Contra 4 announced for DS

[Dazza]

KONAMI ANNOUNCES CONTRA 4 FOR NINTENDO DS

Explosive Action Series Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Unique Dual Screen Presentation, New Gameplay Elements and Cooperative Multiplayer Mayhem

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – June 20, 2007 – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced Contra 4 (working title) for the Nintendo DS™. Marking the 20th anniversary of the quintessential action franchise, the game pushes 2D side-scrolling action in an all-new direction with gunplay that spans two full screens, original gameplay mechanics that grant players deadlier abilities than ever before, and frantic multiplayer functionality.

Contra 4 takes place two years after the events of Contra III: The Alien Wars. After saving earth from invasion by Red Falcon, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean are confronted with a new extraterrestrial menace: the terrifying Black Viper. Joined by hard-boiled mercenaries Mad Dog and Scorpion, the warriors must once again wage war against an entire army of invaders.

Refining the 2D side-scrolling genre the series established 20 years ago, Contra 4 delivers pure action at a fever pitch as players jump, shoot, and dodge oncoming hazards. Utilizing a new dual screen presentation, the action spans both screens of the Nintendo DS, giving players the opportunity to battle across expansive environments in which death can come from any direction. The use of both screens for the game’s core action also allows for massive boss battles as players try to seek and destroy the weak points of sky-high enemies. A first for the series, Contra 4 introduces a grappling hook accessory that lets players grab onto elements of the environment directly above them. Whether using it to avoid oncoming dangers or attack from a strategic vantage point, the grappling hook allows for new combat situations and dramatic set pieces that underscore the game’s adrenaline-soaked pedigree.

Continuing the multiplayer tradition of previous games in the series, Contra 4 lets two players battle together against Black Viper’s army of vile alien forces and reclaim Earth for mankind.

Developed by WayForward Technologies, Contra 4 is planned for release on the Nintendo DS in 2007. For more information on the game and the Contra franchise, please visit: www.konami.com.

source (http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2007/6/20-35)

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It doesn't get much better than this folks!! Bring it on! 8)

[DEMON212]

SWEET!

Hope it's WI-FI.

[link64]

I hope there’s no touch screen nonsense like a certain Castlevania game I know.

[Kevin]

I hope there’s no touch screen nonsense like a certain Castlevania game I know.

Yeah, same here. That'll ruin it for sure. Hopefully there won't be much touch screen touching for Contra 4. The button scheme will do just fine, thank you.

[Mendez]

Wooo! As long as it isn't touch screen, this will rock 8)

[Ridley]

ALLELUIA!!!! :tribal:dancer:

I do not think there are gameplaykilling touch features in the game. This would ruin the (2D)contra-gameplay. And Konami should know that.
They did not continue the needless and handicap touch features from DoS to PoR. This should give us hope.

[Mendez]

I've never understood why a game has to have some sort of touch feature, even if it's just minimal.
There's no point in using the feature for the sake of it, but if they don't magazines like ONM put the percentage down :?
It really does get on my nerves, as a lot of the time I do like to use just buttons (like with Picross DS)

[Acunia]

oh goodie! a new Contra game
... hmm I am a li'l worried about the devolopers tho.... the onley good game that team made imo (and that i can remember) is Sigma star saga

[neuzd]

(like with Picross DS)

Wouldn't TETRIS be a better example?
Picross is perfect with the stylus.
I personally use 2 hands, with my left hand selecting the tool, I don't like to move the stylus to change it.

[Mendez]

(like with Picross DS)

Wouldn't TETRIS be a better example?
Picross is perfect with the stylus.
I personally use 2 hands, with my left hand selecting the tool, I don't like to move the stylus to change it.Nah, I find it much easier to use B for the crosses, much much faster. I also find the zoom feature terrible to use. It might be partly because I've been playing Picross for nearly a decade using the control pad though..
But yeah, Tetris is also a good example. They had a go at making touch screen features for a new mode, (as people always do) and failed miserably.

[Jonno]

One Word:

YES!

[Acunia]

Found this while browsing some forums
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5262/contra4ei4.jpg

[link64]

Just so you know its not been made by Konami but Wayforward Technologies.

[Acunia]

Just so you know its not been made by Konami but Wayforward Technologies.

thats whay i meant with my post earlyer

oh goodie! a new Contra game
... hmm I am a li'l worried about the devolopers tho.... the onley good game that team made imo (and that i can remember) is Sigma star saga

even so, the devolopment is beeing eyed by Konami so you shoulden't worry about it too much

[DEMON212]

I hope there’s no touch screen nonsense like a certain Castlevania game I know.

Touch screen stuff in Vania? It has like 2 things, neither of which are used frequently or are hard in any way.

Especially the boss one. As long as you have enough energy, it does it for you.

Vania DOS is personally the best Vania game yet.

