Contra: Shattered Soldier 100% Hit Rate Guide Part 1

Written by John Scalzo on December 06, 2002

100% Hit Rate Guide Part 1: Blowing up everything is the easy part; it's that never dying thing that's hard.

I do not normally swear a great deal. It's just something I've always shied away from. But sit me down in front of a game of Contra: Shattered Soldier and watch the expletives fly. That's because Contra is hard. DAMN hard. And now, with the inclusion of the new Hit Rate Meter, comes a new challenge to the Contra series. To earn a 100% S Ranking, you have to blow up everything in a level that can be and never die. Blowing up everything is the easy part; it's that never dying thing that's hard. That's why I'm here to help. Below are strategies for the first four levels of Contra: Shattered Soldier to successfully (and efficiently) blow up everything on screen with hopefully a minimum of life lost. And of course if you're truly stuck there's always the 30 life code.

It's also helpful to remember the weapon structure so don't forget:
Machine Gun >> Charged >> Sweep Gun
Grenades >> Charged >> Homing Missiles
Flamethrower >> Charged >> Energy Shot

So let's get started.

Level 1 - Fortress
Enter the level and use your Machine Gun to take out the soldiers that are charging you. Only the one with the grenade launcher on the platform counts towards the hit rate so be sure to get him. When you reach the tanker truck just continue firing on it with the Machine Gun until it explodes (at this point you should have 5%). After the tanker a motorcycle will drive and park itself in front of you. Switch to the Flamethrower and fire Energy Shots at it until it blows up. Five shots should do it (9%).

Switch back to the Machine Gun and take out the next wave of soldiers. Especially be sure to take out the two oil drums as they count towards the hit rate. Also be on the lookout for another soldier with a grenade launcher at the top of the hill. At this point it's the first mini-boss, the spider tank. The spider tank is very easy. Just switch to the Flamethrower and wait for it to be dropped from the crane. Once it hits the ground get right up to it and let loose. Stay close to it so his missiles won't touch you then when it jumps across the screen follow it and keep the heat on it. It'll go down shortly after it jumps but not before it gets off a homing missile. Don't move but wait for the cross hair on you to turn red then quickly run to your right (22%).

Keep your Flamethrower out and use Energy Shots on the barrels hanging from the ceiling. The barrels will drop and take out the three shielded soldiers standing in front of you. Switch back to the Machine Gun and take out the rest of the soldiers that charge you as you head for the wall. Climb the wall and quickly use the Machine Gun on the three soldiers firing on you from the left side of the screen (30%).

At the top of the wall a machine mini-boss will pull itself together to attack you. Two gun arms on the side and an energy core in the center. The Energy Shot is your best friend here, don't switch off of it. Stay from the core for now and first concentrate on the right arm. It's first form shoots missiles but you can just get right under it and use four Energy Shots to take it out. Then the arm will change to a spread cannon, run to the left of the screen dodging the missiles from the right arm and fire three shots at the spread cannon. After the spread cannon goes down the arm will change into a napalm cannon. Get directly under it and fire Energy Shots straight up. Jump straight up when the goo it drops hits the ground and three shots should do it. Finally the arm changes into a giant flamethrower. Before it locks into place run under the left arm, carefully dodging the missiles just as before. Use three Energy Shots to finish off the right arm. Now the center core becomes a laser that sweeps back and forth across the screen. Dodge the laser while taking out the left arm exactly as you did the right. Once the left arm is completely destroyed as well aim for the center core with Energy Shots until the whole thing becomes scrap metal (53% and Checkpoint).

After the machine mini-boss there are more soldiers that can be taken out with the Machine Gun and a shielded soldier that will go down with the Flamethrower. When you reach the end of the platform a helicopter will blow it up and you'll land on a hill you have to snowboard down. As you're going down the hill five jetpack soldiers will fly overhead in two waves of two and a final wave of one. Use the Energy Shot on them, two shots is enough, just be prepared to dodge their machine gun fire (60%).

