One of the greatest 16-bit run-and-gun experiences ever conceived--an experience that's over too soon.
Bill Rizer and Lance Bean (or Jimbo and Sully in the U.S. canon) are back to face the Red Falcon yet again--only this time, they've pretty much blown up Neo City in the wake of their return to Earth. You'll 'attack aggressively' through six stages--four of them traditional Contra sideviews, and two being overhead stages that make liberal use of Mode 7. As a matter of fact, Mode 7 is used in ways you never thought possible--one great example of this is the large plane in the first stage. Speaking of large, the bosses of Contra III are amongst the largest and most wildly imaginative behemoths I've ever seen in a 16-bit game. Given the hardware specs of the SNES, it's difficult not to be impressed. From the large turtle in the first stage to the incredible robot giant of stage three, boss battles are far from boring and will not disappoint.
What WILL disappoint, however, is the game's rather short length. As much fun as you'll have blasting aliens into toothpaste and hanging on to dear life on missile volleys, the experience is over way too soon with only six levels to show for it. Mind you, they're all exciting levels, but I had hoped the developers would have extended the experience further. Still, you can adjust the difficulty for a more harrowing challenge, and surviving the hardest difficulty will not only give you the true ending to the game, but also a nasty surprise that I won't give away here.
Throw in a kickin' soundtrack and little-to-no slowdown, and you've got the recipe for an action game for the ages. Wii owners will definately want to give this game a shot. Contra fans don't need my recommendation, but for everybody else, this is a game you should play. It may be short, but the time spent playing is worth it.