Contra
Typed out by Peter Halvorson
How to Play...
Contra [Konami]
Copyright 1987
Congratulations! You now own the authentic Konami home version of Contra,
one of Konami's many original arcade hits. We suggest that you read this
instruction manual thoroughly before playing the game.
Table of Contents:
- Introduction / How To Play
- The Heroes
- Controlling Your Commando
- Controlling Your Commando In 3-D
- Red Falcon's Defenses
- Powering-Up
- Taking Care of Your Game
ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE
In 1957 a large object from outer space crashed into Earth's Amazon basin,
near ruins of the lost Mayan civilization. Scientists world-wide heralded
the incident as a trivial cosmic occurrence, and thus the collision was soon
forgotten.
Now, thirty years later, rumors of an evil force have swept into the
Pentagon's front office, and tales from frightened villagers of a hideous
being with an army of alien henchmen are sending chills down the spines of
top military brass.
Unwilling to upset current political stability, an all-out assault on the
region has been overruled, and instead, two of America's most cunning,
courageous and ruthless soldiers from the Special Forces elite commando squad
have been selected to seek out and destroy these alien intruders.
Congratulations, pal, you're one of the chosen. But before you take pride in
being the best, be warned.
You're about to come face to face against Red Falcon, the cruelest life-form
in the galaxy. He arrived on Earth thirty years ago (that's six months time
in an alien's life) to establish a foothold from which he will attempt to
conquer our world and then use it as a stepping stone toward his ultimate
fiendish goal: domination of the entire universe.
Needless to say, playing hero won't be easy. But you have no choice -- you
must be a hero. Because if you fail, life as we know it will cease to exist,
and the vile Red Falcon will rule forever.
If you succeed, well...it doesn't matter, because I doubt you will.
HOW TO PLAY
Your mission begins after you leap from an army assault copter into the dense
jungle engulfing the banks of the mighty Amazon. From this point forward you
must battle past hordes of alien soldiers equipped with awesome extra-
terrestrial firepower, relying mainly on your guerrilla warfare instincts to
survive.
Standing between you and destiny are eight defense zones, with the final zone
evoking the ultimate challenge -- the destruction of Red Falcon. To advance
from one zone to another, you must wipe-out heavily defended detection sensors
confronting you at the end of each zone. These sensors are designed to warn
Red Falcon of your approach so he can send forth stronger reinforcements. To
destroy Red Falcon in the final zone, you'll have to maneuver your way into
his alien body, and then destroy him.
Fortunately, for your sake, six different super weapons scattered throughout
Red Falcon's defenses are at your disposal. Of course attaining these weapons
is a risky business. And to do so, you must first blast away special flying
capsules and pill-box sensors, and then capture the released Falcon symbols.
(See Powering-Up for details).
Contra can be played by either one or two players. If two play, play as a
team to survive.
A single player can use either Control (1) or Control (2). When two players
act as commandos, both controls are used.
Scores are displayed between defense zones and at the end of the game. The
game ends when you've lost the last of your 3 lives, or when you destroy the
Red Falcon. For every stage you successfully overcome, you receive one extra
life.
THE HEROES
Lance - Code Name Scorpion: Being an elite commando in the Special Forces
takes a special breed of hero. You need the cunning of a lion, the spirit of
a Viking warrior, and the intelligence of a modern day field general.
Bill - Code Name Mad Dog: Only after these qualities are soaked into your
soul can you stand a ghost of a chance saving humanity from the inhumane Red
Falcon.
CONTROLLING YOUR COMMANDO
Select Button - Use to select either 1 player or 2 player mode. When the game
finishes, use to select CONTINUE or END. Note, you can CONTINUE up to 3 times
per mission.
Start Button - Press to begin your mission. Press again after you've selected
CONTINUE or END when the game finishes. Also press to PAUSE the action.
Using the Control Pad in sync with the A-button and B-button:
Up: You won't move. Press with B-button to shoot upward. Press with A-button
to jump upward.
Up/Right: Move right. Press with B-button to shoot upper right. Press with
A-button to jump right.
Right: Move right. Press with B-button to shoot right. Press with A-button
to jump right.
Down/Right: Move right. Press with B-button to shoot lower right. Press
with A-button to jump right.
Down: Laydown. Press with B-button to shoot either left or right. Press
with A-button to climb down.
Down/Left: Move left. Press with B-button to shoot lower left. Press with
A-button to jump left.
Left: Move left. Press with B-button to shoot left. Press with A-button to
jump left.
Up/Left: Move left. Press with B-button to shoot upper left. Press with
A-button to jump left.
CONTROLLING YOUR COMMANDO IN 3-D
Defense Zone 2 and Defense Zone 4 challenge you 3-dimensionally. In these
zones you'll find yourself deep within a Mayan temple converted into a
commando death trap, complete with Red Falcon's Royal Guards and high voltage,
mind-jolting energy fields.
Control Pad - Use to move forward, to the left or to the right. Press pad
down to lay down.
B-button - Press to fire.
A-button - Press to jump.
RED FALCON'S EIGHT LINES OF DEFENSE
Jungle: Fight through the heart of the Amazon, blasting past Red Falcon's
first lines of defense, until you reach the entrance of the fortified Mayan
temple. Destroy the red detection sensor to advance into BASE 1.
Base 1: Weave through an underground maze, destroying sensors while avoiding
attacks from the Royal Guard. Remember -- Beware the Energy Fields. And pray
to make it past the evil core at the center of Base 1.
Waterfall: It's just a hop, skip and a jump upward until you reach Base 2.
Naturally, aliens surround your every move, but you must reach the diamond
shaped detection sensor and blow it up to inch closer toward Red Falcon.
Base 2: The sensors suddenly become more difficult to destroy, as do the
Royal Guards. Once you reach the core, you must demolish 4 moving heads when
they are perfectly aligned. Good luck! You'll need it.
Snow Field: Red Falcon is beginning to worry about your progress and has
turned rain forests into treacherous ice fields. If you don't freeze to death
or get blasted by an array of alien forces, you may survive.
Energy Zone: Now you're in a pre-fab world of hyper-space terror.
Reinforcements pour in and all appears hopeless. Of course if you believe in
miracles maybe you'll make it.
Hangar Zone: Holy cow! You've made it to Red Falcon's final line of defense
before you reach the mighty one himself. The aliens and the odds definitely
don't favor you here.
Alien's Lair: Red Falcon, I'd like you to meet one hot shot commando. Hot
Shot commando, meet Red Falcon. The unpleasantry is mutual, I'm sure, since
you must blast alien larvae, alien guts, and finally the alien's heart to save
the earth.
POWERING-UP. THE ART OF SURVIVAL.
Destroy flying capsules and pill box sensors, and power-up Falcon Symbols will
appear. Capture these symbols and you'll obtain the firepower you'll
ultimately need to survive.
Flying Capsule (transcriber's note: symbol looks like a football with a
falcon in the center).
Pill Box Sensor (transcriber's note: symbol looks like an octagon with a
diamond in the center).
Machine Gun Falcon (falcon symbol with an "M" in the center).
Laser Falcon (falcon with an "L" in the center).
Fire Ball Falcon (falcon with an "F" in the center).
Rapid Fire Falcon (falcon with an "R" in the center).
Spread Gun Falcon (falcon with an "S" in the center).
Force Field Falcon (falcon with a "B" in the center).
Mass Destruction Falcon (glowing falcon symbol).
TREAT YOUR KONAMI GAME CAREFULLY!!