Operation C
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| Operation C | |
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| Developer(s) | Konami |
| Publisher(s) | Konami (Japan) Ultra Games (North America) Mattel (Europe) |
| Designer(s) | Toru Hagihara, Y. Hayano (programmers) |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy |
| Release date | JP January 8, 1991 NA February, 1991 |
| Genre(s) | Run and gun |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Media | Cartridge |
Operation C, released as Contra (コントラ Kontora?)[1] in Japan and Probotector in Europe and Oceania, is a 1991 run and gun game by Konami produced specifically for the Game Boy. It is the third game in the Contra series, following the original Contra and Super Contra (Super C) and the first game in the series produced specifically for a portable hardware.
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[edit] Plot
Set after the events of Super Contra, the plot varies between versions of the game. In the original Japanese plot (the continuity that was later adapted in the English localization of Contra: Shattered Soldier), an unnamed hostile nation has taken a sample of an alien's cell with the purpose of developing new kinds of biological weapons through cloning technology. The Federation's chief gives a confidential order to veteran alien fighter, Bill Rizer, to prevent this plan. In the North American localization, the unnamed hostile nation is replaced by the "Black Viper", an alien entity or organization related to Red Falcon from the previous games. Like Contra and Super C before it, the setting was also changed from the 27th century to present time, with the main character now identified as Scorpion (Lance). The plot of the Probotector version according to the manual and packaging is almost a remake of the first Probotector for the NES, which in turn was an adaptation of the Japanese plot of the first Contra. However, the villain is identified as Black Viper in the Game Boy version of Probotector as well, rather than Red Falcon.
In the timeline presented in the Contra 4 manual and official website, the events of Operation C are depicted as a previous mission of "Mad Dog" and "Scorpion" (the new characters introduced in Contra 4) against the Black Viper organization. The Japanese localization of the game, Contra: Dual Spirits, makes no references to this revision.
[edit] Gameplay
The game has a total of five levels, many of which share design similarities to Super Contra. The second and fourth levels are overhead, and the remaining are either side or vertically scrolling. The music, with the exception of a few songs, is mostly remixed from the first Contra. Operation C was the first Contra game to replace the standard rifle from previous games in favor of the machine gun as the player's default weapon. There are only three power-ups in Operation C, the spread shot and fire gun from Super Contra, and a homing gun introduced in this game. The spread shot starts out as a three way shot, but can be upgraded to a five way after picking it up a second time.
The Japanese version features a stage select feature that allows the player to start the game at any of the first four stages. This feature was made accessible in the Operation C and Probotector versions only via the Konami Code. All versions also have a ten lives code, as well as a sound test code. Probotector version of the game replaces the human main character with the Probotector robot RD008, much like the first two NES games in the series.
[edit] Rereleases
Operation C is included in the Game Boy compilation Konami GB Collection Vol. 1 released in 1997 in Japan and in 2000 in Europe. The Japanese version is identical to the original release, but with added Super Game Boy border support. While the version of the game included with the European compilation is titled Probotector, it features the original human character, rather than the robot from the original Probotector release. It also retains the stage select screen as a default feature.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ The game's Japanese title is written in kana, instead of the original game's ateji title of 魂斗羅.
