thedeparted
06-03-2010, 08:56 PM
Contra: Hard Corps on the SEGA Genesis is one of my favorite Contra games. The enormous bosses, branching paths, and epic action sequences made for one of the most thrilling 16-bit experiences back in the day. So imagine my delight when Konami told me it is bringing the spiritual sequel to Contra: Hard Corps to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network this year. Picture a more anime-styled Contra game with the word "Contra" removed from the title, and you're starting to get a good idea of what Hard Corps: Uprising is. Konami describes it as "homage to legacy Konami run-and-gun platformers," of which Contra is the most famous (although there is also Rush 'N Attack, which is getting a facelift this year, as well). I got to play a bit of Hard Corpse recently and came away excited.
Hard Corps: Uprising stars Colonel Bahamut, who, interestingly enough, was a bad guy in Contra: Hard Corps. For some reason or another he seems to have had a change of heart and is now battling against the aliens he was previously working with. He can be joined by a pal so that players can play cooperatively, both online and off. Unlike the Genesis Hard Corps, where we had four characters to choose from, here we just have two -- although Konami is looking into making additional downloadable characters available.
Gameplay is straight up what you would expect from Contra. You'll be running left to right through eight alien-infested stages blasting everything in your way, collecting familiar power-ups, and riding vehicles. One sequence I saw had Bahamut riding a motorbike while a flying saucer with legs chased after him. The boss of level one is, appropriately, a giant wall much like in the original Con
http://xboxlivemedia.ign.com/xboxlive/image/article/109/1094572/hardcorps_1275595666.jpg
Who played the original? Is it any fun? It looks like fun is to be had
Hard Corps: Uprising stars Colonel Bahamut, who, interestingly enough, was a bad guy in Contra: Hard Corps. For some reason or another he seems to have had a change of heart and is now battling against the aliens he was previously working with. He can be joined by a pal so that players can play cooperatively, both online and off. Unlike the Genesis Hard Corps, where we had four characters to choose from, here we just have two -- although Konami is looking into making additional downloadable characters available.
Gameplay is straight up what you would expect from Contra. You'll be running left to right through eight alien-infested stages blasting everything in your way, collecting familiar power-ups, and riding vehicles. One sequence I saw had Bahamut riding a motorbike while a flying saucer with legs chased after him. The boss of level one is, appropriately, a giant wall much like in the original Con
http://xboxlivemedia.ign.com/xboxlive/image/article/109/1094572/hardcorps_1275595666.jpg
Who played the original? Is it any fun? It looks like fun is to be had