[yoshi175]

I hope there’s no touch screen nonsense like a certain Castlevania game I know.

Touch screen stuff in Vania? It has like 2 things, neither of which are used frequently or are hard in any way.

Especially the boss one. As long as you have enough energy, it does it for you.

Vania DOS is personally the best Vania game yet.
The touch screen in dawn of sorrow was annoying, it was still a great game though

[DEMON212]

If you were good enough at the game, all you literally had to use the TS for, was to wipe over some ice. That's it.

And even if you were bad, all you had to do was remember a simple chain and again wipe over in that direction.

How is that annoying?

On my first completion I had to do every single rune. One my second, third, fourth etc... I was good enough to not need to do so. But My point is, I done all the runes and never once had any problems with it or was once irritated by it.

So what's so irritating?

[yoshi175]

If you were good enough at the game, all you literally had to use the TS for, was to wipe over some ice. That's it.

And even if you were bad, all you had to do was remember a simple chain and again wipe over in that direction.

How is that annoying?

On my first completion I had to do every single rune. One my second, third, fourth etc... I was good enough to not need to do so. But My point is, I done all the runes and never once had any problems with it or was once irritated by it.

So what's so irritating?
By the time you get the stylus out you run out of time and have to keep fighting, and if you keep the stylus out it's extremely uncomfortable, they obviously new the touch screen features sucked because they didn't use them in POR

[DEMON212]

If you were good enough at the game, all you literally had to use the TS for, was to wipe over some ice. That's it.

And even if you were bad, all you had to do was remember a simple chain and again wipe over in that direction.

How is that annoying?

On my first completion I had to do every single rune. One my second, third, fourth etc... I was good enough to not need to do so. But My point is, I done all the runes and never once had any problems with it or was once irritated by it.

So what's so irritating?
By the time you get the stylus out you run out of time and have to keep fighting, and if you keep the stylus out it's extremely uncomfortable, they obviously new the touch screen features sucked because they didn't use them in POR

You wear a leather watch?

Styli nub fits into the holes perfectly. Great for quick access and comfort.

[link64]

If you were good enough at the game, all you literally had to use the TS for, was to wipe over some ice. That's it.

And even if you were bad, all you had to do was remember a simple chain and again wipe over in that direction.

How is that annoying?

On my first completion I had to do every single rune. One my second, third, fourth etc... I was good enough to not need to do so. But My point is, I done all the runes and never once had any problems with it or was once irritated by it.

So what's so irritating?
By the time you get the stylus out you run out of time and have to keep fighting, and if you keep the stylus out it's extremely uncomfortable, they obviously new the touch screen features sucked because they didn't use them in POR

Don’t use the styles use the side of one of your fingers you don’t have to be that accurate.

[Kevin]

I've never understood why a game has to have some sort of touch feature, even if it's just minimal.
There's no point in using the feature for the sake of it, but if they don't magazines like ONM put the percentage down :?
It really does get on my nerves, as a lot of the time I do like to use just buttons (like with Picross DS)

Me neither. That's why I don't own Metroid Prime Hunters anymore. The touch screen controls drove me nuts. They should have a traditional d-pad and buttons control scheme as an optional control scheme with the touch screen control scheme. I would of enjoyed it more that way.

[neuzd]

I've never understood why a game has to have some sort of touch feature, even if it's just minimal.
There's no point in using the feature for the sake of it, but if they don't magazines like ONM put the percentage down :?
It really does get on my nerves, as a lot of the time I do like to use just buttons (like with Picross DS)

Me neither. That's why I don't own Metroid Prime Hunters anymore. The touch screen controls drove me nuts. They should have a traditional d-pad and buttons control scheme as an optional control scheme with the touch screen control scheme. I would of enjoyed it more that way.

Guys....Metroid Prime Hunters HAS non-stylus controls as an option.

[iNma]

I've never understood why a game has to have some sort of touch feature, even if it's just minimal.
There's no point in using the feature for the sake of it, but if they don't magazines like ONM put the percentage down :?
It really does get on my nerves, as a lot of the time I do like to use just buttons (like with Picross DS)

Me neither. That's why I don't own Metroid Prime Hunters anymore. The touch screen controls drove me nuts. They should have a traditional d-pad and buttons control scheme as an optional control scheme with the touch screen control scheme. I would of enjoyed it more that way.

Guys....Metroid Prime Hunters HAS non-stylus controls as an option.

Boom boom

[DEMON212]

I've never understood why a game has to have some sort of touch feature, even if it's just minimal.
There's no point in using the feature for the sake of it, but if they don't magazines like ONM put the percentage down :?
It really does get on my nerves, as a lot of the time I do like to use just buttons (like with Picross DS)

Me neither. That's why I don't own Metroid Prime Hunters anymore. The touch screen controls drove me nuts. They should have a traditional d-pad and buttons control scheme as an optional control scheme with the touch screen control scheme. I would of enjoyed it more that way.