After the jet pack soldiers the screen will tilt to a top down view and a mutant worm (a Graboid!) will begin chasing you. Stay in the center of the screen and fire the Sweep Gun straight up when it makes his dive for and dodge to the left. As soon as you see it dive down totally fire another Sweep Gun off the screen to the left. Go back to the center and fire another Sweep Gun straight up on his dive but this time dodge to the right and fire another Sweep Gun off the screen to the right after it dives through the ground. Continue this pattern until all of the worm's skin sections tear off (69%). The worm will make another pass at you continually by jumping over you in shorter and shorter arcs. Use the Machine Gun to aim for the ball in his mouth until it spits green alien blood (76%).

At the bottom of the hill you'll be shot across the screen to hang from some power lines. Switch to the Flamethrower as a swarm of mutant mosquitoes descends on you. This section of the level doesn't count towards the hit rate but it's your classic rubberband situation. Hold down the fire button for a continuous flame stream and then just leave. You'll never die and you'll rack up a lot of points. Good for as many extra lives as you want to earn. Once you're done just work your way to the right for the final boss, the mutant turtle.

Switch to grenades and hang from the top bar as the turtle drops into the screen. Jump up and fire grenades at the top blowhole above his head and always be ready to jump back to avoid the bees the blowhole produces or the turtle's head thrust. Once the top blowhole is gone drop to the bottom of the screen and fire grenades at the bottom blowhole. As soon as it explodes switch to the Flamethrower and jump onto the platform. Stay to the far left and let loose with the flamethrower on his head. The head thrust can never reach you in this spot. When you see it release a poison gas ball drop to the ground and let it float over your head. Jump back to the platform and finish off the head. At this point the turtle will turn around, revealing a very ugly ass-end. Get close enough so that the edge of the Flamethrower just reaches his mouth and start firing. It only has two attacks: throwing up on you where your only concern is to duck when a piece of garbage looks too close and a poison gas ball it shoots out of his nose. Both are very gross, but if you stand within Flamethrower distance and duck when a piece of garbage flies with the vomit and jump when the poison gas reaches you the fight will be over in no time (100%).

Level 2 - Train
The level opens on a speeder bike and a submarine in the background. Switch to the Flamethrower and don't switch off of it until you reach the train. Don't move from where you're placed as the level opens and you'll dodge the two volleys of four shots it fires out. Next a laser will shoot out from the left to the right twice and you need to jump it. After this the sub will submerge. Stay to the right, as it will crash through the ground on the left. Use three Energy Shots on the front gun that will shoot at you after the second shot connects. Jump the shot and finish off the gun with the third Energy Shot (3%). The sub will transform into a helicopter and fly overhead.

Stay to the right and use the Energy Shot on the missile rider as soon as you hear it come from the left. Charge up the Energy Shot again as you approach the end of the helicopter. A bomb chute will open up and you can take it down by firing three Energy Shots straight up (10%). Still stay to the right as you continue to fly under the helicopter. A laser that shoots straight down will open up on the left side, quickly shoot it with an Energy Shot then charge another one quickly to take out a missile rider. After shooting the missile rider stay where you are and finish off the leftmost laser. Then quickly go all the way to the left, dodging and shooting the lasers as you go. Once on the right side shoot up at the lasers before you get under them with Energy Shots (20%). At this point the helicopter will fly very low. Don't jump and stay to the left. Once the helicopter rises, quickly move to the right and use the Energy Shot on two missile riders that fly in from the left. Now stay even with the low hanging piece on the helicopter and aim up at the gun pointing down at you. When one of the gun's shots hit the ground jump straight up. Three Energy Shots will take out the gun and the helicopter as it crashes into the sea (27%).

