Every Contra game needs missiles!
Finally a new Contra game for Europeans!
It's been a long time since a new Contra game was released in Europe - Although an awesome game, Contra 4 on DS never made the jump to European stores. What made this even weirder is the fact that it actually included the European Probotector robots as unlockable characters!
Thankfully this latest installment in the series will see European release - And it will be very soon, in fact! Contra Rebirth will be available after tonight's Wii/DSi updates for 1000 Wii Points. If we are to believe impressions of the Japanese version, this one doesn't try anything fancy - It's just pure, straight-up 2D action. And of course it's still as hard as it's always been!
Here's what Konami has to say on the matter:
Konami unleashes Contra Rebirth on WiiWare!
Classic arcade shooter heads to Wii from September 4th
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced it will unleash an all-new version of its classic Contra series on Wii from September 4th.
Entitled Contra Rebirth, the new game retains the all-action mix of platform and shooting elements that has established the series as a genre classic, as is available for just 1000 Nintendo Points.
Series heroes Bill Rizer and Lance Bean return to blast their way through five alien-laden stages, picking up a wealth of collectible weaponry along the way. Machine guns, shot guns, homing missiles and lasers are used to lay waste to wave after wave of the Neo-Salamander invasion force, while Contra’s classic end-of-level bosses return in typically grandiose style.
With three difficulty levels, Contra Rebirth contains everything that made the Contra series so renowned: guns, monsters, and a tough challenge!
So, who will be downloading this bad boy?
User Comments
1. devillinko
03 Sep 2009, 13:01 BST
lucky guys !!!!!!!
2. LEGEND MARIOID
03 Sep 2009, 13:07 BST
Very good news for the EU. But not for me, way too hardcore. Think I'll be in the minority though eh
3. Djungelurban
03 Sep 2009, 13:07 BST
Never been a fan of the run'n'gun genre really but it's a good game to get. Should be interesting to see whether it's Monkey Island Ch 2 or this that will make it to the top spot.
4. Ristar42
03 Sep 2009, 13:10 BST
Contra, that 80s action movie vibe - this is really good news, I love the DS version! Hopefully will play just as well! I was hoping for Golden Axe arcade news but this is almost as good...
5. 03 Sep 2009, 13:15 BST
Maybe when NA gets this game it will be 600pts like gradius rebirth was 1000pts for us and 600pts for UK.
6. cheese
03 Sep 2009, 13:16 BST
brilliant a challenge!
7. Gavin Rozee
03 Sep 2009, 13:26 BST
Don't suppose anyone knows if it has 480p/60hz/16:9 widescreen support? I hate it when new skool retro games are 50hz/4:3. They say it's to keep the retroey feel, but that's usually an excuse for laziness.
8. Starwolf_UK
03 Sep 2009, 13:29 BST
@Ezekiel. I'd be happy for that to happen if it happened for the same reason; it coming out 4 months later. Until then you can enjoy your Taito games featuring the word plus in being 200 points cheaper for no reason and I'll never forget Platchen Twist n' Pain being 500 points cheaper for being 3 days later. Of course then there is the fact American Wii Points are actually cheaper than European Wii points...
9. dimlylitmonkey
03 Sep 2009, 13:43 BST
Almost forgot about this. I suppose we have to forget about IV ever coming to Europe, though I'd still like to see the first NES game on the VC.
10. Chicken Brutus
03 Sep 2009, 14:05 BST
Is it going to be called Contra in EU? Didn't they rename the previous games Probectoranus or something?
11. expa0
03 Sep 2009, 14:08 BST
hmm... looks like wiiware finally gets a good game to accompany megaman 9.
12. Starwolf_UK
03 Sep 2009, 14:12 BST
@Chicken Brutus. Back in the NES and SNES days they censored the games thanks to the Germans. The humans were replaced with robots and the franchise was renamed Probotector.
When Contra games came out a decade later for the Playstation 2 (maybe there were some PS1 games too) they thankfully forgot about the whole affair. Though the Virtual Console still holds the scars of the censored Probotector past.
13. Chicken Brutus
03 Sep 2009, 14:14 BST
Interesting, Starwolf; I never really researched the history of the renaming. It's nice to know the details behind it. Thanks!
14. Bass X0
03 Sep 2009, 14:18 BST
Will get today! I'll probably be really crap at the game but I'll be getting it regardless.
Though the Virtual Console still holds the scars of the censored Probotector past.
Just the way I like it. I have strong nostalgia feelings towards the name Probotector and none towards Contra. Probotector was my very first NES game and if it hadn't been for the robots on the packaging, it would not have been bought for me. By the same token, its will always be "Hero Turtles" for me too.
15. KeeperBvK
03 Sep 2009, 14:21 BST
@ Chibi Link
Sure, all the crappy ones got here, like licensed platformers and wrestling games.
16. Egg miester
03 Sep 2009, 14:31 BST
about time the game comes out konami likes making people wait
hopefully soon the game will be out in na i am a huge contra fan
its a shame about contras past in eu i was shocked when i heard about it years ago but at least the robots looked cool
17. Sean Aaron
03 Sep 2009, 14:39 BST
@Gavin: From my First Impressions:
"I should also mention that the game is in 480p, but like Gradius ReBirth it's a 4:3 aspect ratio title. Unlike Gradius Rebirth the game is presented in a "pillarbox" format, so widescreen owners won't need to change aspects manually (yay), though the bars on the sides are black rather than grey (boo)."
18. JamieO
03 Sep 2009, 14:46 BST
My comment will probably sound like gobbledygook, because I live in Merseyside, but I am well jealous of Pal Wii owners right now (serves me right for importing my US Wii).
