Konami announces Contra 4 @ Gaming Target

Written by Matt Swider on June 20, 2007

News: Nintendo DS is marking the 20th anniversary of the 2D franchise.

Konami announced today that Contra 4 is on its way to the DS to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series. The 2D side-scrolling action game is an all-new direction for Contra with gunplay that spans two full screens and original gameplay mechanics that grant players deadlier abilities than ever before. There will also be multiplayer support.

Contra 4 takes place two years after the events of Contra III: The Alien Wars. After saving earth from invasion by Red Falcon, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean are confronted with a new extraterrestrial menace: the terrifying Black Viper. Joined by hard-boiled mercenaries Mad Dog and Scorpion, the warriors must once again wage war against an entire army of invaders.

Of course, Mad Dog and Scorpion are just the names Konami used for Bill and Lance for the American release of Contra for the NES. How these four men will "meet" is currently anyone's guess.

More from the Announcement:
Refining the 2D side-scrolling genre the series established 20 years ago, Contra 4 delivers pure action at a fever pitch as players jump, shoot, and dodge oncoming hazards. Utilizing a new dual screen presentation, the action spans both screens of the Nintendo DS, giving players the opportunity to battle across expansive environments in which death can come from any direction. The use of both screens for the game's core action also allows for massive boss battles as players try to seek and destroy the weak points of sky-high enemies. A first for the series, Contra 4 introduces a grappling hook accessory that lets players grab onto elements of the environment directly above them. Whether using it to avoid oncoming dangers or attack from a strategic vantage point, the grappling hook allows for new combat situations and dramatic set pieces that underscore the game's adrenaline-soaked pedigree.

Continuing the multiplayer tradition of previous games in the series, Contra 4 lets two players battle together against Black Viper's army of vile alien forces and reclaim Earth for mankind.

Developed by WayForward Technologies, Contra 4 is planned for release on the Nintendo DS in 2007.