Arcade Longplay [209] Contra 

Seeing the original arcade version makes me realize how good of a job they did porting this over to the NES. Despite the obvious graphical differences, the look/feel is spot on.

This is probably the only instance where I've found the home NES version decidedly better than the arcade.

That jump is just ugly XD

Imagine being a kid in the late 80's and opening this on christmas day, after seeing in the arcades and getting to play it at home on your NES. Fucking awesome memories.

The most badass start to any game, period. You start, and ONE second later you are being bombarded with action!

After playing the NES version for so long, watching this looks like 'Contra: The Motion Picture'.

Geez. The NES version is like an HD port, 30 years ago, despite having less fidelity. 8 bits less, but a million times more appealing to the eye (and ear), so to speak ;).

huh...atleast this explains why level 7 never had an original theme in the NES version

I remember first playing this as a kid at a pizza joint. They also rented out movies on VHS, we rented Robocop and Predator. Then we walked home with full bellies, Pepsi, Doritos and these two new rentals. And what was waiting for us when we got home? A brand new Commodore 64. Best week-end ever.

haha love how the snowfield/energy zone/hanger/alien lair all got compressed into one stage

I remember playing this in the arcade in the 80s. Thanks for the memories.

the best part is their little portraits in the credits. I only ever ran across this machine once and was so unimpressed, I saved my tokens for better games.

I like how at 1:51 he starts shooting in synch with the music.

It's strange how although the arcade version obviously has more detailed graphics, the NES version to me at least feels more magical and epic... The NES version was like lightning in a bottle, a masterpiece... and I did play the arcade version even as a kid, and I felt that way even then... This is definitely still cool... But the NES version just has that something that makes it better to me... Even the mix of the music and sound effects work better to me in the NES version... in the arcade the music and sound effects are mixed terribly... the sound effects are too loud and the music barely comes through, where as in the NES version the mix is perfect... This just makes me appreciate the NES Contra even more :D

This is one Arcade game that was not distinctly better than the console version. The Jump dynamics were all wrong, the color pallet was off, the music wasn't as cool sounding. The minor improvements in graphics does not make up for its shortcomings.

I never knew their was an arcade version.... Damn!!!

That's neat. Never saw the arcade version. I do like that quirky, Genesis-y style of tune; I might like the 1st board music better than the NES version. In general, I think the music in NES Contra and Super C were a bit too fast. It's cool to hear them slowed down and even a little more head-bobbing. I also like the more realistic art style, but overall, the NES port is just a better game, which is *amazing* for back then. We were all dying for arcade graphics at home, so it's surprising that an NES port actually upstages an arcade original.

Fact: the reason why the arcade version of Contra is three stages long is because, for example, when someone calls out your name for the pizza...

I hear they did hundreds of hours of motion capture in order to accurately reflect human movement in the game.

I never thought to see the day I would see Contra arcade version like this.

back when this game out, it was one arcade that was so easy, it wasnt a matter of if you were able to finish it on 1 quarter; it was a matter of if you were able to finish it with your first man. Still lots of fun and a true classic

This is like a sega genesis port with the tinny music and improved but not better graphics. What a great job they did turning this into a NES icon.

Always loved the music to the first level in this game since I was a kid.

The fact my 3 year old nephew plays games like moon cresta is evidence there will be people in 100 years who will desire to play the arcade classics. These old games will end up in museums as priceless artifacts regardless if the game works or not. People are making a huge mistake selling old games at garage sales for practically nothing

Good times...... good times!! I miss these days!!

I just found out there was an arcade version of Contra thanks to the PS5 Collection. I played this one on Family/NES for what seemed to be hundreds of hours back in the 90's and I never tought it was an arcade port. It was in every 99 in 1 cartridge that ever existed.

This is the definition of an 80s arcade.

God... The spread shot is so OP...

I never knew that contra was first an arcade game.

I like the nes version better

I forgot I had seen this in the arcade, but the antenna thing at the very beginning of level one made me remember not seeing it in the NES version and being disappointed at that one minor detail lol

Pretty interesting. I pretty much like all versions of Contra throughout the years

And people complain about Contra Force having slow downs. This game moves just as slow and on better hardware. I can't believe the NES is actually faster despite being graphically inferior.

I love how you shoot to the rhythm of the music man!! Well done you are an artist!

1:51 Following the rhythm with the shots, how cute :D

Love all this Aliens stuff like the pulse rifle

I Always Thought the Arcade version of this game seemed rushed...May have had more time to develop the NES version

wow I never knew how cool the arcade version was

I have Contra anniversary and recently started Contra 1987 I Only have 2 minutes left of the game and it's been absolute nails so far. Progress: STAGE 5/8 on normal I'm at 7:00 now 9:50 is ending 😆🤣😂

First level music rocks!!!

