Like returning to a favorite theme park as an adult, Contra: Operation Kaluga instantly connected me to the 2D running and gunning games of my youth. Like living out a childhood fantasy, I quickly remembered why I loved this series so much, but at the same time, I felt a little less invested in the little things that developed along the way. This reimagining of the original Contra offers a modernized take on a great classic that you can enjoy with your friends. I don't mind that it took me and my friends a few hours to get through the whole Kaluga operation, but this is one of those games that fade quickly from my memory.
SaThis side-scroller works safely thanks to a solid, if not particularly exciting, formula that allows you to fight your way through enemy-filled levels before taking on the boss. Although Operation Kaluga is a sequel to the original Contra, it is much closer to a remake. The same island features the same macho dude protagonists Bill Reiser and Lance Bean going through the same levels. You and your friend must go through familiar levels, including a waterfall stage with a giant alien, an ice train stage, and even an area where you find yourself in a giant alien's body to fight a giant human. All parasites. Like the original 1987 Contra, Operation Kaluga features some notable additions, including fully voiced characters (with cutscenes), new playable characters with their own abilities and playstyles, and most importantly, a new, less interesting clone of the original. -2D levels to modify 3D recording levels. All of these things serve to reinvigorate an experience that otherwise plays somewhat closer to its roots.
Both the classic levels and all-new levels at least provide solid old-school action. I've always loved the creepy ride to Contra's creatures, so it was a lot of fun in all its glory with improved graphics and mechanics and a whole new level where I assembled my team on floating motorbikes. he sent hordes of similarly octane thugs after us, creating enough chaos to keep us on our toes. But whether it's an updated legacy level or an entirely new level, you're always doing the same thing these games have been doing for years: dodging enemies while running, jumping and jumping, and filling the screen with your own colorful projectiles. Go to the end. Of course, there's nothing wrong with sticking to the basics, but this is one of those games where you can pretty much tell how things are going to go from the title screen, and that's not entirely true. Exciting times. I enjoy retro arcade games as much as the next boomer games, but it would be nice to see more surprises or developments here as the genre can't benefit from it.
Contra 4's Arcade and Challenge modes will also return. The former allows four-player play and lets you see how far you can go with a certain number of lives, while the latter imposes certain restrictions: I'm trying to get through a level without firing a weapon. Sure, the challenge and chaos of marathoning each stage in a large group is refreshing, but it quickly wears off as you progress through the same eight levels as a regular campaign. Likewise, it's a little fun to grapple with the trials that await you in Challenge Mode, but it quickly becomes boring unless you're seriously inclined to replay each stage in cheeky conditions.
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