Contra 4 is not impossible to play, but it is still incredibly tough by modern standards, even on the lowest difficulty setting.  And while the classic Contra code for 30 lives doesn’t work, pressing "up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-start" does maximize the level up on your weapon in the medium and hard difficulty settings, which is a nice little homage.  There is a cheat for gaining 99 lives, which requires the player to get an extra life at the same time that they die without any remaining lives left, but in my experience this was so hard to pull off its practically useless.     

While Contra 4 is one of the more challenging DS games I’ve ever played, it’s never unfair.  If you die, it’s usually because you screwed up, and not because of flawed game design.  Contra 4 requires a lot of level memorization, but persistent players will be rewarded with a sense of mastery absent in many of today’s more ’accessible’ games.  Nevertheless, you will die.  A lot.  Eventually, you’ll adapt, keep enough lives to survive the epic boss battles, and then die a whole hell of a lot in the next stage where the cycle repeats.  It sounds brutal, but this philosophy makes for a true challenge that will test your skills as much as any game in recent memory.  I could see this system frustrating some gamers, but with a bit of persistence, anyone with a penchant for action can enjoy the experience.      

The new grappling hook feature allows the levels to toy around with verticality more than previous games in the series.

Contra 4 supports multiplayer with a friend, but sadly both players will have to have a DS and their own copy of the game.  It’s a shame, too, because having a buddy alongside you certainly helps shave off some of the difficulty.  There’s a historical timeline that shows screenshots and summaries of every game in the series that players can select initially, but if you complete the core game on any difficulty you’ll be treated to some additional challenge modes.  Once you beat these modes, you unlock both the original Contra and Contra Super C (which is what they called Contra 2 during the Iran Contra scandal back in the 80’s.)  Considering Contra 4 essentially comes with 3 full length Contra games, old school Contra fans will find it hard not to appreciate this amazing portable package.   

Contra 4 is a great value for fans of classic 2D action, or anyone who wants to take a challenging game with them on the road.  Even though skilled Contra players could conceivably blow through Contra 4’s 9 missions in a matter of days, the fact that the cartridge included the first two games in the series makes for a package that shouldn’t be missed for series fans.  In an era in which games are being made increasingly forgiving, it’s nice to see a game that requires players to push themselves in order to improve.  It’s not for everyone, but if you love 2D shooter action, it’s hard to do better than Contra 4.