I didn't know this NES game has an arcade version! Wow!

I was today years old when I discovered that contra was originally an arcade game.

Now I fully understand why the original game had strange pacing with the different perspective levels. In this case they were technically half the levels, but dividing up the last level like this shoves those other levels in a weird place.

the 8 bit version it seems to be much more difficult and the graphics are better in arcade of course

Both amazing versions personally, sometimes like to play nes version. Sometimes like arcade.

😢 This series is the one that would fascinate me for Android in Playstore a little updated in HD

The NES / Famicom Contra was my very 1st game ..never knew this arcade before.... the jump animation is weird here... but the graphics looks great...

The NES version actually has nicer sound, IMO. Not technically better, but better to listen to.

I like how eerie the music is in the boss stage (fm sound is better than nes)

An inspired first draft to the NES classic.

In the NES version, we have the Konami code, longer levels, cutscenes (at least in Japan,) and level 5 is split up into four different levels. In the Arcade, we have better graphics, the jump is different, the base levels work a bit differently, and the ending is slightly worse. I like the NES version better.

I remember Contra vividly...February 20, 1987-the proper US date it came out.

Con este juego tenemos un claro ejempo de que el estilo artistico siempre será mas importante que el apartado grafico, la versión original para Arcade de Contra es mejor gráficamente que la de NES pero la versión de NES envejecio mejor y se ve 100 veces mas lindo porque aún con menor potencia grafica explotaron mejor el estilo artistico del juego para que sea linda a la vista sin necesidad de tener graficos exelentes

So how exactly did they get away with using the Xenomorphs, facehuggers, and the pulse rifle?

The first boss took me many retries on the anniversary collection....WITH QUICK SAVES!! ON NORMAL DIFFICULTY WITH 0 LIVES I had well over 40 minutes worth of attempts

Bill Rizer And Lance Bean Vs. The Red Falcon Organization! The Video Game That Started It All! CONTRA! The Arcade Hit From Konami!

Sorry, but that arcade intro sounds like a legendary super "fart". xD

I can't help but wonder, will people be playing this in the year 2633? I certainly hope they do. That would be awesome.

this was the first arcade game I played, I was 6 then

Low-quality FM synth hardware is one of the worst crimes humanity has ever committed against itself.

We all knew back then that the arcade versions were the best version….couldn’t believe how good they were compared to our nes version

LoL, that jump xD nice

Excelente version arcade

The awkward way the guy flips kills me.

Finally another game that matters.

Until today, I was ignorant that it was originally a arcade cabinet game.

I never knew that there was arcade version of Contra

In the vertical maps he turns sideways and then does his awkward flip. I guess you don't need perfect technique when you have a 12 foot vertical leap.

Coincidentally the longplay got interrupted by an ad for the new Contra game.

Wow, an interesting precursor to the NES version. I bet this could be put on SNES.

I always forget how arcade contra had a vertical screen. The world's first mobile game lol.

Contra + Spread Gun = Good times for all

So, I noticed this on the second stage, the enemies tend to shoot to the right corner of the screen. And, I was seeing it here as well. I thought I found a bad rom.

L,L,R,R,U,D,U,D,B,A,Start-NES version only!

I love Contra ❤❤❤❤

i still prefer the nes version

Rambo & Commando Alien & Predator

The game looks surprisingly muddy and dull on the arcade. The NES version was a really good port.

This was the expendables before anything made by Hollywood.

0:15 Sylvester Stallone as Lance 😲

It existed deadly bug in arcade version, player never die.

Notice the vertical screen configuration.

What’s a better arcade game contra or devastators? I have a contra cabinet that was converted to devestators… should I switch it back to original?? I Would appreciate everyone’s ideas

Yep... 8 bit NES better than how many bits this Arcade was.

This is way better than the nes version

I dare you to tell me, with a straight face, that this game wasn't influenced by Aliens.....

Wow cool

CONTRA on NES is AMAZING.

La versión de NES es mejor, es más duradera, el personaje es más hábil y me gusta más el sonido.

nice

( joke) Contra had a genesis port?! Honestly tho, cool!

@arcticfox04 Machine gun and spread guns were pretty much the only weapons that were worth of getting anyway.

@MrNorbert1994 dont we all :D. one of the funnest NES games ever

06:43 lol

The arcade version is included in the Contra Collection instead of the NES version.

8:40 This part must've been a big twist back then.

I am from Vietnam. I like contra.

The somersaulting jump animation could use more work there, I'd aay

HAPPY 31ST ANNIVERSARY

I had no idea this even existed! ...I’ll stick with the NES one.