Contra Series (1987)
Konami's Co-Op Run-and-Gun Archetype, the Spread Gun, and the Immortal Konami Code
Inaugurated by Konami in coin-op arcades in February 1987 and canonized on the NES in 1988, Contra established the definitive grammar of the cooperative run-and-gun action genre. Casting commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean (unabashedly modeled after Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone) against the bio-mechanical alien threat of Red Falcon, Contra popularized 8-directional multi-angle firing, the devastating multi-directional 'Spread Gun', and the legendary 30-lives Konami Code.
Blockbuster Hollywood Synthesis and the Spread Gun Dynasty
Contra synthesized 1980s American muscular action cinema (Predator, Commando, Aliens) into a relentless interactive thrill-ride. Supporting simultaneous two-player cooperative play across horizontal scrolling, vertical climbing, and simulated 3D base-corridor perspectives, Contra granted players 8-directional aiming while somersaulting through the air. The 'S' power-up—the legendary Spread Gun, which fanned out five lethal red energy projectiles across the screen—became interactive entertainment's most universally coveted weapon drop.
The 30-Lives Konami Code and European Probotector Transformation
Given Contra's lethal one-hit-kill vulnerability, finishing the game on its default three lives was nearly impossible for casual players. By entering the Konami Code on the title screen, players unlocked 30 lives, cementing the input string as the most famous cheat code in global pop-culture history. In Europe, strict German BPjM censorship forced Konami to replace human soldiers with cybernetic droids, rechristening the franchise as Probotector. In 1992, Contra III: The Alien Wars on the SNES set an unmatched 16-bit action benchmark with missile-hanging pyrotechnics.