Now comes the trickiest part of getting 100% for this level and probably of the first four levels. Missile hangers come in slowly from the right and drop grenades on you. Just like the jet pack soldiers they'll come in waves of two, two, and one and take two Energy Shots to go down. It takes a little luck but stay as far left as you can. When a missile hanger enters the screen jump straight up and at the height of the jump shoot out an Energy Shot. Try to get two at once. Then quickly get almost underneath the missile hangers and shoot an Energy Shot up at them. Very quickly go back to the left, jumping the grenade flame as you go and repeat the process until all five missile hangers are shot down (33%). Now you enter the tunnel and finally catch up to the train.

The first car on the train has a cannon that fires out volleys of three homing missiles at a time. Use your Homing Missiles to fight fire with fire and after several rounds of that the cannon will turn and a set of crosshairs will appear on it. Once the crosshairs appear fire the Homing Missiles at the cannon and take it down easily. The next car releases five bikers, one at a time, to get you. Switch to the Flamethrower and just hit the bikers with the Flamethrower until they pop. Each biker follows a specific pattern that will interrupt your shooting so it's good to know. Jump the first biker, the second biker will stop to shoot, jump the third biker, the fourth will stop to shoot, and jump the last one (48% and Checkpoint).

Next come three flying machines. Switch to Grenades and charge up some Homing Missiles. Only the first two can be hit now and they're basically flying cannons. One is a machine gun and the other lobs flame grenades. Dodge both sets of fire and use your Homing Missiles to keep shooting the cannons on the run. As soon as the cannons go down switch to the Flamethrower because the third machine will come to the front. First it'll shoot laser beams along the floor, which are easily dodged, then it will charge you, also easily dodged. Then it'll come to a stop in the center of the screen and shoot a blue laser to the right side of the screen. Quickly get directly under the machine and blast it with an Energy Shot. It only takes one and if you miss it'll fly away, so don't miss (57%). After the third flying machine crashes to Earth it's time to jump on the train and finish up this level.

Keep the Flamethrower out inch closer until you see the grenade cannon. Blast it with an Energy Shot and move on to the gun turret rising out of the next car. Another Energy Shot will finish that one off as well. Switch to Grenades and charge a Homing Missile for the soldier with a grenade launcher that comes up next. Inch closer and use Homing Missiles again to knock out another soldier with a grenade launcher and another grenade cannon. Finally, inch closer a little bit more to take another Homing Missile to another soldier with a grenade launcher. Now switch back to the Flamethrower and take out a gun turret and a grenade cannon with some well-placed Energy Shots (75%).

Now comes the big boss, a giant robot. The robot will keep pace on the left side of the train. Shoot Energy Shots at it's soldier and watch for it's two attacks. The first is a rocket fist shot that you have to jump once when it's shot and once again when it flies back. The robot also rams the train and requires you to jump straight up to keep your balance. After the right shoulder is busted up the robot will jump to the other side and follows the same pattern from this side. When both shoulders are gone the robot will jump to the front of the train and pick it up off of the ground. Switch to Grenades and use Homing Missiles on the crosshaired section of the robot. Three should do it but you also have to dodge the beams the robot shoots in the air. Now the robot jumps onto the train and shoots little saws at you on the ground. Jump the saws and use Energy Shots on the wing backpack on his back. Six will do it but if you're not quick enough after awhile the robot will change into a plane and fly across the screen. Duck to avoid the plane and wait for it to land on the right side of the train. Finish off the wings with Energy Shots and you're almost there. The robot's top half will be decapitated by a bridge but the legs will keep coming. Shoot two Energy Shots at the top piece of the legs to finally finish off the robot (100%).

Level 3 - City
Start this level with the Machine Gun and be ready to lay into a bunch of soldiers. Be sure to take out the one on the ground and the one flying through the air. After that there are three sandbags blocking the way, be sure to shoot those down and the soldier with a grenade launcher directly after it. Then as soon as you see the edge of the tanker shoot the gunner on top and finish up the tanker and another chopper soldier. After that is one more set of sandbags and a soldier with a grenade launcher. Proceed with caution (17%).

