Didn’t even realize it before I started thinking about what I’ve been playing lately, but I’ve been focusing on, semi-seriously, several run ‘n guns.

Contra (Arcade)

Bought it on XBLA when it was on sale because it’s Contra and I’m stupid like that. The fact that I already had the game in a technically better form for PS2 in Hamster’s Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono 16-release just accentuates my twisted loveaffair with Contra.

How did Konami ever think that a game scrolling mostly horizontally but using a vertically-oriented monitor was a good idea? It’s such a clumsy game compared to the NES port. And a bit shorter at ~10 minutes and maybe even a bit easier. Already 1CCed it a few times on PS2, might as well try for a no-miss. Basic Contra-strategy applies: Get spreadshot and don’t lose it. Oddly random at times, sometimes you get certain power-ups (like the invulnerability one), sometimes you don’t.

Neo Contra

Already have the S-rank clear. But I had to restart a stage or two for it, and like in Shattered Soldier the game doesn’t care whether restarts were used or not. I do care, so it doesn’t count. Unlike in SS, you can actually die or miss an enemy and still get an S-rank clear. While in SS the requirement for S-rank was 100% in Neo it’s 98%. And each death just penalizes you for %1. So it’s possible to die twice in a stage and still get the best possible grade.

I’m aiming for a 100% S-rank clear. With no retries, obviously. I’ve already got 100% in each individual stage in practice. Doing it all in a single run is made more difficult annoying by some stupid design decisions. Sometimes the camera angle just gets in the way and you get hit by something you didn’t think was a threat. To balance this there’s the invulnerability-granting spin move. But really, the designers should’ve seen that if they need to include such a thing, something more fundamental is wrong with the game.

That said, there are only few troublesome spots left. There’s the Lucia boss battle during which the camera is at 30-40 degree angle behind you. Easy to get accidentally hit there. And then there’s Stage 6′s boss’ second attack pattern, where he throws his sword around and it’s pretty tricky to dodge. The last boss is easier, all his attacks either have safespots or are pretty clearly telegraphed.

Cyber-Lip

The pre-Metal Slug Neo Geo run ‘n gun. It’s rough around the edges but has a nice charm to it. I like being able to select the weapon to use at any time. And most of them even get used at some point.

Like some parts of arcade Contra, it’s just so random. Like the stage 3 boss (which reminds me of Stage 5′s boss in Shattered Soldier, actually) which sometimes just decides to ram up at you, and unless you’re in a position where he can’t hit you before he starts the attack, you will get hit. Even after checking my replay footage I’ve been unable to find any hints that tell the attack is coming. Best bet is to just kill the boss as fast as possible (and he can’t be hurt by the most powerful weapon, weird bug?) and hope for the best.

Between certain stages you have to decide whether to go up or down an elevator. Which choice is the correct one is random each game. Getting it wrong puts into you a small ministage (three different ones, picked at random) before you can proceed to the actual stage. Not very hard, just odd ‘n random.

Stage 5 boss is the hardest boss by far. Rock-spewing alien ballsacks at top, alien head at right which also spawns lil’ facehuggers. Destroying the leftmost ballsack makes the battle far easier, problem is doing it. Probably going to lose a life or two here.

The last boss is a total pushover. Not once when I’ve practiced the game by creditfeeding have I died to him. A small unknown factor is the room before him, where there are several doors which you can go through. Most doors lead to fighting the previous bosses, one or two to an ammo room and one to the last boss. I actually think these aren’t randomized, which would make the whole thing quite simple. And silly. Gotta doublecheck that.

I don’t think I’ll aim for a no-miss in this one but a 1CC should be within reach.

And lastly, I went and picked up Sin & Punishment 2 for the Wii. Seems pretty fun but I need to play it more. Very chaotic at times. I think it’s too long to bother with a proper arcade-style one-sitting playthrough but score attacking individual stages might be fun. Scoring seems to be governed by the multiplyer which increases as you destroy enemies and lowers when you get hit yourself. Simple enough, probably some tricks in there with the melee attack and deflecting enemy shots back at them.