Contra: Evolution (iOS) Review

Contra: Evolution, released today by Punchbox Studios and Konami, brings the classic action of the original Contra to the iPhone and iPad, but is it truly an evolution of the legendary game?

Apple fans can now experience the saga of Bill and Lance as they battle hordes of aliens in Contra: Evolution, which was released for the iPhone for $0.99 and in HD for the iPad for $2.99 today.  Interestingly, this is not Contra: Evolution’s first time in the App store.  This app was accidentally released in May and immediately pulled from the App store thanks to faulty controls and additional issues.  The bugs have since been worked out, and Contra: Evolution is a strong title worthy of being called a proper Contra remake.

What I love about Contra: Evolution is that, for the most part, the spirit of the original NES title is largely retained and presented in stunning beauty.  I was blown away by the updated version of the classic jungle level.  From the lush green trees in the first level to the flowing water in level three, everything is visually appealing.  Even the end-level bosses were given a makeover and look even more intimidating than their NES counterparts.  Contra: Evolution not only looks great as an updated version of the NES title, it looks amazing for an iPhone game as well.  Though I can only speculate, I would imagine that the HD version of Evolution looks simply gorgeous on the iPad.

The sounds of Contra received an upgrade as well.  Every song from the NES game was remixed and added to Evolution.  The Contra soundtrack is a masterpiece that properly highlights and complements the intensity of the game.  Thus, remixing the soundtrack is a no-brainer, but it is important to mention that it was done well.  Even most of the sound effects from the 1988 title were included in the iOS game, though I couldn’t help but notice that the death sound was altered.  In Evolution, the characters emit a realistic grunt when they die.  Though that in itself isn’t a bad choice for a sound effect, I yearn for the distinctive 8-bit sound in the NES game that signaled the loss of a rest.  Nevertheless, despite my nitpicking, the songs and sound effects are simply amazing and ‘Contra-esque’.

What is new in Evolution?  Punchbox and Konami added additional ammo types to the game including heat-seeking bullets.  There are also a few unlockable characters that you can play as once you’ve wrapped up your adventure playing as Contra veterans Bill and Lance.  In addition, Evolution adds a more sophisticated system of selecting weapons and assisting the player with various powerups that can be accessed anytime.

What are some of my gripes with Evolution?  As I am familiar with the original Contra, I feel that the level of action presented is essentially perfect at providing an intense experience.  In the NES game, you simply have to run, shoot and try to avoid getting killed.  As a veteran gamer, I have grown accustomed to Contra’s simplicity.  The addition of particular features to Evolution makes it a slightly more complex game than its source material.  As I mentioned before, the player can have multiple weapon types readily available from which he or she can select.  There are also mystery items that the player can use at any moment if he or she gets in a tight spot and requires some assistance.  As a result, there is more on the screen in this version of the game than in the original NES title.  These additions caused me to be concerned not only about busyness of the screen, but about a potential decrease in the game’s potential challenge as well.  Thankfully, while these features serve to help the player, Contra’s intensity remains intact.  Additionally, these features, though on-screen, are ultimately optional, and thus do not prevent veteran gamers from experiencing the game in the classic sense if they choose to.  In all, unlocking various weapon upgrades and characters provides replay value to an already amazing game, and thankfully it doesn’t distract me from the classic Contra gameplay that I have come to love.

Also, it is at times difficult to see some parts of the screen because of the on-screen controls.  At times, I had to pull away my left thumb from the screen to check for bullets or enemies in that area.  Ultimately, this is more of a general issue with playing games on the iPhone, so it is a bit unfair of me to criticize Evolution for having this feature although it is worth mentioning.  Thankfully, Apple is releasing gamepad support for its upcoming iOS 7, thus hopefully circumventing this issue.

All in all, this is a solid iOS title for fans of the Contra series who are itching to destroy the vile Red Falcon once again.

Sound Effects in Retro Games

The boss of Area 3 in the NES version (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Turn on your Xbox 360 and pop in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.  Fire your gun.  It sounds as it should, right?  (You’ll notice I didn’t refer to Black Ops 2.  For some strange reason, that ‘state of the art’ game features guns that all sound like they were made by Nerf, but I’ll save my discussion of how ‘awesome’ BO2 is for another day.)  We all know that this wasn’t always the case.  Video games have come a long way in terms of representing realism through updated graphics but also through sounds as well.

Without a doubt, gamemakers of yesteryear attempted to work around the limitations that existed to create a sound that best represented the corresponding action (i.e. a fired weapon).  What intrigues me more, however, are the sounds that represent events that do not usually produce much sound in real life.  Take, for example, Contra.  Unless you are badass enough to complete a no-damage run, you will eventually get killed.  If you are like me, it is that distinct sound that first lets you know that you lost one of your ‘Rests’.  All of you out there who have played it are familiar with the sound.  It’s a hard sound whose pitch decreases rather quickly.  In a sense, it is an audio version of death, but also, it is the game’s epic way of telling you that you mucked up.

Also, pretty much every game I played as a kid taught me that jumping needs a sound effect.  My favorite one of all was Sonic.  A light sound that rises in pitch, it is the auditory version of elevation, and it seems that many games followed this formula.

Finally, let’s talk about 1-ups or extra lives.  Whether you are playing Contra, Super Mario, Sonic or Gradius, you will be greeted with either a soothing or triumphant sound that lets you know you no longer have to worry about being down to your last life.

Maybe these unrealistic sounds aren’t so unrealistic at all.  Rather, they are auditory representations of what is happening on the screen.  Let’s not forget that they are just downright epic.  Who wouldn’t want to go out in a blaze of glory and let the world know with that blaring sound that you, the badass hero, sacrificed yourself attempting to take out the Vile Red Falcon?