Next up comes a floating tank mini-boss. The floating tank has a very methodical pattern. First, it stays to the side and the top swings open and lets out two soldiers. Hit the red target twice with Energy Shots and then run to the middle to avoid the soldiers. Next, stay in the middle and shoot the Flamethrower straight up as the floating tank shines a spotlight down and shoots grenades at you. The Flamethrower will take care of all of the grenades. Then the floating tank will go towards the center, shoot your flamethrower straight up at the red target and fry the soldiers that pop out when the door opens. This pattern repeats until the floating tank goes down (23%).

Once at the bottom of the shaft it's time to start moving again. As you walk three rolling guns will roll in front of you. Take each one out with a well-placed Energy Shot and you're good to go for the alien cow mini-boss. The cow comes in from the right and has the most unpredictable weapon pattern (there actually is no pattern) of the game, aside from the Commander. Always keep moving on the treadmill and aim Energy Shots up at the cow. All the while dodging the particles it shoots at you. It'll require a little fancy footwork, but it can be done. After it's had enough of that it'll move to the left side of the screen. Continue pumping it with Energy Shots and when it reaches the edge move back towards the middle of the screen. Jump the little eggs it spits out and continue firing Energy Shots at it. If all goes well it should eventually drop and be pulled into the meat grinder. Be sure to jump onto the platform above the meat grinder when that happens (35% and Checkpoint).

Directly after the cow gets shredded we see right where that meat grinder goes: to feed a giant sewer snake. Your best bet on the snake is to pull out the Flamethrower and hang from the bar right above the snake's head and shoot down. The snake has two attacks that are very easy to dodge. The first is a vomit (yes more vomit) attack that you're safe from if you don't move from the bar directly above his head. You can even keep firing and you won't be killed. The second attack is poison bubbles and this one requires you to jump back to the pipe on the left and use the Flamethrower to shoot the bubbles down. You can tell when it's going to shoot the bubbles out as it does a quick head bob first in a very telltale manner. Once the bubbles are shot down go back to the bar above his head and finish it off (40%).

You're almost to the boss but first two more rolling guns will come at you. One from behind and one in front. Energy Shot them away and now it's time to face the giant walking garbage tank of doom. After it busts through the wall duck down and use Energy Shots to take out the lower gun. It'll get one shot off before it goes down so be sure to jump it. After the lower gun is toast aim Energy Shots at the higher gun and also be sure to jump the walls that get in your way. Also watch for the tank to charge, so stay to the right and don't stay on the platform when the higher gun is about to shoot at you.

After the higher gun is taken out jump on to the platform and grab on to the ceiling. The next goal is to use Energy Shots on the laser guns that populate the middle of the tank. It takes three shots each and if you shoot as soon as you see them appear from the left you should never be in danger of being hit by them. You also need to be ready for missiles that appear both sides of the screen. A simple Flamethrower blast will take each one out. The first missile comes from the right when two laser guns can be seen on the screen. The second missile comes from the left seconds later. The third and fourth missiles come from the right when the third laser enters the screen. The next missile comes from the left as the fourth and final laser gun enters the screen. After that the missiles will come three from left, one from the right, two from the left and one more from the right. At this point you've reached the end of the tank and it's time to drop back to the ground and switch to the Machine Gun. Now the tank will open up it's end and fire a wide energy beam that can only be dodged by ducking. After that it will either shoot out two bouncing saws or a rolling gun. Stay close to the tank so that you can just walk right under these things as they bounce over your head. The tank is only vulnerable when it's end opens up, but obviously only before and after it shoots. Stay close and when it's not firing pump Machine Gun rounds into the opening. To avoid the pits when you land on a smaller platform stop and shoot from there, then when the beam dissipates jump off the platform and catch up with the tank. Continue this pattern until the tank can walk no more (100%).

Level 4 - Seabed
Immediately after entering the level go all the way to the right, switch to Grenades and charge up your Homing Missiles. Eighteen missiles will enter the screen from the left and the only way to get them all is with Homing Missiles (18%). After the missiles are done a giant water-skiing robot will fly onto the screen and take up all of it. There's two ways to take down the robot: the easy way and the quick way.