2D side scrolling 'Run and Guns' games are easily my favourite genre and I am looking forward to Contra Rebirth most of all. Every day I'm saying to my girlfriend "I can't wait for Contra Rebirth" and she always replies "Ahhh, that is nice.... What is Contra Rebirth?". She is sweet like that, always eager to listen and talk about gaming!
As soon as this is out for my US Wii, I am taking a DDO (Dissertation Day Off!).
US (well Brazilian!) releases very soon, please Konami ? !!!
19. Croz
03 Sep 2009, 14:47 BST
Excellent i'll be downloading this tonight!!
20. imapterodactyl
03 Sep 2009, 14:49 BST
Everyone who gets this, keep in mind that while the sideways remote works, this game plays significantly better with a classic controller. And it's badass.
21. Sneaker13
03 Sep 2009, 14:52 BST
Never played the original Contra games, and I was saving my points for LiT, but I'm really curious about this game. What to do, what to do. Maybe we get two WiiWare releases.
22. calculon
03 Sep 2009, 14:55 BST
I'd get it if it weren't costing 1000 points, which is 200 points too much imo. Hopefully there will be something else to buy either on the VC or WiiWare.
23. Objection_Blaster
03 Sep 2009, 15:01 BST
I spy with my little eye...a typo in Konami's Press Release. Oh dear, oh my.
24. LinktotheFuture
03 Sep 2009, 15:22 BST
That is a bummer Europe never got Contra 4, it is awesome.
25. pixelman
03 Sep 2009, 15:23 BST
Hmmm. This probably means NA will get this on Labor Day instead of Cave Story.
26. Pj
03 Sep 2009, 15:34 BST
Does this mean no VC titles this week...
27. KnucklesSonic8
03 Sep 2009, 15:36 BST
@pixelman: I really hope not. Especially since we still don't have Driift Mania.
28. megaman-sam
03 Sep 2009, 15:37 BST
Oh, nice, I might have to get this. And it's on my birthday as well!
29. Sean Aaron
03 Sep 2009, 15:43 BST
This will probably come to North America instead of SSB -- that way everyone's happy!
30. xesbeth
03 Sep 2009, 15:49 BST
It's time for revenge, again!
31. Omega
03 Sep 2009, 17:02 BST
The third picture looks almost exactly like the first level in "Super Probotecor: Alien Rebels" (Contra III). Look here. So I think fans of the Super Nintendo game will no doubt like this sequel as well.
xesbeth wrote:
Let's attack aggressively.
32. motang
03 Sep 2009, 17:24 BST
Sweet, I would love to play that, looking forward for it make it's way state side.
33. LEGEND MARIOID
03 Sep 2009, 17:39 BST
Whereas this is great for most EU wiiware gamers, I hope we dont just get one wiiware game.
34. RadioShadow
03 Sep 2009, 17:45 BST
Sweet! I like this Contra version!
35. Hazuki
03 Sep 2009, 17:57 BST
lucky fellas! i hope this hits US soon enough. wouldnt be surprised if it happened monday. This is the kinda game that warrants a channel on the system itself for me, and not just SD card
36. Incognito D
03 Sep 2009, 18:05 BST
Seeing as the DS is region free there's not really any excuse to have missed out on Contra 4. If you have the internet you basically already have the means to acquire it.
37. tkubas1
03 Sep 2009, 18:15 BST
Yes, realese this on monday!
38. theberrage
03 Sep 2009, 18:44 BST
Please release this in USA on Labor Day.
39. Adam
03 Sep 2009, 18:49 BST
I miss the days when America got all the good stuff first.
40. Dazza
03 Sep 2009, 19:09 BST
Brilliant news, Europe FTW!
41. HiroshiYamauchi
03 Sep 2009, 19:33 BST
Nice game, but too short!
42. Nintendogames1000
03 Sep 2009, 19:40 BST
@42: Why?
43. HiroshiYamauchi
03 Sep 2009, 20:00 BST
@43: When it starts to get interesting, it's over! But it's a very good game and i recommend to all the Contra fans.
44. Shiryu
03 Sep 2009, 20:45 BST
Exactly the news I was waiting for!
45. KDR_11k
03 Sep 2009, 21:02 BST
I'll get it and hope that it's better than Contra 4 which felt clunky (camoed enemies that are hard to tell from the background in level 1 FTW...).
46. Supermarioman
03 Sep 2009, 21:11 BST
Please come Monday......I love CONTRA!
47. vakama94
03 Sep 2009, 21:27 BST
actually theres 2 games confirmed for the labor day, now i just remember ColorZ, the other i think it was texas hold´em poker
48. odd69
03 Sep 2009, 21:29 BST
We been waiting on this one for a minute.Day one buy here.
49. Bass X0
03 Sep 2009, 23:12 BST
This was the only game to be released on the Wii Shop here. Just one WiiWare game and no VC games (for the second week in a row, the last VC game we got was Pilotwings).
50. Ristar42
03 Sep 2009, 23:23 BST
Yep - no VC again - thats a bit rubbish!
Just tried the first level of Contra and plays very well, graphics have a slightly strange look as the resolution of the characters and backgrounds differs but (very) first impression is good!
51. Djungelurban
03 Sep 2009, 23:34 BST
What? Not even Monkey Island 2? That's surprising...
52. vakama94
04 Sep 2009, 01:47 BST
hmmm, from what i´ve read, IGN says that it will come out on monday, i dont believe it
EDIT: nevermind, konami actually confirmed it will be released on monday