Choose a weapon pickup deliberately
Use the original M, S, L and F icons to recognize the four replacement weapons.
Original 1988 North American NES Contra. The 1987 arcade game has a different stage structure; Japanese Famicom presentation and PAL Probotector character replacements are outside this guide.
7 items · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.
Weapon pickups
Machine gun — M
The M pickup replaces the rifle with a rapid automatic stream. It offers familiar forward aiming and works well when you can maintain a clear line.
Spread gun — S
The S pickup fires a fan of shots covering several directions. Its broad coverage helps clear small enemies, but movement still decides whether incoming fire is avoided.
Laser — L
The L pickup equips the laser. Time each beam along a clean firing line and test the release rhythm before relying on it during a crowded jump.
Fire-ball gun — F
The F pickup equips a looping fire-ball shot. Its curved trajectory asks for different aiming habits from the rifle, so practice before approaching a narrow target.
Rapid Fire — R
Speeds up the bullets of whichever gun you are carrying; it is lost when you lose a life.
Support pickups
Barrier — B
Makes you flash and ignore damage for a short time, so push through dangerous sections quickly.
Falcon
The flying falcon emblem destroys every enemy currently on screen.
Every Contra pickup
Letters fall from flying capsules and pillbox sensors in the original 1988 NES game.
- M — Machine Gun — hold the button for automatic fire
- S — Spread Gun — five-way spread shot
- L — Laser — long piercing beam
- F — Fire Ball — corkscrewing fireballs
- R — Rapid Fire — faster bullets for the current gun
- B — Barrier — short invincibility
- Falcon — destroys all enemies on screen
Quick notes
- Read the letter before collecting. Shoot a flying capsule or fixed item container to release a pickup, then check its letter before crossing into it.
- Match the shot shape to the threat. Spread fire covers several directions and helps when small enemies approach from different heights.
- Protect a useful weapon after the pickup. A lost life removes the equipped replacement weapon and returns the player to the normal rifle.
A strong weapon is valuable only while its owner survives the next jump.
Picture details
Game artwork belongs to its respective rights holders.