One of Konami’s earliest action hits in arcades was Contra, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Released originally as a coin-operated arcade game in February 1987, the run-and-gun action title has since been ported to a number of home systems and seen a variety of sequels as well.
The first game took place in the future of 2633, where two commandos, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, are sent to destroy the Red Falcon organization and uncover the truth behind it. Further Contra titles expanded on the story, which featured alien forces looking to invade Earth. The original Contra proved to be popular due to its ability to support cooperative two-player gameplay, which at the time was uncommon.
Contra was also notorious for its high difficulty – something that was avoided if the player entered the famous “Konami Code.” Though the code itself (up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A) was introduced in Gradius, it was Contra that popularized it. The code gave the player 30 lives at the start of the game instead of the standard three.
The success of the first game has continued, and the Contra series at large now contains more than a dozen entries. While it may not be as much of a marquee name as it was 30 years ago, Contra’s legacy certainly continues to this day.