In Contra for the Nintendo, it's up to two shirtless commandos to stop an evil alien army from destroying the Earth. This army, led by the Red Falcon, will stop at nothing to subjugate the entire planet. While Contra for the NES is a version of the arcade game of the same name, it has almost twice as much content. The NES version features more levels, enemies, and bosses than the arcade iteration. With these changes in place, many fans consider the Konami NES version of Contra to be the definitive experience.The gameplay in Contra is similar to other action titles released in 1988. One button is for jumping, and the other is for shooting. Levels are a mix of both platforming and frantic action. You'll typically find yourself jumping from platform to platform while under fire from alien troops. Luckily, you've got the firepower to blow up anything in your path. You can upgrade your standard machine gun into a flamethrower, a scatter gun, or a laser. Each of these weapons has an array of strengths and weaknesses. You'll need to utilize all of your weapons to their fullest against the massive boss creatures. These fights often take up the entire screen. The foes you'll fight range from giant bases to an evil alien heart.Contra is known for being one of the most challenging games on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Come into contact with one enemy or bullet, and it's game over for you. However, if the going is too tough, there is the famous Konami Code. Put this cheat in before the start of the game, and you'll have 30 lives at your disposal. If you still need help, the game supports up to two players. One player takes control of Bill Rizer while the other takes control of Lance Bean. Both characters play the same; the only difference between the two is the color of their pants. This classic, retro video game constantly keeps the action fresh with its variety of stages. These stages take you all over the world to different environments. In some stages, like the first one, you'll move from left to right shooting everything in your path. Stage 2 is an over-the-shoulder sequence that sees you assaulting an enemy base. Stage 3 is a vertical climb up a waterfall. Later stages focus more on avoiding traps than killing the alien enemies. It's this variety that makes Contra for the NES a blast to play and replay.Despite how hectic the action gets on screen, Contra for the NES never has instances of slowdown or lag. For the time, the graphics were some of the best that this Nintendo system could produce. Likewise, the music on this Nintendo game is fantastic. You'll play Contra for the NES just to hear these original tunes again.Contra for the NES frequently finds itself on top 10 lists of NES games. It's easy to see why as Contra combines challenging gameplay with fantastic graphics and music.