Contra: all version differences

8 documented differences between the releases of Contra, each with a source. Back to the main page for names, releases and where to play.

Category × version

Category	NES (EU) Probotector	Famicom (JP)	NES (NA/EU)	Arcade	NES/Famicom	MSX2	NES (NA)	home computers
Censorship	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Content	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Graphics	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Difficulty	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gameplay	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	0
Text	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1

Version differences

CensorshipNES (EU) Probotector

To get around German youth-protection rules on violent games, the PAL NES release, Probotector, turned the two soldiers and several human enemies into robots and replaced the helicopter in the ending with a futuristic jet.¹
ContentFamicom (JP)

Only the Famicom cartridge has story cutscenes at the start and between stages, along with a map of the Galuga archipelago before each area; the NES versions show a plain black stage card instead.¹
GraphicsFamicom (JP)NES (NA/EU)

Konami's VRC2 chip let the Famicom version animate backgrounds such as swaying palm trees, a snowstorm and a pulsating alien lair. The NES versions used a cheaper board with half the program memory and dropped these effects.²
DifficultyFamicom (JP)

The Famicom version starts harder: its first loop plays like the second loop of the NES release.¹
GameplayFamicom (JP)

Only the Famicom version has a level select and a sound test, unlocked with button codes on the title screen.¹
GameplayArcadeNES/Famicom

The arcade original has seven stages on a vertical screen, with time limits in the base stages. The NES/Famicom game has eight longer stages, no time limit in the base stages and a screen-clearing bonus item.³
GameplayMSX2

The Japan-only MSX2 version is a different design: single player only, flip-screen instead of scrolling, an energy gauge and 19 stages.²
TextNES (NA)home computers

The Western manuals moved the story from the future and the Galuga archipelago to the present-day Amazon jungle.²

Back to Contra

Sources

Checked: 2026-10-13