How are Contra and Super Contra on XBLA?

[BazookaBen]

Are they pretty accurate to the arcade releases? Tate-able? 1:1 pixel scaling at 480p?

[Pretas]

Try the demos and find out for yourself. They're utterly abhorrent ports, like everything done by Digital Eclipse.

[BazookaBen]

I checked out the demo, but it wouldn't let me look at the settings. I was hoping they had options to remove the filters and use the original music.

[BrianC]

Are they pretty accurate to the arcade releases? Tate-able? 1:1 pixel scaling at 480p?

The only games with the latter are the M2 emulations and Raiden Fighters Aces. Digital Eclipse/Backbone's emulation/ports were better in the PSX/Saturn days. The problem with their post PSX stuff is that they never use 240p, despite the PS2 having native support. Their SEGA XBLA games and the Sonic emulations in Ultimate Genesis Collection also suffer from input lag. Their games also have limited screen options with turning the filter off and altering screen size the only options. Some of their PS2 games don't even have the option to turn the filter off (and some XBLA games may lack it as well).

I don't agree that all Digital Eclipse/Backbone's emulation/ports are "abhorrent". DE deals primarily with emulation, not ports. When they do make ports, they can be hit or miss, though the SNES/Genesis collections and some of their GBC stuff (but not all of it) turned out well. DE often had projects handed to teams that completely botched the emulation or port and started going hit or miss in the GBC and later PSX era. Later emulations of the same games from Backbone or DE often had issues that the earlier versions didn't. In it's current state, Backbone is messed up and I heard that the newest Midway collection still has the same issues as previous ones, and possibly some new issues. A lot of staff has split from Backbone and formed a new company called Code Mystics.

[ACSeraph]

I have both and can confirm no tate.

I have never played the original arcade releases, but I didn't enjoy the Xbox versions. I assumed maybe the games just weren't for me but could it actually just be the porting? The controls don't feel tight at all...

[1up]

I have Contra on PCB and XBLA. As for the gameplay they are identical, but I don't recall seing any graphics options for anything. Also. the XBLA had a graphics overhaul, like other early XBLA Arcade titles, so it looks "special". It's hard to describe but it's like they upscaled the pixels and put a filter on. There's some weird effect on the explosions too.

I thought they took off Contra a long time ago along with some other titles?

[BIL]

I have never played the original arcade releases, but I didn't enjoy the Xbox versions. I assumed maybe the games just weren't for me but could it actually just be the porting? The controls don't feel tight at all...

Both AC Contras have laggy aiming, unfortunately. Learning to work around it is half the battle. sum tipz that make SC a bit less awkward. I enjoy it occasionally for the boomin' arcade presentation but it's very flawed.

[pegboy]

I'll just be the one to say it, the arcade version of Contra (and Super Contra to a lesser extant) just isn't all that good. This is one of the very few games where I think the console port (NES versions) are far, far superior. I'm a massive fan of the series, but the arcade versions of both Contra and Super Contra just have awkward and completely unintuitive controls. Had the controls been better I'd rate them much higher.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

I'll just be the one to say it, the arcade version of Contra (and Super Contra to a lesser extant) just isn't all that good. This is one of the very few games where I think the console port (NES versions) are far, far superior. I'm a massive fan of the series, but the arcade versions of both Contra and Super Contra just have awkward and completely unintuitive controls. Had the controls been better I'd rate them much higher.

I don't know, I agree that the controls make the games really awkward to play, but in the case of the original Contra, the superior pacing (compared to the NES version) does more than enough to mitigate those issues. I couldn't really get into Super Contra though.

[BrianC]

I have both and can confirm no tate.

Yeah. That's another thing with Digital Eclipse/Backbone. Most of their emulations don't have tate. I think some of their earliest ones may have it, but I'm not completely sure.

[Austin]

I think these versions are fine. You can revert the visuals back to the original along with the sound. No TATE sucks, but it's not something I ever expected from a company like Digital Eclipse. Plus, when I'm playing the game on a 50+ inch television, TATE isn't really necessary. It would be nice for use on my old CRT, but the fact is that's not where my 360 usually is, so no huge loss for me.

