Gryzor (Contra)

When arcades were spitting out barrages of lead and players craved that same action at home, Gryzor pulled off the impossible — it brought the fury of Contra to an 8-bit computer without losing its edge. The CPC version is still considered one of the best run & gun ports on the home 8-bits.

Under the name Gryzor (in Europe Contra was also sold under this and other titles), uncompromising run & gun action awaits: you advance forward, mow down waves of enemies, collect weapon upgrades and fight your way to the bosses. The game alternates classic side-scrolling with into-the-screen perspectives where you assault fortified bases. The pace is brisk, the enemies plentiful, and there's certainly no shortage of pure adrenaline.

The original arcade machine was created by Konami in 1987, and the home conversion for the Amstrad CPC was released by Britain's Ocean, a master of the era's arcade ports. It was precisely the color and smoothness of the CPC version that amazed people — it was convincing proof that the computer could handle even the most demanding arcade game, not just slower adventures.

Contra as a brand became one of the pillars of the genre and grew famous for its legendary cheat code, which fans still know to this day. The series continued through many installments across console generations, and for many CPC owners Gryzor was the closest approximation to an arcade machine they could have at home.

The difficulty here is honestly arcade-grade — the game tolerates no mistakes and demands quick reflexes and memorization of the route. That's precisely what made it a title players returned to again and again in their attempts to get just a little bit further.

Why play it: For one of the best 8-bit ports of Contra — brisk, colorful and uncompromising run & gun action.