Contra III: The Alien Wars (Nintendo Wii Virtual Console) Review

No one will accuse Konami of missing out on the retro gaming trend. Over the years, they have released some of their most classic titles through either compilations or through Xbox Live. One of the most eagerly anticipated releases for Xbox Live last year was the original Contra. Players were looking forward to blasting aliens with futuristic weaponry along with a friend in one of the premier co-op titles of the 8-bit era. But with the Xbox Live release widely looked upon as a disappointment, players began to look to the Wii's Virtual Console to satisfy their urge for the Contra series. What they got was a pleasant surprise.

Rather than release the original Contra, Nintendo and Konami have decided to bring the heralded Contra III: The Alien Wars, originally released on the Super NES, to the Virtual Console. Not only is this game considered among the best launch titles of the 16-bit system, but it is still considered the best game of the Contra series. It's also the first to be made exclusively for console play, as the original Contra and its later sequel, Super C, were both arcade ports. If that's not enough, it's also one of the first to fully demonstrate the Mode 7 graphics engine for some dynamic effects.

The game plays similarly to the original. The first stage sees one or two players on a 2D side-scrolling level full of aliens and zombie dogs. While armed with mere shotguns, players later pick up trademark Contra artillery like the Spread shot, Lasers, and Homing Missiles. Unlike previous chapters, this time players could dual-wield weapons, making for interesting and destructive combinations.

Two levels stand out, however. They take place from an overhead perspective and gamers guide their soldier through eight different directions attempting to solve the level's puzzle that would lead to the boss. Co-op play here takes a delightful turn, as two players can split up and go their separate ways and keep track of each other through split screens, a la Toe Jam & Earl. Players could either attempt to unify their power, or attempt to go separately in an attempt to finish the stage quicker.