Contra: Operation Galuga

Impulse GamerGareth Newnham

Contra: Operation Galuga is a huge step in the right direction after the utterly abysmal last entry in Konami’s long-running (and gunning) series.

Checkpoint GamingCharlie Kelly

8/10

I’ve been around the block and then some with games at this point. No matter the genre or the experience, as long as it provides hours of fun and the goods then I’m there. One of my big gaps of knowledge in the gaming world, however, has always been run-‘n’-gunners and, more specifically the one to start it all, Contra. With the recently released Contra: Operation Galuga, a modern remake of the very original ’87 game, what better opportunity?

Game InformerBrian Shea

8/10

Once a tentpole franchise in the popular run-and-gun subgenre of action games, Contra has experienced a stark downturn in recent decades. Konami's (mostly) side-scrolling shooter franchise has often gone long stretches without a release, and the games that have come out in recent years range from middling to downright bad. With Contra: Operation Galuga, Konami taps renowned retro-style developer WayForward, best known for its work on the Shantae series, to bring the once-renowned series back to its roots. While far from a one-to-one remake, Contra: Operation Galuga effectively captures the spi...

COGConnectedStephan Adamus

80/100

Contra is one of those classic series that modern developers just can’t seem to get right. The only sequels worth playing since the 16-bit generation have been Contra: Shattered Soldier for the PlayStation 2, and Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS. Both of those titles followed the original Contra’s 2D run and gun formula without any major changes. WayForward, who developed Contra 4, just decided to not bother with any reinvention whatsoever and has remade the original Contra arcade game from 1987 in the form of Contra: Operation Galuga.

GameGrinAlana Dunitz

8/10

Contra: Operation Galuga is a worthy entry in the Contra series. The run-’n’-gun action is addictive; combined with great visuals and music, this is a game to check out and replay.

WayTooManyGamesLeo Faria

8/10

I don’t know why, but Konami tends to announce brand new games with little to no fanfare, almost covertly, during Nintendo’s Directs. Well, when those games aren’t called Silent Hill, that is. Contra: Operation Galuga just showed up for a millisecond during a reveal reel, almost as if the company was afraid to unveil it. I get that Contra: Rogue Corps was poorly received (I didn’t find it to be that bad, but I get I’m in the minority), but when you’re publishing a remake of the 19...

eXputerHanzala Iftikhar

Contra: Operation Galuga, though nothing new and has some story issues, is still a love letter to Contra fans just wanting to shoot stuff.

Gamers HeroesCasey Scheld

70/100

The soldiers of Contra: Operation Galuga have the right moves for this mission, but the steep cost, short length, and awkward perspectives lead to a less-than-perfect execution.

Playstation UniverseJames Davie

7/10

Many pretenders and contenders have attempted to lay claim to Contra’s run-and-gun throne over the years, with some glowingly successful and others failing abysmally, but Contra: Operation Galuga largely preserves its legacy with this faithful recreation of the much-loved 1980s classic. While Operation Galuga won’t offer fans anything shocking or out of the ordinary, it’s still a pleasing upgrade they’ll be clamouring for. There’s plenty in here to relish, and it’s not bloated with new features and ideas that could otherwise jeopardize this renewed relic. Yes, more could’ve been done to reinve...

GamingBoltPramath

7/10

While it never transcends its own limitations and fumbles, Operation Galuga is a solid entry into the Contra franchise that is fun enough to play on its own merits.

GameTyrant Ali Hashmi

7/10

It’s been so long since I’ve played a good Contra game that I didn’t really have any expectations when a new one was announced. Thankfully, WayForward have done a pretty solid job of reviving the series in a way that doesn’t comprise its challenging roots but doesn’t push the series further in any m

XboxEraGenghis "Solidus Kraken" Husameddin

6.3/10

On a lesser note, this game doesn’t offer online cooperative play. While its not the end of the world (and I much prefer local play for these kinds of games), I feel it should be standard especially for the price point (as a favourite of mine, ‘Hard Corps: Uprising’ does). As the developer has patched online support into their previous games, I hope they can do the same here.