Singleplayer.
Co-op Multiplayer.
Contra Operation Galuga’s narrative is hardly what I would call brilliant. Still, it is a wonderful homage to the era in which the original Contra game was released (1980s), everything about Contra’s twin protagonists’ Lance and Bill, is exactly what you would expect from any 1990s action hero, from their state of dress, bubbling muscles, and iconic catchphrases, to their gun-ho attitude, eyewatering arsenals, and lack of demonstrative emotions other than cocky guy laughter and cool guy anger, Lance and Bill feel like the heroes of some of the most iconic (and often cheesy) movies ever made, and for a game like Contra that is perfect.
While players are unlikely to become engrossed by Contra’s narrative or tough guy dialogue, long-time fans of the franchise, or to a lesser extent cheese 1990s action movies, will enjoy watching the buff guys and (pretty girls in 4-player arcade mode) wreak havoc with powerful weapons against a wide variety of powerful (and occasionally not so powerful) foes.
Image credit Contra Operation Galuga - Published by Konami and developed by Wayforward.
While Contra may have been one of the founders of the run-and-gun subgenre, Contra Operation Galuga has undoubtedly perfected the formula. While the developers’ emphasis on traditional (unwavering) difficulty levels and pixel-perfect manoeuvring may not appeal to everyone, as a long-time fan of the franchise, I feel that the developers have captured the essence of Contra and successfully brought it to a new generation of players.
With multiple modes, powerful weapons, interesting characters, buttery smooth cooperative gameplay, powerful bosses, unique enemies, and a wide array of both permanent (perks) and temporary (power-ups) abilities, make Contra Operation Galuga one of the best, if not the very best run and gun game on the market, even if its extreme difficulty limits its audience considerably, and ironically alienate many of its core demographic, many of whom are now in their mid-50s, and may no longer be able to perform the pixel perfect manovers required to complete the game on higher difficulties.
Image credit Contra Operation Galuga - Published by Konami and developed by Wayforward.
Contra Operation Galuga’s progression system is incredibly simple, rewarding, and, most importantly, easy to grasp.
Players earn credits by killing enemies and completing missions. These credits are then used to unlock various perks and modifiers that allow them to tailor Contra Operation Galuga to their liking.
While this system is admittedly very basic, a game like Contra Operation Galuga doesn’t need a complex multiple-faceted upgrade and progression system, and being able to quickly purchase upgrades and get back to playing the game is exactly the experience I want when playing a game like Contra Operation Galuga, in which the fun of playing, is the main reason to play, and any additional perks (such as unlockable rewards) are just icing on the proverbial cake.
Image credit Contra Operation Galuga - Published by Konami and developed by Wayforward.
Contra Operation Galuga is a seriously polished production with gorgeous modern retro visuals, fantastic audio and visual design, crisp, clear, and, most importantly, good voice acting. The developers have even taken strides to modernise female character designs so they fit in with the rest of the characters instead of looking like strippers they picked up along the way.
Overall, Contra Operation Galuga is a near-perfect remake of the original Contra, and while that does have its downsides (punishing difficulty and lack of accessibility), anyone looking for a modernised Contra experience will find that It is exactly what they are looking for.
Image credit Contra Operation Galuga - Published by Konami and developed by Wayforward.
While Contra Operation Galuga is officially listed as a sequel to the original Contra, it is actually a remake or, rather, a reimagining of the same game. It contains many of the same characters, missions, bosses, and even narrative elements, which honestly makes it more of a remake than a sequel, despite the developers’ insistence on calling it one.
Contra Operation Galuga is a punishingly difficult game by design. While the developers have made it slightly more accessible than the original, Konami informed them that It must not “offend” long-time fans of the franchise and must remain a title aimed at highly skilled players.
I can respect that, and I feel there is a place for very hard games (I love such games), but there must also be room for accessibility. What all fully able-bodied gamers, with reflexes undulled by age, seem to forget is that they would still want to play games they love if, for some reason, they found themselves unable to do so.
Allowing players to complete a single-player or cooperative game with easier gameplay or more accessible controls doesn’t diminish their accomplishments.
Preferring that other gamers miss out on playing a certain title just so that you have bragging rights over completing a certain game or reaching a certain milestone is not just pathetic; it’s borderline evil and psychotic. It honestly is a sign of a twisted and selfish personality and is a far greater issue than another player being able to play a game at a slightly easier level than you feel should be allowed.
Image credit Contra Operation Galuga - Published by Konami and developed by Wayforward.
Contra Operation Galuga is a action video game developed by Wayforward and published by Konami, it was released on Contra: Operation Galuga and retails for $35.99.
Contra Operation Galuga is available on the following platforms: Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
The following peripherals are officially supported:
Contra Operation Galuga is rated PEGI 12+ and contains:
Contra Operation Galuga is a fantastic game, and honestly, it is exactly the type of product I love to see when it comes to classic titles from the 1980s and 1990s being remastered, remade, or, in the case of Contra Operation Galuga, reimagined; however, I will also admit that its unforgiving difficulty, and relatively steep learning curve, combined with “outdated” design choices such as limited lives, make it unsuitable for some gamers, including those with slower reflexes or physical disabilities that make lighting fast keypresses, and pixel perfect dodges difficult or impossible.
I would have loved to see Contra Operation Galuga include an optional mode that was more accessible and approachable to new players, even if it offered substantially fewer rewards.
This would have ensured that while there was a reason to play it as the developers originally envisioned, it was still accessible to those who would otherwise have been unable to enjoy it.
Overall, Contra Operation Galuga is an excellent game, but it is not for everyone.
