The Contra franchise might be far more expansive than many people remember. The classic Contra is well-known for being a hard-as-nails side-scroller that almost required the now-famous Konami Code to complete. Since the game's 1987 arcade release and later popularity in the early 90s, a series of sequels have kept the franchise alive despite having less-than-stellar reviews.

All it takes is one look at cumulative review scores from Metacritic and Internet Games Database to see that Contra has had games of varying quality over its 30+ year run. The series has been released on everything from home consoles to handhelds, with Contra Returns, the upcoming reboot of the original game, even releasing on mobile. While some more obscure and older entries, like Operation C, Contra Force or C: The Contra Adventure, don't have scores, you can see the Contra series' unstable levels of quality over the years by looking at what critics think of every single Contra game.

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Contra: Rogue Corps (44.5)

A panda rides a missile in Contra Rogue Corps gameplay

The most recent Contra title is surprisingly also the worst received of the series. Released in 2019, Contra: Rogue Corps was released across multiple consoles, though it certainly didn't seem to impress fans or critics. Rogue Corps keeps the franchise's side-scrolling shoot-em-up gameplay alive by getting some of the original members from the original games on-board, such as Nobuya Nakazato.

Unfortunately, it appears that Rogue Corps suffers from a lack of direction and polish in the eyes of critics. Spelling mistakes, bugs, ugly graphics and the lack of background music make Rogue Corps feel like an early-access title rather than a fully released Konami game. That being said, critics do praise how crazy the game's story can get, with some even finding the gameplay to be enjoyable enough to come back to.

Contra (Xbox Live Arcade version) (56.5)

The opening stage of Contra (1987)

The original 1987 Contra doesn't actually have any reviews, though the Xbox Live Arcade rerelease did garner some less-than-favorable thoughts from critics. Reviews of a rerelease can often be somewhat skewed in favor of the original, as it's hard not to compare. As for the Xbox Live Arcade version of Contra, critics note the game's classic status and are quick to recognize that this rerelease is absolutely the original Contra. In other words, those who loved Contra will love this version.

However, that also means that this version has seen very few technical upgrades or quality-of-life overhauls. This means that nowadays, Contra hasn't exactly aged gracefully in the eyes of critics, especially when it comes to how it impacted video game difficulty and how unforgiving it can be. Contra is one of those games that was incredibly influential when it was first released but has since aged like milk, at least according to critics.

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Contra: Shattered Soldier (59)

The player clearing a stage in Contra: Shattered Soldier

The PlayStation 2 exclusive Contra: Shattered Soldier is possibly one of the more divisive titles. Reviews of the game differ depending on who you ask. Critics have a negative opinion on the 2002 game, while fans have fond, nostalgic memories of this update to the classic Contra gameplay. Much like with the original game, Shattered Soldier appears to also be a game that's great for people who enjoy Contra.

Critics note Shattered Soldier's difficulty and unfair level design as being pretty much what they expect from a Contra game. That being said, it seems as though critics were getting pretty bored of the regular formula for Contra games that the series had been following up until this point. Shattered Soldier suffers from a lack of innovation and change to the series, though critics enjoy the co-op mode.

Super Contra (Xbox Live Arcade version) (59.5)

The player faces off with a turret in Super Contra

Released in 1988, Super Contra is the direct sequel to the classic Contra. Much like the original Contra, the only reviews that Metacritic and IGD have cataloged are ones for the game's ports onto newer systems, such as the Nintendo 3DS or the Xbox Live Arcade. Reviews for the Xbox Live Arcade version of Super Contra are a fair bit more favorable than with the original Contra's port.

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For one, critics note how the Xbox Live version of Super Contra is a near-perfect emulation of the original arcade game. Critics also love that Super Contra provides a serious challenge that's a bit more manageable than the first game. Given this game's nature as an arcade port, the game maintains the arcade's taller aspect ratio that lends itself perfectly to Super Contra's unique top-down shooting levels. However, these segments can be a bit sluggish.

Neo Contra (71.5)

The player clears a level in Neo Contra

Another PlayStation 2 exclusive, Neo Contra is the first game to show up on this list that does something new with the Contra formula. Neo Contra is a 3D shooter that axes the franchise's side-scrolling element for a much for freeing top-down camera. Impressive graphics, gruesome enemy deaths and amazing gameplay are heavily praised by critics, especially because Neo Contra manages to keep the classic Contra difficulty intact.

While the previous PS2 title Shatter Soldier was seen as being too much of the same, 2004's Neo Contra is praised for breathing new life into the series. That being said, it's hard not to recognize how much of a turn this game is away from what many would expect from the series. While fans who want more Contra are more likely to enjoy Shatter Soldier, Neo Contra is the game for those who wanted something new from their Contra experience.

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Hard Corps: Uprising (75.5)

While many will know Arc System Works for their impressive lineup of classic fighting games, Hard Corps: Uprising was their attempt to pay homage to the Contra series. It's also by far one of the better side-scrolling shooters out there, according to critics. A universal point of praise comes from the impressive art style and graphics, though those familiar with Arc System Works may have already expected that.

Uprising is technically part of the Contra series, serving as a spin-off of Contra: Hard Corps. While Uprising doesn't have any reviews on Metacritic or the Internet Games Database, it appears as though fans see the title as a huge improvement over Contra: Hard Corps. The difficulty did see some criticism, though many critics recognized that any game remotely related to Contra would be challenging.

Contra ReBirth (78)

The player squares off with a boss in Contra ReBirth

Released in 2009 for the Wii, Contra ReBirth was generally seen as being a nostalgic upgrade to the iconic Contra series, something that many critics had expected the early PS2 games to be. Contra ReBirth saw significant praise for its graphical style being an amazingly detailed upgrade of the original Contra's. ReBirth is a fitting part of this game's title, as it seems to have been seen as a new beginning for the series.

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That being said, reviews didn't have much to say on the gameplay other than that it's what they had come to expect from Contra. ReBirth is a difficult and action-packed game that critics thought would praise Contra fans, new and old. It was even nominated for Game of the Year by Nintendo Power. The main criticism against the game came with its length, as the WiiWare title was only five levels long.

Contra 4 (79)

The player hangs on for dear life in Contra 4

While this game may seem like the fourth game in the Contra series, it's actually the 11th game overall. Released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, Contra 4 goes back on some of the spin-offs and side-plots that had been introduced since Contra III: The Alien Wars, serving as a direct sequel to said third game. Contra 4 was designed to be a callback to the NES and SNES Contra titles that celebrated the franchise's 20th anniversary.

Critics certainly agreed that Contra 4 was a celebration of the series, with many calling it a return to a long-gone era of gaming. Everything that made the Contra series iconic was here, including the franchise's typical level of difficulty. Some critics wished that the game did something new for the series, though they still agreed that Contra 4 was the peak of classic Contra gameplay that struck the right difficulty balance between being challenging and being a blast to play.

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