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Today's no-greenlight video: Contra movie trailer
This fan-made, Contra trailer for a movie that has only been made in our hearts keeps us watching as closely as in a one-hit-one-death game. The jokes sometimes miss, but the moments with quick editing and game footage look great. It's made by the same guys who brought you the Punch Out movie trailer, so expect similar shenanigans.See the video after the break.
Contra movie coming to alternate-universe theaters in 1988
If you haven't clicked the Play button on the video yet, go ahead and take care of that -- whatever we've written underneath the embedded movie cannot even begin to match its excellence. Team Awesome, the same group that put together the fictitious Punch-Out!! trailer for Nintendo's Short Cuts Showcase contest, created this ultra-macho masterpiece as an homage to Contra. The production parodies not only the original NES game, but 80s action films like Predator, Aliens, Rambo: First Blood, and other indisputable classics. Pretty much, if it was rad and from the 80s, then it's somewhere in this trailer.
'Even on Normal difficulty, Contra 4 is brutal'
Normally, we're too weaksauce for exceptionally difficult games, but we want Contra 4 to be hard. Maybe that's because we want it to last for a long time (ideally the rest of our lives.) According to IGN's Craig Harris, it took over an hour of retrying just to make it all the way through the first level of the game while recording video. And the video is split into two parts, which makes us suspicious that developer assistance did not occur around the midpoint. The video depicts most of the first level, if not all of it-- we can't tell with the split. It really seems to capture the same feeling as the Jungle level of the first Contra, but with the level of red guys running at you ratcheted way up. We can't believe we're really going to get to play this game soon. It'll be sad to stop posting news and previews about it, but on the other hand, we won't care about our jobs anymore.
Contra in LEGOs is formula for greatness
When two beloved things like Contra and the DS collide, it's hard not to feel giddy all over. As the release date for Contra 4 gets closer and closer, we thought there was no way that our lust for this game could grow even stronger. Well, as it turns out, we were dead wrong.Upon viewing an image of this NES classic in LEGO form, we were forced to schedule endless sobbing into our daily routines until Contra 4 is released. Since we'll be able to play the original game on our Contra 4 carts, we wonder if we'll be thinking of LEGOs now as we take advantage of that glorious feature.As an added bonus, skinny coder's flickr gallery has pictures of other NES classics that he made in LEGO form, including Duck Hunt, Castlevania, Metal Gear, Excitebike, and Bionic Commando. We absolutely recommend checking them out. Which "LEGOed" classic is your favorite?
Somebody's top ten NES games
Most "Top Ten NES Games" lists, of which there are two hundred released every second, turn out predictable and entirely skippable, but through the power of creative video editing, ScrewAttack managed to make their tally of favorites something worth the time spent watching it. You don't have to take our word for it! Dun-un, dun!As expected, their list isn't perfect -- if it were, River City Ransom would occupy at least seven of the spots, leaving just enough room for Super Mario Bros. 3, Mega Man 2, and an emergency copy of River City Ransom. But it would be naive to think that any collection of NES games with "Top anything" written in proximity would satisfy everyone, unless, of course, it was a list of Top Gun titles (all two of them). So feel free to comment with your own selection of "Absolutely Best NES Games Ever."
Contra 4 packed with Contra, Super C, robots
When you're buying Contra 4, you're not just buying a game. You're buying a lifestyle. You're saying "Hey, world! My name is [insert your name here] and I really enjoy Contra. I celebrate the entire canon! Why, right here for instance, I have a cart that features features a new game, plus the NES versions of Contra and Super C! Also, there's a "20th Anniversary Virtual Museum" and two digital comics from Contra artist Atsushi Tsijumoto. Oh, and five hidden characters, one of which ... is Probotector." Though the list of goodies is exciting, we can't help but wonder: Exactly how much room is there on a DS cartridge? Have we been getting ripped off all this time? Well, we think the bar has been raised. From now on, we won't even think of buying a DS game unless it includes at least two games. ... Probotector is optional.
