Editing Contra Force

{{Short description|1992 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title= Contra Force
|image= Contraforcecover.gif
|caption= Cover art of ''Contra Force''
|developer= [[Konami]]
|publisher= Konami
|programmer= Mitsuo Takemoto
|artist= Koji Horie
|composer= Kenichi Matsubara<br>Tomoya Tomita
|series= ''[[Contra (series)|Contra]]''
|released= {{vgrelease|NA|September 1992|}}
|genre= [[Shoot 'em up#Run and gun|Run and gun]]
|modes= [[Single-player video game|Single-player]] <br> [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
|platforms= [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
}}

'''''Contra Force''''' is an [[Shoot 'em up#Run and gun|run and gun game]] released by [[Konami]] for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] in 1992 in North America. It is a spinoff of the [[Contra (series)|''Contra'' series]], being the third game in the series released for the NES following the original ''[[Contra (video game)|Contra]]'' and ''[[Super Contra]]''. However, the game's plot and setting are unrelated to both previous and succeeding entries, as the villains in the game are human terrorists instead of an alien menace. The game was scheduled to be released in Japan under the title of {{nihongo|'''''Arc Hound'''''|アークハウンド|Āku Haundo}}, with no ties to the ''Contra'' series, but was cancelled.

==Gameplay==
''Contra Force'' begins with the player being asked to choose between one of four characters. In addition to Burns, the team's leader, the player can also choose between Iron, a heavy weapons expert; Smith, a sharpshooter; and Beans, a demolitions expert. Each character differs from each other, not just in what weapons they wield, but also in their speed and jumping ability.<ref name=manualp14>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 14}}</ref>

The game consists of five stages: the odd-numbered stages (1, 3, and 5) are played from the standard side-view perspective, while the even-numbered stages (2 and 4) are played from an overhead perspective (similar to the ones in ''Super Contra'' and ''[[Operation C (video game)|Operation C]]'').<ref name=manualp12>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 12}}</ref><ref name=manualp13>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 13}}</ref> The objective is as simple as getting to the end of each stage, fighting every enemy who gets in the way, before confronting the [[boss (video games)|boss]] awaiting at the end.<ref name=manualp05>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 5}}</ref> Stages in the game are the Warehouse, Harbor, Mati Building, Aircraft Rumble, and lastly, the Blue Group Headquarters.

The controls are similar to previous ''Contra'' games. At the side-view stages the player can run left or right, as well as crouch and jump, whereas in the top-view stages the player can move in eight directions (but cannot jump nor crouch). Shooting is possible at any of the eight directions depending on the context.<ref name=manualp07>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 7}}</ref> Instead of the instant power-ups from previous ''Contra'' games, the player has a power selection meter similar to the ''[[Gradius]]'' series which shows what power-ups the player can obtain.<ref name=manualp08>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 8}}</ref> The player must pick up briefcase-shaped power-ups, which are hidden within the destructible environment of each stage, to move the cursor on the indicator by one increment.<ref name=manualp05/> When the cursor is on the power-up the player wants to obtain, the player can confirm their selection with the select button. The items on the indicators include a standard-issue pistol for every character, two character-specific weapons, a turbo fire power-up that increases the number of bullets on-screen, and a rolling attack that keeps the character invulnerable to enemy fire while in mid-air.<ref name=manualp10>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 10}}</ref><ref name=manualp11>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 11}}</ref>

The player can pause the game and go to a sub-menu where they can change their current character. At the sub-menu, the player can assign another character to a second player or call forth a computer-controlled partner.<ref name=manualp06>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 6}}</ref> The player can assign from one of six possible strategies to their partner ranging between defensive and offensive. The partner character will then appear for five seconds to assist the player before disappearing. When the partner is gone, the player can summon him again from the sub-menu.<ref name=manualp09>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Instruction manual, page 9}}</ref> Each character has only three lives. If a single player loses all of their lives as one character, the game will end. The player can use the sub-menu to switch to another character that still has extra lives before that happens. In the 2-player mode, if one player loses all of their lives, they can be assigned another character, but the character that lost all of his lives will become unusable. Unlimited chances to continue are provided.<ref name=manualp05/>

==Plot==
In 1992, C-Force, a task force composed of former military professionals, is formed to protect Neocity from terrorism. One day, the team's leader, Burns, receives a phone call from their informant Fox, who tells him that the Head of Intelligence is being threatened by a criminal organization known as D.N.M.E. Burns arranges a meeting at the Harbor with Fox to learn more about the situation, only to find Fox's corpse when he arrives at the destination.<ref name=opening>{{cite video game|title=Contra Force|developer=Konami|platform=Nintendo Entertainment System|level=Opening}}</ref> Now it is up to C-Force to save Neocity from D.N.M.E.