The easy way requires you fly your missile all the way to the top of the screen to be out of range of the mines that shoot up. Then use Homing Missiles on the homing missiles that robot shoots out. You can't see them this high so just keep firing. Once the robot's missiles are gone your Homing Missiles will concentrate on the robot's backpack. The robot will now jump and as soon as it hits the water fly over his head. Continue using Homing Missiles on the robot's missiles, the little jet ski it is hooked into, and his gun. Your Homing Missiles will eventually lock onto all of these things. After firing homing missiles from the jet ski and several shots from his gun the robot will charege and you have to fly over his head to the other side again. And the pattern continues all over again until all that's left is the robot. The quick way involves using Homing Missiles to take out the robot's homing missiles, but at all other times shooting the robot with the Energy Shot. It's more powerful shot will take the robot down quicker but puts you in more danger. For experienced players only.

Either way you take care of it the robot is all that's left standing at this point. Keep Grenades out as the robot follows a very simple pattern. First it will use his chain as a whip. Stay to the right and it'll miss you entirely. Then it'll shoot out several homing missiles. Use your own Homing Missiles and they'll never touch you. Then his center core will open up and release an energy blast that takes up almost the entire screen. For this, fly up as high as you can go and position yourself at the middle line of the hit rate counter. Firing Grenades from here will place them at the perfect angle to the robot's core. Repeat until it becomes wreckage (32%).

After the robot sinks under the sea you fly your missile into an underwater station. You enter a shaft and your missile becomes one of those hand copter things you first saw in level 3. Use Homing Missiles to take out the alien eggs that line the wall. First on the left, then the right, then the left again, then the right, then again on the left. Also be on the lookout for facehuggers that can come from both sides. Next go to the left and take out a mutant plant with three Homing Missile blasts. More eggs, this time on the left then the right. Two more mutant plants follow this, one you go to the right to blast, the other to the left. Finally there are two eggs opposite each other in the shaft. Just fling out several consecutive sets of Homing Missiles and they'll go pop (48%).

At the bottom of the shaft is a computer room and a giant face mini-boss. Switch to the Flamethrower and shoot the face and the rings it shoots out at you. After two waves of ring fire the face retreat to the background and fire out two lasers. Move to the left and work your way to the right by jumping the lasers as they pass under you. The face will come back to the foreground and finish t off with more Flamethrower bursts. Now the face reveals it's giant brain. Keep moving to avoid being caught under it and slam it with Energy Shots. When the brain stops to pour it's braindroppings on you get into a nice cozy spot away from it and keep pumping it with Energy Shots. It shouldn't last much longer than that (53%).

Next comes a corridor with more alien eggs and a few mutant plants. Like the waves of soldiers at the beginning of level 1 and level 3, just shoot everything that squirms and you'll do fine (75%). Once you reach the lily pad looking things a giant fish will break the glass and cause the water level to rise. Jump to the middle platform and switch to Grenades. Continually charge Homing Missiles and shoot them straight up to get all of the floating bombs (90%).

Stay in the middle and switch to the Flamethrower. When the fish jumps overhead shoot it in the mouth with an Energy Shot. Then the fish will swim off screen and bubbles will form underneath the various platforms. These bubbles show which platform the fish will leap out of the water and take out that platform. The fish will try this three times before it swims off one of the sides of the screen. Jump to the furthest platform on the opposite side and charge up an Energy Shot. When it opens his mouth to suck in the platforms shoot Energy Shots into his mouth and jump from platform to platform. Next it will pick up the closest platform, jump onto it and grab onto the ceiling. Quickly run over to where the center platform would be and drop down. Fire another Energy Shot up at the fish as it flies over your head. If this doesn't fry the fish the pattern will continue (100%).

There you have it. Sure fire strategies to help you deal with the invading alien threat. Grab your gear soldier and come back soon to learn how to tackle the final three levels. Good hunting. Dismissed.