Contra Force (NES) - Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN)

Quick Overview

Contra Force for the NES is ultimately deemed a disappointing and poorly designed game due to its confusing level structure, frustrating mechanics like the short-lived power-ups and impractical grenade arcs, and the fact that the game engine often fails to keep up with the action, leading to cheap deaths.

Key Points: Contra Force features a character selection screen introducing four characters: Burns, Smith, Iron, and Beans, each with different weapon loadouts, which is new compared to previous Contra installments. The game introduces unique mechanics like the ability to switch between characters using the 'Command Select' menu, but this feature is often impractical because the AI-controlled buddies are ineffective, and the active character can be instantly killed by environmental hazards. Specific environmental hazards are noted as intentionally difficult, such as the fan section where the player is launched horizontally into spikes if they do not time jumps perfectly, and the moving platforms that explode if a player stays on them too long. The game suffers from significant technical issues, including screen flicker and slowdown, making it feel like it struggles to keep up with the on-screen action. The narrator criticizes the design choice to have power-ups (like weapons) reset to the base level upon death, forcing players to re-collect them constantly. The game's final stages feature frustrating level design, such as an elevator sequence that leaves the player exposed to enemies above and a top-down stage where the player can be instantly killed by environmental hazards. The narrator concludes that the game is a 'sick joke' and a 'disappointment' compared to the original Contra, suggesting Konami should have spent more time refining the mechanics before release.

Context: The video provides a critical review of the NES game "Contra Force" (1992), comparing it unfavorably to its predecessors, particularly the original Contra and Super C, which featured more straightforward and polished run-and-gun action. The reviewer expresses frustration with the game's mechanics, level design choices, and technical performance, using clips from Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES) and other games to illustrate points of comparison.