Contra Stage by Stage: Patterns That Get You Through All Eight
Published · Updated · 1 min read
Stage 1 — Jungle
The tutorial, though nobody told the sniper at the bridge. Shoot the flying capsules for weapons and learn the two heights of enemy fire: jump the high shots, lie under the low ones. At the end, knock out the guns on the defence wall, then its core.
Stage 2 — Base 1
The view goes behind your soldier. Clear the guards in each corridor, shoot the wall cores when the barrier drops, and stand to the side rather than centre; the cores fire straight down the middle.
Stage 3 — Waterfall
A vertical climb: the screen scrolls up instead of sideways, and dropping off the bottom edge costs a life. The boss is a face in the wall: shoot the mouth and dodge the fireballs by moving, not jumping.
Stage 4 — Base 2
Same idea as Base 1 with faster guards and rolling grenades. Keep the spread gun; if you lose it here the next two stages are twice as long.
Stage 5 — Snow Field
A flat run across the snow with turrets and soldiers. Move steadily and shoot the turrets as they scroll into range.
Stage 6 — Energy Zone
Jets of flame on a timer. Watch one cycle, then run through in the gap. The stage still ends in a boss fight, so keep your weapon for it.
Stage 7 — Hangar
Crushers, mounted guns and conveyor belts. The crushers have a rhythm; the rest is patience.
Stage 8 — Alien's Lair
Mouths on the walls spit larvae, and the final heart takes a lot of shots. Lie down when the larvae come, stand and fire at the heart between waves. A save state at the start of this stage is worth making.
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