The ultimate SNES Contra: precise, brutal and gorgeous. Joyful coop and a thunderous score make this a peak of the genre.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player12+
Co-op
Description
Intense action game in which two marines battle hordes of aliens and robots on Earth. Published by Konami, released in the USA in 1992. Two simultaneous players, lateral movement with multidirectional firing and bombs, car and aerial levels and legendary high difficulty. The absolute action masterpiece on Super Nintendo by Konami.
Contra Spirits review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
An explosive run-and-gun of teeming settings, pyrotechnic effects and outsized bosses: Konami unfurls an action of delightful intensity and readability. The density of the sprites and the energy of the clashes overflow with panache. This visual direction, snappy and polished, illustrates the peak of the genre.
Intense and flamboyant, Konami's music galvanises the war against the aliens with martial themes and frantic rhythms cut for the chaos. Each level pulses with a heroic energy that pushes the limits of the sound chip. This supercharged soundtrack masterfully extends the series' sonic legend.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Carrying two weapons at once and swapping them on the fly grants a welcome freedom of action against the onslaught of enemies. Between frantic levels, top-down sequences and titanic bosses, the difficulty stays steep yet exemplary in its fairness. This controlled intensity, where every death makes sense, still sets the standard among the machine's run'n gun titles.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Pushing forward under a deluge of fire, gripping two weapons at once and facing colossal bosses without ever pausing: the action reaches a pure, furious intensity here. The top-down phases and spectacular set-pieces keep renewing the challenge. Two-player, co-op turns into a fireworks display. Demanding, snappy and exhilarating, a peak of the run'n'gun.
The Japanese Super Famicom version of 'Contra III', Japan-exclusive under this name and rarer boxed than the US SNES version. The Japanese cart sports an original cover and title, and preserves content uncensored for the US export. Intact boxed CIB with cardboard sleeve and illustrated Konami manual is a target for completionist Konami Super Famicom collectors, and the cote climbs hard, independent of the US version.
Memorable bosses
A deluge of action, this entry lines up gigantic guardians that fill the screen and demand razor-precise dodges, broken up by top-down Mode 7 stages. Mechanical turtles, organic masses and war machines morph in mid-fight. A cutting difficulty, frantic pace and visual excess make these clashes an absolute run-and-gun classic.
Is Contra Spirits still worth playing in 2026?
Contra III - The Alien Wars, known as Contra Spirits in Japan, remains one of the most perfect run and guns ever crafted. The stages alternate side scrolling, top down view and missile clinging sequences, and the local two player co op still works wonderfully. The handling shines with two simultaneous firing directions, the difficulty is demanding but fair, and the Konami staging built around Mode 7 and huge sprites still impresses. An absolute 16 bit classic recommended to every fan of 2D action.
