I just got this game from GameFly... I'm really glad I didn't buy it. Talk about bringing back the bad ol' days of replaying the same level a million times to just progress one additional screen.

I love me some retro gaming but Christ, this game is overly difficult at points. God bless the save feature. 

Bad ol' days? It's just like most 8- or 16-bit game -- it's hard until you've played the level/boss a few times. Learn pattens, then kick ass.

It's nice to have a game that doesn't let you level select and actually penalizes you for failure. It makes it a lot more intense when the player actually has something on the line if they blow it (i.e. start all over).

Games have become so overly easy these days I guess people have forgotten what it was like before games let you eat hits all day.

Hard mode is DEFINITELY rough nuggets, though.

I say bad ol' days jokingly as a reference to my many beautiful hours spent screaming at a television while playing games like TMNT, Battletoads, Kid Icarus, etc. I loved those games but nowadays, I just don't see the point in making a game that bloody difficult. Or if it is that difficult, just give me save points every once in awhile.

Starting over from the beginning just gets boring and repetitive. There's a reason why 99% of the games don't make the player do that anymore. 

Well, I did buy the game and I love it for the same reasons you hate it.

@rocketpig:

The challenge mode adds a great deal of replay value to the game. It also lets you hone your skills in small, manageable chunks. Then, after finishing all 40 challenges, the main game is almost hilariously easy.

Also, I love this game, as demonstrated in this thread:

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=12346

The game is like 20 minutes long -- if lose your continues you don't have much ground to make up. And the idea you get better each time you play it. I think the formula works great, esp in short bursts -- it's not a game you're meant to play for hours straight.

I think it's just sucky that most people will categorize it as "too hard" when really it's just a different game design than people are used to now. You just have to take Contra a little more seriously than the average action game. It's not pedestrian as MoH or something, games where you're really just along for the ride.

I am stuck on hard mode though, on that fucking robot boss's rocket punches.

I did just buy the game.

From EB, so I got the copy from the little plastic case as new. Boo. Though I've already played it once before, so I know to expect the masochistic joy of Contra.

@Fuzzmosis:

ARGH! Curse EB and their demon policies...

Ah, good to know. Thanks. I've been suffering through the Arcade mode. I'll give Challenge a shot right now. I'm too stubborn to give up on the game but I don't want my poor little DS to suffer an untimely death because of Konami's sadistic nature. :D

It wouldn't be proper Contra if it wasn't hard as hell.