I've noticed the arcade versions of Contra and Super Contra haven't typically been well received. I can sort of understand this (particularly for those that were raised on the NES versions)--the controls in particular are kind of wonky and the games lack the gracefulness of the NES versions. That, and Super Contra is *@&!*$% hard. But, once you get over control hurdle the games become pretty damn fun. Good old fashioned mid-to-late '80s arcade gaming at its finest.

Super Contra feels really good to 1cc, by the way.

I thought they took off Contra a long time ago along with some other titles?

They may have been taken off the XBOX Live Marketplace, but you can still get them on the two Konami Classics packs (physical compilations).

[ACSeraph]

I thought they took off Contra a long time ago along with some other titles?

They may have been taken off the XBOX Live Marketplace, but you can still get them on the two Konami Classics packs (physical compilations).

They should still be around unless they were taken down recently. I just bought them sometime earlier this year.

sum tipz

Great info, I may give it another go

[Ed Oscuro]

I have never played the original arcade releases, but I didn't enjoy the Xbox versions. I assumed maybe the games just weren't for me but could it actually just be the porting? The controls don't feel tight at all...

Both AC Contras have laggy aiming, unfortunately. Learning to work around it is half the battle. sum tipz that make SC a bit less awkward. I enjoy it occasionally for the boomin' arcade presentation but it's very flawed.

Looking over your linked post, it's the Japanese version that has the loop. Of course, if you own an arcade board (or just toggle the DIP switches) it's quite painless to get the US and World versions set up for second loop difficulty.

It's apparent to me that Konami thought that it was important to escape the rigid directional fire of other games. Unfortunately, with the digital joystick aiming, there's the lag in order to emulate this. Even with a true analog joystick, this could be troublesome to implement and not really worth the trouble, IMO. That said, it's fairly simple to avoid the problems. It's ironic that Konami's attempt to avoid the typical "jump to aim" technique of various other games ends up requiring you to do more of just that! If Konami had been a smaller publisher not so heavily invested in selling board-swap JAMMA kits to the installed base of eight-way cabinet operators, they could've possibly gone the same route as Data East or SNK with rotary aiming. Super Contra's visuals and progression with Midnight Resistance's aiming could have been an impressive match.

If you adopt a somewhat different mindset (especially on the loop, where precise jump timing over and through enemy volleys becomes essential) then I feel these games can be good fun. On default difficulties, I think the games are fairly easy. Super Contra only becomes insane on the loop, where it becomes really truly insane. At this point, it's just tough, and the controls, which you should know fairly well, don't really play into the equation that much, since you spend a lot of time doing timed jump shots.

[BIL]

Looking over your linked post, it's the Japanese version that has the loop. Of course, if you own an arcade board (or just toggle the DIP switches) it's quite painless to get the US and World versions set up for second loop difficulty.

CRUMBZ. Thanks, updated! I hope the XBLA version on Konami Arcade Classics can be configured this way. I seem to recall maxing out the US version's difficulty in MAME after eventually finding the defaults too easy.

[BazookaBen]

That's good that you can remove the filters and restore original sound. And the price is good at $5 a pop. I really wanted to play this at its original resolution on a tate CRT though, so I may have to go MAME.

[Squire Grooktook]

I'll just be the one to say it, the arcade version of Contra (and Super Contra to a lesser extant) just isn't all that good. This is one of the very few games where I think the console port (NES versions) are far, far superior. I'm a massive fan of the series, but the arcade versions of both Contra and Super Contra just have awkward and completely unintuitive controls. Had the controls been better I'd rate them much higher.

I don't know, I agree that the controls make the games really awkward to play, but in the case of the original Contra, the superior pacing (compared to the NES version) does more than enough to mitigate those issues. I couldn't really get into Super Contra though.

I had the opposite experience. Nes Contra is a masterpiece with it's (somewhat) easy but twitchy and extremely vertical level design (so many platforms to jump on and paths for you and enemies to take!). It easily tops the arcade version. Nes Super C however, has really flat and boring level design that's mostly inferior to the flawed but more challenging and intense arcade Super Contra.