Super C

Super C is one of the defining run-and-gun action games on the Nintendo Entertainment System and one of Konami's most memorable follow-ups to the original Contra. Released for the NES in 1990, Super C takes the fast shooting, relentless enemy attacks, precise jumping, and cooperative action of its predecessor and pushes them into a more varied adventure. Although it is based on the arcade game Super Contra, the NES version is not a straightforward conversion. Konami made substantial changes to the structure, stages, bosses, weapons, and presentation, creating a game that feels like a natural sequel to the original NES Contra rather than simply an arcade port.

The North American title itself has an interesting history. In Japan, the game was released as Super Contra: The Alien Strikes Back, while the North American NES release was shortened to Super C. The change was made during the period when the Iran-Contra affair was still a politically sensitive subject in the United States. In Europe, the game was released under the alternate title Probotector II: Return of the Evil Forces, continuing the regional tradition of replacing the human commandos with robotic characters.

For players who enjoyed the original Contra, however, the most important thing about Super C is much simpler: it is another incredibly intense action game where hesitation can be punished almost immediately.

The story continues the conflict with the alien forces associated with Red Falcon. After the events of the first game, the threat appears to have been defeated, but the aliens return with another assault on Earth. Bill and Lance, the elite commandos from Contra, are once again sent into combat. This time the situation is particularly dangerous because enemy forces include not only alien creatures but also human soldiers who have been taken over or manipulated by the invading forces. The story is intentionally straightforward, serving mainly as an excuse to move the player from one battlefield to another.

The game begins with the familiar run-and-gun formula. Your character moves through hostile environments while firing in eight directions. Enemies can approach from the front, behind, above, or below, meaning that simply running forward is rarely enough. The player must constantly watch the entire screen and react to changing threats.

That eight-direction shooting system is one of Super C's most important mechanics. You can aim while standing, running, jumping, or crouching, allowing the player to fire diagonally as well as horizontally and vertically. This gives the combat considerably more flexibility than a basic side-scrolling shooter. At the same time, it introduces an important skill requirement: you need to understand where enemies are coming from and aim before they get close enough to cause damage.

Super C also retains the famous power-up system from the original NES Contra. During certain portions of the stages, flying capsules appear above the battlefield. Shooting them reveals special weapons and abilities. The manual identifies several major power-ups, including the Machine Gun, Spread Gun, Laser, Flame Thrower, Rapid Fire, Barrier, and Mega Shell