Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX preserves the relentless run-and-gun action of its SNES forebear while streamlining the controls for the Game Boy Advance. From the moment you hit “Start,” you’ll find a responsive control scheme that lets you jump, shoot, and dash with pinpoint accuracy. Traditional Contra veterans will appreciate the 8-way shooting, which allows you to engage airborne and ground targets simultaneously without sacrificing mobility.

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The six core stages—each riddled with alien hordes and rogue human combatants—are masterfully designed to keep the adrenaline pumping. Early levels introduce fundamental enemy patterns and environmental hazards like collapsing bridges or auto-scrolling corridors. As you progress, the challenges escalate with armored vehicles, turret installations, and massive bosses that demand memorization and lightning-fast reflexes. Repeat visits to each stage earn you a deeper understanding of enemy spawn points, rewarding patient players who learn through trial and error.

Co-op play is where this entry shines brightest. Two players can drop in side by side, sharing weapon pickups and reviving each other in tight spots. This camaraderie turns solo frustration into shared triumph, making every boss encounter feel like a coordinated strike. The cartridge’s link-cable support is rock-solid, with no noticeable slowdown or lag—a real boon for those planning marathon sessions with friends.

Adding to the gameplay repertoire are the bonus levels inspired by Contra: Hard Corps. These segments introduce branching paths, new weapon pickups, and even vehicle-based segments that break up the classic on-foot shooting. While these extras don’t reinvent the wheel, they inject fresh variety into a tried-and-true formula, ensuring fans of both Contra III: The Alien Wars and Hard Corps will find something to savor.

Graphics

On the GBA’s modest screen, Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX delivers surprisingly crisp visuals and fluid animations. Character sprites are detailed, with clear color contrasts that help distinguish between player characters, allies, and a legion of alien grunts. Explosions and muzzle flashes remain vivid without becoming distracting, and destructible scenery pieces (barrels, crates, bridge segments) break apart with satisfying pixel-perfect bursts.

Backgrounds strike a balance between atmospheric depth and gameplay clarity. From futuristic cityscapes buried under alien sprawl to scorched battlefields littered with wreckage, each backdrop establishes a mood without obscuring incoming threats. Parallax scrolling is used sparingly—mainly in boss arenas and multi-layered platform sections—but where present, it adds a palpable sense of scale to the action.

Boss designs are a highlight, with oversized mechanical monstrosities and grotesque alien behemoths that fill nearly the entire screen. Their attack patterns unfold in choreographed sequences, and the sprite work captures every jointed limb swing and projectile volley with remarkable smoothness. Despite the GBA’s hardware limits, animation frames never feel choppy, even when the screen is awash with bullets and sparks.

Story

The narrative in Contra Advance is refreshingly straightforward: the Red Falcon organization has returned, this time blending bio-engineered alien forces with renegade human soldiers. As a member of the elite Contra squad, your objectives are laid out in terse briefing screens—destroy the alien nests, topple the war machines, and take down the Red Falcon core before it ushers in global chaos.

While the plot won’t win any awards for complexity, it serves its purpose admirably. Cutscenes between levels are brief, rendered in static art with motion lines and text overlays, but they inject just enough context to keep you invested. The sense of an escalating threat—from jungle hits to urban sabotage and ultimately a high-tech fortress—is well paced and mirrors the game’s difficulty curve.

Contra Advance doesn’t attempt to add dozens of characters or convoluted twists; instead, it doubles down on the classic “lone soldier vs. alien army” motif that defines the series. The absence of dialogue trees or RPG-style side quests ensures the focus remains locked on explosive combat. For players seeking a rich backstory or emotional arcs, this may feel minimalistic—but for purists, it’s a welcome return to the essentials.

Overall Experience

Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX stands out as a top-tier portable shooter. It successfully adapts the high-octane feel of Contra III: The Alien Wars to the GBA without sacrificing speed or precision. Each level offers a tight balance of challenge and reward, encouraging repeated runs to master enemy waves and hidden power-up locations.

Replay value is strong thanks to co-op mode, branching Hard Corps stages, and a wealth of unlockable cheats and alternate weapons. Whether you’re tackling the campaign solo or teaming up with a friend, the game’s difficulty spikes keep your heart rate elevated from start to finish. Checkpoint placement is generous enough to prevent frustration, yet you’ll still earn that rush of satisfaction when you clear a lengthy stretch without dying.

For Contra aficionados and action-game enthusiasts alike, this title is a must-have on the Game Boy Advance. It marries nostalgic level designs with fresh content and keeps the series’ signature intensity intact. If you’re hunting for a challenging portable experience that rewards skill, teamwork, and perseverance, Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX delivers in spades.

Retro Replay Score

6.9/10