Contra

Gear up for an adrenaline-pumping adventure with Contra, now playable online in your browser—no downloads needed! This legendary NES title blends Action, Shooter, and Platform genres, delivering a fast-paced retro gaming experience for fans of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). If you’re a fan of NES Online games, you’ll find plenty more classics to explore on our site!

Contra, also known as Probotector in Europe and Oceania, and occasionally Gryzor, first blasted onto the scene as an arcade game on February 20, 1987, developed and published by Konami. The home version hit the NES in 1988, alongside ports for the MSX2 and other computer formats. Fun fact: In the PAL region, the NES version was rebranded as Probotector, transforming the human heroes into robots while keeping the heart-pounding action intact. The game’s success spawned a series of sequels, cementing its place in gaming history.

In Contra, you control one of two elite military commandos: Bill ‘Mad Dog’ Rizer or Lance ‘Scorpion’ Bean. Their mission? To take down the Red Falcon Organization, a terrorist group (or, in the American version, an alien entity) plotting to conquer Earth. The game’s setting varies between regions: the Japanese version places the action in the year 2633 on the fictional Galuga archipelago near New Zealand, while the American NES manual sets the story in the present on an unnamed South American island.

Armed with a rifle with unlimited ammo, players can jump, move, and fire in eight directions—even while jumping! But beware: a single hit from any enemy, bullet, or hazard means instant death and losing your current weapon. The game spans over 10 areas, mixing side-scrolling action stages with unique ‘3D maze’ stages. In these maze stages, viewed from behind the characters, you’ll navigate enemy base corridors, fighting through defenses to reach the core. Each maze stage is timed and followed by a ‘3D fixed’ stage where you must destroy flashing sensors to expose and obliterate a massive final target.

Contra also shines in its two-player cooperative mode, where teamwork is key. Both players share the same screen, and lagging behind can spell disaster—the screen won’t scroll until both players advance, making coordination crucial. Note: The European release, Gryzor, swaps simultaneous play for a turn-based mode, where players take over after one dies. Grab a buddy, strap in, and prepare for one of the most challenging and iconic games of the NES era!