![]() ![]() The significance of the caption “I JUST” is unclear, but the character on that billboard is Dr. In the second stage, you may notice this billboard in the background: The PAL version is also a special case as it contains a debug menu not seen in the other 2 versions. In addition to this, a “Whoop!” chant is heard, similar to the one in the jungle stage theme of the arcade version of Super Contra, as the text scrolls. The text in the intro (“It’s now time for the legendary Contra to be reborn…”) is red and scrolls leftward, the same as the text in the intro of arcade Super Contra (“The quest for freedom continues…”). This is a rare instance of the PAL version not being released the latest instead, the North American release holds this distinction. The PAL release is a special case, not just for Contra ReBirth, but for the series as a whole. They can get away with things like this in Japan. It was indeed a form of censorship, regardless of losing symbolism to maintain visual consistency, as this is the portrait seen in the Japanese version:Īs is obvious, that is Adolf Hitler. Maybe that’s the problem with Contra Rebirth.In the North American and PAL releases, Chief Salamander’s portrait is the following: Reliance on nostalgia can be a double edged sword, but it’s hardly a bad idea to make something “in the vein of” rather than copy and paste it with a new coat of paint. ![]() Stranger Things took everything that audiences loved about 80’s movies and made a totally new story that wasn’t a remake or reimagining. Ghostbusters relied heavily on an existing audience, updated it with superior effects (which didn’t look all that superior) and an all female cast. It’s unclear if Contra will ever make it back to its initial heights, but I’m reminded of two examples that came out this summer that showed two extremes of handling nostalgia. The unmistakable and incredible “Stage Clear” music, which is as much a staple of Contra as the spread gun. Dodging missiles the size of a school bus. Riding on flaming rocks as you descend into Earth’s atmosphere while blowing up a giant space centipede. Cooperatively beating the game with a friend. Blowing up robots and aliens with unlimited ammunition. So, back to my original point it’s too bad so few played this, because it hits all the right points. Don’t even get me started on the Kingdom Hearts series. The others are “spin-offs” and don’t have the measure of quality or canon that the original ones do so they’re afraid to attach a number to it. Also, Contra 4 is the 11th game in the series, so there’s that too. I’ll try to keep my rants to a minimum, but this topic is a big one and with Contra Rebirth being the 12th iteration in the series, I felt like it had to be mentioned. What, reused, rehashed and recycled too obvious? What’s with naming things with re-(insert cliche here)? Resurrection, Revolution, Rebirth, Reanimated. ![]() Go check out the Angry Video Game Nerd’s rant on “Chronologically Confused about Sequel Titles” and that’s exactly how I feel. Instead of numbering their sequels, the Contra franchise resorted to ambiguous names like “The Contra Adventure” or “Rebirth”. I cannot STAND non number-sequencing games in a series. Was it a result of the audience? How about that terrible name? I suppose #466 is as good a place as any to start my rant about properly naming games in franchises. The Wii’s downloadable shop was hardly a bastion of groundbreaking indie titles the way XBox Live Arcade was. It hardly missteps and doesn’t forget its roots, complete with insane enemies, memorable weapons, head bashing music and a storyline that is not even considering making sense. It was released as a ten dollar downloadable title on the Wii that offers classic side scrolling 2d action, just like Contra, Super Cor Contra 3: Alien Wars. Will it be met by a cynical eye roll, with claims of the developers purely trying to cash in on nostalgia? Or will it be lauded for retaining the spirit of the originals, while updating mechanics to be enjoyed within modern standards?Ĭontra Rebirth lands somewhere in the middle. Especially if a sequel is being produced long after a franchise has any relevance. It’s still a tricky line to walk, however. Fans of a series will rarely lose interest, even its popularity reaches the zenith of having yearly releases. ![]() Since story matters so little compared to movies or television, gameplay refinements and new areas are really all that’s expected for a sequel. Not only is it expected for any successful game to spawn a franchise, it’s generally encouraged. ![]()
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