Contra (arcade)

Contra in its 1987 arcade original is the game where the legendary formula that Konami would later make famous the world over first appeared. Two muscle-bound commandos — clearly inspired by Rambo and the Terminator — fight their way through waves of an alien invasion and human mercenaries. It's a pure, adrenaline-fueled run & gun: you run to the right, shoot in every direction, and collect weapon upgrades, while a single hit means death.

The arcade version offered more detailed graphics and smoother animation than the later home ports, and became famous for its pseudo-3D levels, where the character heads into the depth of the screen against fortresses. But the heart of the experience is two-player co-op — Contra was built for playing together, where partners cover each other's backs, share power-ups, and jointly curse every cheap hit. The iconic Spread Gun is the weapon every player craves.

This arcade cabinet also gave rise to the fabled NES conversion, made famous by its infinite-lives code and its status as one of the hardest games ever made. Retro players revere arcade Contra as the very origin of this legend — rawer, tougher, and more uncompromising action that defined what a perfect run & gun should look like.