Contra 4 packed with extras, shirtless robots
Ever the fan pleasers, Konami has loaded Contra 4 carts with enough bonus features to make you completely forget about that fiasco with the cancelled preorder set. Bask in the invigorating glow of unlockable content done right: Original NES versions of Contra and Super C A 20th Anniversary Virtual Museum (box art, screenshots, and info on every Contra title from all territories) Two digital comics from Contra artist Atsushi Tsijumoto An interview with Contra Producer Nobuya Nakazato Five hidden characters, including a Probotector model We have a long-documented distrust of robots, especially humanoid ones armed to their android teeth, but we're sure that European gamers are rejoicing over the return of their reskinned heroes. Just don't be surprised when they burn down your homes and subjugate the entire human race the first chance they get.[Via NeoGAF]
Contra 4 preorder gift cancelled, life loses meaning
Outside of appearing in GameCrazy's "system," Contra 4's rumored 20th Anniversary reservation bonus never officially existed, but that didn't make it hurt any less when we heard today that publisher Konami nixed that listing from the retailer's catalog, shooting it out of the sky like one of the game's power-up blimps.Considering Contra 4's rapidly approaching November 13th release date and the ballyhoo Konami raised to promote Castlevania's 20th Anniversary pack, it's likely that we'll never see the alleged preorder gift. If you need us, we'll be sobbing in our room for the next five or so hours, staring at the ceiling fan above our bed while we lie there in the dark, an MP3 of Linkin Park's "My December (remix)" playing on repeat.[Via CAG]
Contra 4 boxed, dated, and ready to own your face
Every single step Konami and WayForward take in their march towards Contra 4's November 13 release seems in service to the series' fans, the faithful run-and-gun followers. From its recent Nintendo Power poster to rumors about preorder gifts and bonus retro titles, our excitement, long-thought dead after the Bioware/Sonic debacle, grows stronger with each news item that comes in. NeoGAF forumite The Main Event posted a press sheet revealing Contra 4's packaging artwork yesterday, and we couldn't be more pleased. It has everything we could ever ask for -- extravagant explosions, guns firing at unseen enemies, and a menacing alien watching over the entire scene. All Konami needs to do now is bundle a bottle of baby oil with every purchase so that our shirtless muscles can glisten while we play the game. Flex and shine past the post break for a look at the scanned pages.
Rumor: Contra 4 releasing Nov. 13
A NeoGAF poster has put up the alleged sell sheet for Konami's Contra 4 showing a Nov. 13 release date. From what we've seen, Contra 4 plays like a classic Contra experience, which for fans of the franchise would be a good thing. We've contacted Konami to find out if they can verify the date. Of course, it wouldn't be Contra without two player co-op which the sell sheet says is a feature. Now we just have to wait until Nov. 13 to see if the "Konami code" is in there as well. %Gallery-4766%
Rumored Contra 4 preorder gift: 20th anniversary pack?
We sped through a jungle full of enemies and flipped over exploding bridges to report this gossip to you as soon as we heard about it -- Contra 4 preorders will come bundled with a set of 20th anniversary goodies.We usually try to not let the internet's random scuttlebutt addle our brains with its false promises and outright lies, but if you can remember the Castlevania 20th anniversary pack that accompanied Portrait of Ruin's release, you'll understand why we're finding it so hard to contain ourselves after hearing this rumor. Konami rewarded Castlevania fans who reserved the game and paid a five-dollar premium with a 48-page art book, a 20th anniversary soundtrack CD, a Castlevania stylus and cart case, and a small timeline/poster, all packaged in a black box with a faux-wax seal.So, what're you hoping will be included in this hypothetical preorder bonus? More branded accessories? A CD with Contra tracks remixed by Virt?! A sweaty bandanna?!!! Yeah right, we wish. See also: Nintendo Power poster: Contra 4 porn[Via CAG]
Rumor: Contra 4 fortified with extra vitamin C?
At this point, the only things that could make us want Contra 4 any more are the inclusion of other Contra games and a price tag of $0.00. We won't expect the latter, as Konami seems to have this hangup about receiving money for their work or whatever, but we may be getting some bonus games on our card. A NeoGAFfer reports that the "Coming Soon" binder in his local GameStop has Contra 4 listed as including the first two NES Contra games. The game's listing online doesn't bear this out, so we'll just have to have faith in ... that one guy ... on GAF. As the site's logo reads, Believe.
Super C, Breath of Fire II, Ghouls'n Ghosts now on Wii VC
A trio of sequels lands on Wii Virtual Console today: -Super C (NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): "C" stands for Contra in this sequel to, um, Contra. Don't forget, Konami swtiched up the Code -- it's now: right, left, down, up, A, B (10 extra lives, not 30).-Breath of Fire II (SNES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Arguably the high point in Capcom's JRPG series, this sequel is a respected 16-bit era adventure about an orphan dude and his dog-faced pal. Trust us, it's a decent storyline.-Ghouls'n Ghosts (Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): The sequel to the most irritatingly difficult side-scroller ever (EVAR!). Capcom toned down the difficulty, but not by much... [Via press release]
VC Monday Madness video wrap-up 8/27/07
Wow, what a week for the Wii, eh? First, we're getting Metroid Prime 3 and now we get three stellar Virtual Console games?! Someone killed us and we're typing this from beyond the grave, is that it? Yup, that has to be it: we're dead.We'll say hello to Ghandi for you.
