appealing to fan nostalgia in the same way that past “greatest hits” versions of the series have. But there’s nothing about doing this that sets you apart.Clearly, Hulett wants to avoid falling into this trap Operation galuga. “I don’t just redo those moments,” he said, “I want us to reduce them and outline what Contra This point in time has been reached.my hope is Disadvantages: and Embracing the spirit of all these exciting moments, making it the ultimate expression of the first 35+ years Contra. It’s unclear where the show will go next, but returning to the beginning of the story seems like an appropriate time to celebrate why it’s so beloved. “
Contra: Operation Galuga Available now on Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and PC.