Contra, released in 1988 for the NES by Konami, is an absolute icon of 8-bit action. You and a friend (if you're lucky enough to have one on the couch) play as elite commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, battling your way through an alien invasion with nothing but guts, guns, and perfectly timed jumps. What makes Contra legendary: 🔫 Run-and-gun chaos with nonstop enemies and platforming 👾 Aliens, robots, and jungle warfare—a true 80s action movie in pixel form 🧨 Power-ups like Spread Gun, Laser, and Fireball—but lose 'em when you die 💀 One-hit deaths, no armor, no forgiveness 🧠 Memorable level variety—side-scrollers, vertical climbs, and behind-the-back base stages 🎮 The Konami Code: ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A Start — for 30 lives, aka a fighting chance 👥 2-player co-op—awesome and chaotic, especially when one player speedruns and the other panics Contra NES still holds up today as one of the most satisfying, fast-paced action games ever made. The challenge is real, the adrenaline is nonstop, and the victory screen? Pure dopamine. This video includes the iconic title screen loop and authentic gameplay from the original NES release.