Down down: No Contra 4 at PAX
My PAX expo hall map showed a small Konami booth toward the back of the hall. Just small enough, I thought, for a couple of DS demo stations showing off a certain side-scrolling sequel. I was sure I'd come back a hero, having gotten my hands on Contra 4 for real, and bringing back hyperbolic froth based on real playtime rather than screenshots and video. You can imagine our disappointment when we saw the actual Konami booth, then. That's it above, occupied by Derrick and Garrett from Mega64. ProTip: it's not Contra 4. Okay, I'm exaggerating. That's not the whole Konami booth. There was another DDR machine behind it.
Super C headed to Virtual C
Another less-popular-than-the-original Konami NES sequel is on the way to the Virtual Console. This time, it's Super C, the sequel to the beloved Contra. Super C features Bill Rizer and Lance Bean doing what they do best: picking up weapons that fall out of blimps, and shooting alien after alien in as shirtless a manner as they possibly can. It's not as good as the original, but that's like saying that peanut butter cookies aren't as good as peanut butter cookies with little toffee chips in them: both are completely delightful.With Contra III: The Alien Wars having been out for a while and this on the way, it appears that Konami is working backwards. Please let that be true, Konami. Put Contra on the Virtual Console soon. Don't try to slip Contra Force in there.
Ping Pals as springboard to Contra 4
How do you make us suddenly love WayForward's maligned Ping Pals? By portraying it as leading directly to our probable Game of the Year 2007, Contra 4, and the surprisingly interesting Duck Amuck, that's how. MTV's Stephen Totilo interviewed Matt Bozon of WayForward about the doomed project (which turned out not to be so doomed-- it went on to sell over 90,000 copies despite being totally redundant), discovering that what seemed like an inconsequential chat client was an extremely intensive undertaking. ""We had to prototype the game in the first 24 hours, having never seen the hardware, which is a huge testament to our programmers," Bozon said about the period immediately following their discussions with THQ. Bozon had to abandon his original concept of a DS game-- two gameplay tasks in two screens-- in order to fast-track Ping Pals. "The design doc for that thing was actually a bunch of sticky notes on a dry board, and about every four hours we would redesign the entire game for that entire five-week span because the technology kept shifting. We were working 24 hours a day. There was no point locking the door because there was always somebody in there." Hearing about the hardships involved with the development of that game, we actually feel pretty bad about making fun of Ping Pals all the time. They didn't want to spend so much time making Ping Pals. Nobody wants to make Ping Pals. The good news, of course, is that WayForward got DS development tools and official DS developer status out of the deal. And, with the experience of Ping Pals and a number of no-doubt lucrative licensed games behind them, they've achieved a level of success that allowed Bozon to successfully pitch a minigame collection based on the "Duck Amuck" cartoon to Warner Bros. And their abilities got the notice of Konami, who handed over a very important franchise to the Shantae creators.
Contra 4 controls give us pause (and other buttons)
We've reached the point where every single Contra 4 news piece that comes in has us gripping the arms of our chairs, afraid that we'll fall from the dizzying heights of ecstasy that we've just been sent to. The experience is both exhilarating and terrifying. Even this image of Contra 4's control setup, taken at one of Comic-Con's demo stations last week, gave us cause to throw our office windows open, yelling out our excitement to the pedestrians below. Press B to jump! Press Y to fire! Press L to switch weapons! How great life is!
IGN goes hands-on with Contra 4, cries
Greg Miller of IGN got a little extra facetime with our beloved Contra 4 at Comic-Con ... which was probably not a good idea, because Contra is all about face-beatings. While it seems the controls are smooth and easy to pick up, all other forms of ease end the moment you step into the big blue man pants. This is hostile territory, and everyone wants a slice of your ass. Just thinking about it makes us cry with joy. We do so love a good beating! But did Miller enjoy the game? It seems so, though he spends most of his preview writhing in pain over the punishing brutality of Contra 4. If you ask us, that just means everything is as it should be, and we continue our campaign of impatience as we wait for this one to hit shelves. %Gallery-4738%
A few more seconds of Contra 4
All we need to be happy with our job right now is a short Contra 4 video every day, so that we can watch it and think "YES CONTRA 4 OH DUDE YES," and then share it with you in a similar manner. We've been happy to see more and more Contra 4 videos and impressions posts come up after E3, now that the writers have had time to wake up from their awesomeness-induced comas. GamesRadar's Charlie Barratt is the latest to give us the gift of Contra in motion, with a video that starts with the wall boss we've already seen, but then moves on to a waterfall set piece that's new to us. The animation, the graphics, the levels, and, of course, the music-- it's all perfect. It all looks like a real Contra game. Looks like Contra 4 is going to continue the series' tradition of blistering our planet with its LMDs.
