Will the Real Contra Sequel Please Stand Up?

The advent of a new Contra game isn’t particularly exciting news as Konami has kept the series going with a new title every couple of years. What is exciting is the announcement of Contra… IV for the DS! Ok, it’s a working title but this one is a true sequel to Contra III: The Alien Wars which many still consider the highest heights for the series.

Not only is it Contra IV, it’s all 2D. Real 2D! There’s not a single mention of 3D in the press release. What Konami is focusing on instead is taking the traditional side-scrolling action to a new level, or rather, a new screen. The press release is soaked with prases like “death can come from any direction” in place of gameplay details, but if any game can live up to that kind of promise, it’s Contra.

Aside from dual screen boss battles and two-player co-op there is mention of one new element. A grappling hook puts a Bionic Commando spin on things allowing players to rise to new heights (read: the top screen). It looks like this one will be pretty light on touch screen gameplay, which is probably for the best. All I need is for my sweaty thumb print to obscure incoming missile fire.

The only thing that worries me at this point is the developer. Konami’s outsourced the franchise before with catastrophic results and WayForward’s resume` isn’t so hot. Sure, they’ve been making games since Windows 95 was in vogue but the closest they’ve come to hardcore action along the lines of Contra was 2002’s cult-favorite-but-still-pretty-tame Shantae on Game Boy Color. Contra IV is currently planned for release this year.