==Development==
[[File:Arc Hound Summer-Autumn 1991 preview ad.jpg|thumb|right|A Japanese ad for ''Arc Hound'' showing the main promotional art]]
''Contra Force'' was originally planned to be released in [[Japan]] under the title of ''Arc Hound'' in 1991 and originally did not have any ties to the Contra series. The game was announced in magazines such as ''[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]]'' and advertised in official Konami brochures with a scheduled October release, but this early version of the game was cancelled.<ref name=flyer>{{cite video game|title=Crisis Force|developer=Konami|platform=Family Computer|language=Japanese|level=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060505171104/http://contra.classicgaming.gamespy.com/games/contraforce/contraforce-foreign.htm Pamphlet included with the game]}}</ref><ref name=famitsu19910628>{{cite journal|title=Arc Hound preview|url=http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/secret/FC__1991Q2.html#arkhound|journal=Famicom Tsūshin|date=June 28, 1991|language=Japanese|access-date=December 8, 2009|archive-date=December 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211053600/http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/secret/FC__1991Q2.html#arkhound|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Despite the cancellation of ''Arc Hound'' in Japan, the game was still localized for the North American market as a spinoff of the Contra series. Initially scheduled for a Winter 1991 release, ''Contra Force'' was announced as the third console game in the series, being released sometime prior to ''[[Contra III: The Alien Wars]]'' (known as ''Contra IV'' at the time).<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Pak Watch: From Konami/Ultra|magazine=Nintendo Power|volume=26|page=95|date=July 1991|quote=As for sequels, look for Contra Force (aka Contra 3) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 sometime this winter}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Nintendo Player's Guide: Super NES|page=152|year=1992|url=http://contra.classicgaming.gamespy.com/games/contra3/CONTRA4.jpg|access-date=2007-08-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613221009/http://contra.classicgaming.gamespy.com/games/contra3/CONTRA4.jpg|archive-date=2007-06-13}}</ref> However, ''Contra Force'' was delayed to an October 1992 release, a few months later than ''Contra III'', causing the latter game to be renumbered prior to release.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Provick |first=Bill |date=October 10, 1992 |title=Help wanted and other tips |pages=94 |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/464613822/?terms=%22Contra%20Force%22&match=1 |access-date=December 1, 2023 |quote=Coming soon: Here are some Nintendo games scheduled for release for this month://''Widget'' (Atlus); ''Gargoyles Quest 2'' (Capcom); ''Best of the Best'' (Electrobrain), ''Dragon Warrior 4'' (Enix)'; ''Lost in Las Vegas'' (Kemco); ''Contra Force'' (Konami)...}}</ref>

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==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| Allgame = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Weiss">{{cite web |last=Weiss |first=Brett Alan |title=Contra Force - Review |publisher=[[Allgame]] |access-date=July 28, 2013 |url=http://allgame.com/game.php?id=14780&tab=review |archive-date=December 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210231608/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14780&tab=review |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}

''Contra Force'' has received mixed reception. [[Allgame]] editor Brett Alan Weiss criticized the slowdown and flicker that the game suffers from, but praised the added strategy of being able to select from different characters each with their own unique skills and weapons.<ref name="Weiss"/>

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==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{moby game|id=/contra-force|name=''Contra Force''}}
{{contra series}}

[[Category:1992 video games]]
[[Category:Contra (series)|Force]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System-only games]]
[[Category:North America-exclusive video games]]
[[Category:Run and gun games]]
[[Category:Video game spinoffs]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Kenichi Matsubara]]
[[Category:Video games set in 1992]]