As Neuzd says, it had alt controls. Infact I think it had 5 control set ups. Everyone I know hated the TS control, but I owned them so much in multiplayer that they swapped from the D-PAD to the TS and eventually got used to it. And I still owned them :D

But they played better using the TS.

[Mendez]

Wow, now there's a game I forgot about.

"The game uses both screens of the Nintendo DS. A new grappling hook allows the player to move to the top screen. Besides the grappling hook, the controls are nearly exactly those of Contra III, with the dual weapon system from that game returning. Grabbing two weapon powerups of the same type will upgrade your firepower even further. Powerups can be discarded so that another player can pick them up.
Konami reps confirmed 6 2D levels and 3 3D "base" stages at E3 2007 [2] (http://www.modojo.com/previews/ds/contra_4/20070718/208/). The stages pay frequent homage to Contra, Super C, and Contra III. Three difficulty modes are available: easy, normal, and hard. Easy will be accessible to novices (but will not provide the full ending), wheras normal will be "at least as difficult as the original Contra", and hard will be a huge challenge for hardcore players. Konami confirmed 2-player ad-hoc play during E3. While there is no difference between the four initial playable characters, other gameplay modes will be added for replayability."
Taken from Wiki.

It better still come out in 2007! I'm importing if there's a time difference between Eu and US.

[Spore]

Spore + Contra = Happy happy joy joy

[crops55]

Spore + Contra = Happy happy joy joy

Oh no. More things to make you say pew pew pew....

[Spore]

Pew pew pew.

[Jazzem]

Konami confirmed 2-player ad-hoc play during E3.

Bah, I guess that's a confirmation we won't be getting WiFi :(

[Spore]

Would Wifi even work for Contra? Contra is just one of those skip or lag for half a second and you lose games. I mean seriously, considering the DS wifi is more or less a failure in stability it wouldn't be first on the list of must have wifi titles.

[crops55]

I agree with spore here. If it can't be done in a quality manner I don't want it. Whats the poing of having Wifi if you just have to put up with it the whole time.

[Spore]

Eat epic box art!

http://i20.tinypic.com/15p4ky8.jpg

[Jazzem]

I've been pretty impressed by DS WiFi in general. Sure, you get the laggy games, but that's usually due to poor programming. Still, I can understand the potential lag issues, doesn't XBLA Contra have that problem?

I think I'll still get this anyway, I love 2D run and gunners :)

[jmhanson11]

Wooo! As long as it isn't touch screen, this will rock 8)

ALLELUIA!!!! :tribal:dancer:

I do not think there are gameplaykilling touch features in the game. This would ruin the (2D)contra-gameplay. And Konami should know that.
They did not continue the needless and handicap touch features from DoS to PoR. This should give us hope.

I hope there’s no touch screen nonsense like a certain Castlevania game I know.

What does everybody have against the touch screen? I think it's cool...

[crops55]

Where'd you get that screenshot of the box art from? Indeed, it is some orgasmic eye candy but whats up with the 3 holes on the side? Looks like someone stole it out of the graphic design team's trapper keeper at Konami.

[Spore]

Where'd you get that screenshot of the box art from? Indeed, it is some orgasmic eye candy but whats up with the 3 holes on the side? Looks like someone stole it out of the graphic design team's trapper keeper at Konami.

That's pretty much what happened.

[crops55]

That's pretty much what happened.


It was you who stole it wasn't it?!?!?

I won't tell you can confide in me.

[Jazzem]

Apparently the Probotector robots from the EU versions of the earlier Contras (Which are the ones used on the VC in Europe) are unlockable in this game!

[Spore]

Need I add 4 other characters are unlockable along with the original NES Contra and Super C. Throw in a virtual museum of all the Contra games featuring box art, concepts, artwork, information on everything, and screenshots and much more and you got something. Oh, what a nice package this little cartridge will be.

[crops55]

This game simply rocks. Just started to play today at work and man is tough. Its tough but fun in that awesome Contra way. I'm so glad they didn't nerf the difficulty like so many other classic franchises although I knew that would never happen to a Contra game. Anybody else enjoy getting their face ripped off by this game?

[Spore]

I can beat easy with no sweat. Normal is a suprising leap from easy though. Trying to beat the last 2 levels with that. Then hard, it's hard but has rockin' music. Epic game. Also, nice bump.

[Pegasus]

Yup. It sure is a great game, but hard as ****!

[ZueriHB]

It certainly is a hard game, but its fun, especially in multiplayer. Now that's great.

Sadly you need two carts for that.

[Serge.EXE]

Such a great game. Also awesome that you can unlock Contra and Super C. Adds a whole lot more value to it.

[gardawg62]

I got this game for Christmas. I highly recommend it for people who like the contra series.