Contra III: The Alien Wars

About Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES)

Contra III: The Alien Wars is a run-and-gun shooter developed and published by Konami for the SNES in 1992. Set in the year 2636, two years after the events of Super Contra, the alien entity Red Falcon launches a full-scale invasion of Earth. Commandos Jimbo and Sully - the descendants of the original heroes, known in Japan as Bill and Lance - are humanity’s last line of defense.

Built to show off the young SNES hardware, Contra III mixes side-scrolling stages with rotating Mode 7 top-down battles, giant multi-part bosses, and set pieces like riding missiles in mid-air. It is widely ranked among the greatest action games on the system and a benchmark for two-player co-op.

Detailed Gameplay

Blast through six stages of relentless enemies, turrets, and screen-filling bosses. You carry two weapons at once and can swap between them, but taking a hit costs you the gun in hand - and a life.

Run-and-Gun Stages

• Fight through a burning city, a highway assault, and a climb up a collapsing mountainside
• Grab weapon pods from flying carriers: Spread Shot, Crush missiles, Homing Gun, Laser, and Fireball
• Cling to walls and ceilings, swing from pipes, and fire in eight directions while moving
• Stage four has you riding a hoverbike, then clinging to flying missiles between warships

Mode 7 Top-Down Stages

• Stages two and five switch to an overhead view that rotates with Mode 7 effects
• Split-screen co-op lets each player rotate their own view independently
• Destroy every marked target core in the maze-like arenas to clear the stage
• L and R buttons rotate your aim while your feet stay planted - a system unique to these stages

Two-Weapon System and Bombs

• Carry two weapons and swap freely - losing a life only drops the equipped one
• Smart bombs clear the screen of enemies and bullets when a run goes wrong
• Combine a safe primary gun with a risky powerhouse for boss fights
• Co-op partners can revive and cover each other through the hardest screens

Bosses

• Face the giant wall-crawler, the twin-headed turtle battleship, and skeleton robots
• Red Falcon’s forms escalate from a huge alien heart to a flying brain with orbiting shields
• Most bosses fill half the screen and demand pattern memorization

Game Highlights

• Mode 7 Spectacle: Rotating top-down stages that showed off the SNES at launch.
• Two Weapons at Once: Swap guns on the fly and protect your best weapon with your life.
• Legendary Set Pieces: Missile rides, hoverbike chases, and a freeway full of dive-bombers.
• Elite Co-op: Six stages of two-player mayhem that still define the genre.

Controls

Fight with the SNES controller. - D-Pad: Move, aim in eight directions, crouch, and climb - B Button: Jump over bullets and gaps - Y Button: Fire your current weapon; hold for continuous fire - X Button: Swap between your two carried weapons - A Button: Detonate a smart bomb to clear the screen - L/R Buttons: Lock your firing direction, and rotate aim in the top-down stages

Tips and Strategies to Win

Survival is about protecting your best gun and learning patterns. - Guard the Spread Shot with your life - it clears crowds better than any other weapon. - In co-op, agree who takes each weapon pod; a balanced duo beats two greedy solos. - Save smart bombs for boss phases with dense bullet patterns, not regular enemies. - In top-down stages, clear target cores in a planned loop instead of wandering. - Play on Normal or Hard to see the true final boss - Easy ends the game early.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How many stages are in Contra III? A: There are six stages, including two top-down Mode 7 stages, ending with a multi-form battle against Red Falcon.

Q: Who are the heroes of Contra III? A: Jimbo and Sully in the Western version - descendants of Bill and Lance, who remain the heroes in the Japanese version.

Q: Can I play Contra III: The Alien Wars online for free? A: Yes, you can play it online for free in your browser on RiveGame with no downloads or installation required.