Retrospective: Handheld & Bootleg 'Contra III – The Alien Wars' Ports

Contra III is wonderful. It’s a game that sets a blistering pace from the moment you press start, never missing a beat in it’s 30 minute runtime. It constantly introduces new ideas to launch you forward, quite literally by the end of the fourth stage. In the first level alone you have destructible cars, a rideable tank, feral dogs and an air raid turning the level into an inferno, none of which are seen again in the game. Each level brings its own mood and locale, but this goes beyond simple palate changes. From the emphasis on climbing in level 3, to the forced scrolling by way of bikes and missiles in level 4, each stage feels fresh and provides a new challenge to contend with. Visually it sets the tone perfectly taking us through futuristic cityscapes at war before arriving at the oppressive Alien core, with more than a handful of geiger-esque monstrosities to deal with on the way. Of course much of this was ripped wholesale from popular sci-fi movies of the era, mainly Alien and Terminator, but when it’s executed this well, does anyone really mind? The soundtrack too has shifted from the relatively straight forward melodic hummable tunes of the NES Contra. Instead we have an ambitious, multilayered, sometimes atonal score which focuses more on setting the mood than whether you can tap your foot to it.

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