Operation C

When you say Contra, most players picture a TV, two controllers and a screen overflowing with lead. Could this brutal, adrenaline-fueled series really be squeezed onto an unlit gray-green display? Operation C proves that it can — and that it works better than any reasonable expectation would allow.

This is the third Contra in order and the very first portable one in the series' history. Konami did not take the path of least resistance. The game faithfully carries over everything that made Contra Contra: the frantic pace, one-hit death and, of course, the iconic arsenal of weapons led by the legendary spread shot and laser. Just like Super C, Operation C alternates side-scrolling and top-down levels, so it never slides into monotony even on the small screen — it constantly changes both the perspective and the way you have to fight your way through hordes of enemies.

The title's European history is intriguing too. Due to the era's sensitivity toward depictions of violence, the game was released on the old continent under the name „Probotector“, where robots replaced the human soldiers — the same fate that befell other entries in the series in Europe. Under the hood, though, it was the same uncompromising action, just with different cosmetics for the heroes.

What sets Operation C apart from the home console entries is its tightness. It is short but all the more intense — a concentrated dose of Contra madness you can beat in one sitting, yet one that still forces you to break a serious sweat. No dead spots, no padding; just pure, dense action from the first level to the last. On a handheld, where you often only dip in for a moment, it is actually the ideal format.

In the end, Operation C belongs among those handheld conversions that deserve respect. Instead of a gutted substitute, it offers a full-fledged piece of the series that understands why people love Contra, and it manages to preserve that essence even at a much smaller scale. For fans of the run-and-gun genre, it is small proof that screen size does not determine intensity.

Why play it: A full-fledged, uncompromising Contra in your pocket — a short but brutally intense dose of run-and-gun action that unexpectedly excels on the small screen.