Contra: Operation Galuga is a loving throwback to simpler times

I never got into Contra when it originally came out. Mostly because I wasn’t born yet, but also because the re-releases in the 90s were too hard for me to enjoy. To date, it’s a series that I remember fondly as the one that I try for five minutes, remember why I don’t play it, and let others have their fun.

Which isn’t to say it’s bad. Far from it. Contra is one of the great original creations that defined the 8-bit Nintendo, and ushered in an entire genre of action titles. From a purely technical view, it’s an example of peerless game design. There isn’t a single thing you could take away without breaking the magic.

But it is a difficult game, and I’m not built for such hardship in my entertainment. Which is why I’m so glad that Operation Galuga, the sequel/remake to the original, is far more accessible and user-friendly.

Fear not, gatekeepers, you can still play the whole thing on the nail-biting difficulty level of yore. That’s not going away. But for everyone else, Operation Galuga offers a bevvy of options that make life just a bit easier. It doesn’t make the game a walk in the park, but it does smooth out the rough edges to the point that retrying the still challenging levels isn’t a source of frustration.

For starters, you now have unlimited continues available. Levels come with checkpoints, and your hero can take multiple hits instead of keeling over from a single one. Weapons can be upgraded by picking up the same type of gun, leading to some truly kick-ass combinations down the line. Between levels, you can pick up upgrades that ease off the difficulty even further.

It’s all in the service of a good time, and Operation Galuga delivers that in spades. Whether that’s in single-player or with three friends, the result is a throwback that feels modern in all the right ways.

The main campaign lasts only a few hours, but that’s kind of the point with this genre. Every aspect encourages replayability, whether it’s to try out different weapons, or just to get a better score. As players get more used to the punishing mechanics, the prospect of moving up to the old-school rules grows more enticing. Unlike in the past, where the difficulty curve was a 90-degree cliff wall, Operation Galuga builds up the challenge incrementally.

While the story and the voice acting aren’t exactly stellar, they’re not a distraction, either. There’s a knowing schlocky quality to the whole thing, and I can’t help but feel that some of the wooden delivery is intentional. Those who lived through the golden age of bad game dubbing will certainly get some nostalgia out of it.

I tried out Operation Galuga in both handheld and docked modes, alone and with friends. Each mode offered a solid frame rate and terrific responsiveness. For full throwback goodness, I recommend the handheld mode. There’s something supremely joyous about short bursts of ultra violent alien mayhem while on the bus, or lying back on the sofa.

Played with friends, Operation Galuga delivers exactly what it promises. A frenetic and over-the-top run-and-gun experience that is perfect for couch co-op sessions. In an era of 100 hour epics and online games-as-a-service sludge, Operation Galuga feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s simple, direct, and precisely what we need right now.