(NES) Super C… a disappointment

[Zing]

I have been playing the Contra games recently. A couple weeks ago I was able to get through Contra on the NES without continues. It's a game that greatly rewards practice and requires a fair bit of skill and memorization. The progression of the levels is well-designed, and the climax is awesome. I felt a real sense of satisfaction when I defeated the final boss. Great game.

Naturally I proceed to the sequel, Super C. I remember when the game was first released, I thought it was great. It seemed to have slightly better graphics, great music, and was even more challenging. I played through the game to completion last night (no continues again) and it was a let down.

The first thing I notice is that the game is actually easier than Contra. Now, this may simply be due to having a fresh set of "Contra reflexes" from playing the first game so much, but I was able to get to stage 5 on my first play. The game does almost constantly throw unlimited enemies that run toward you, however they do not shoot. It seems like more than half of the enemies in the game just run at you and are easily dispatched. The only level that game me any trouble was stage 7. This was usually due to making a hasty mistake near the end and having to face the boss with only the basic rifle.

The other thing I felt was a lack of progression. It seemed like the designers just created a bunch of unrelated levels and slapped them together at the end. I wonder if some of these levels were designed for the first game, but left out, and then used here.

The next complaint should be obvious for anyone who has completed this game: the final boss. Everyone remembers the epic moment in Contra when you first discover the heart, then proceed to shoot it to bits as it beats faster and faster, all the while pumping out enemies. The final boss here is a non-descript face that you shoot while almost standing completely still. There is no tension, and the ending is likewise a disappointment. I suspect that every single person who has ever beat this game immediately thought, "that's it?"

Finally, I was disappointed to see that, when continuing to replay through the game after beating the boss, the game doesn't seem any more difficult. If it is different, I cannot detect the changes. In Contra, when you replay the game, bullets are much faster and a few extra enemies are added. They did the same for Castlevania, and just as with that game, I found myself trying to get as far as I could for a high score. With Super C, I got to level 4 and just turned the game off, because I suspect it would never end. I had seven extra men in reserve at that point.

I usually get rid of games I will never play, so it is with a heavy heart that Super C hits the trade pile. If anyone is interested in acquiring this cart and manual, let me know.

[AppleQueso]

Yeah, I've always heard that Super C was a step down.

It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts on Contra III and Hard Corps though.

[Xeogred]

Hard Corps is where it's at.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I like Super C. Haven't finished it yet, but I have no problems with what I've seen.

To me it seems harder than Contra. Perhaps this is because I've been playing Contra for 20+ years and have only played Super C a handful of times.

[Zing]

To me it seems harder than Contra. Perhaps this is because I've been playing Contra for 20+ years and have only played Super C a handful of times.

This is exactly my experience with the games. A lot of Contra, very little Super C.

Playing Super C right after playing Contra really brought out the flaws. It is significantly less challenging. It took me a week of playing a little each day to get through Contra without continues. I did it with Super C in two days.

[da66en]

Meh... I find Super C more enjoyable.

Contra slows down too much: the 'mazes', waiting for the pillars of fire or claws, shooting walls, etc.

[dunpeal2064]

Super C definitely lacks any sort of pacing. The game feels the same difficulty pretty much throughout.

I'd say it starts harder though.

Should've gone in reviews imo

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I've always been of the opinion that Super C is a better game than Contra is. It isn't quite as insanely difficult, and I love the top down Heavy Barrel style levels than I do the pseudo 3D ones from the first game.

And again, as with the first, the NES version is a better game than the arcade original.

[dunpeal2064]

Good point, I do think the top down style aged better. The seudo-3D was impressive though.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I played the Commodore 64 version of Contra about a month ago... What a mess.