CONTRA / GRYZOR ★ Versions Comparison ▶ EVOLUTION through its PORTS

Comparison video of Contra / Gryzor / Probotector (Konami 1987), featuring gameplay of the first level of the following versions.
0:00 Arcade
1:39 Amstrad CPC
4:32 ZX Spectrum
6:17 PC DOS
8:33 Commodore 64 / C64
10:19 NES / Famicom
13:22 MSX 2
Which one did you play? Which one do you think is the best Arcade port?
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[@strydom666]

The C64 one with the smooth scrolling and the Space Quest guy murdering people is my underdog fave.

[@totoonthemoon3593]

You can enable the music on Amstrad CPC from the title screen

[@DJDedeco]

Excelente vídeo! Época em que ninguém ficava churamingando gráficos, queria sim ter o jogo em casa para se divertir em seu console.

[@cmr2079]

I'm from the US, but I can see why Europeans love the ZX Spectrum so much. It was the little machine that could. Meanwhile on msdos.......

[@bud389]

MS-DOS needed some time before it became the dominant force later with games like Doom, Wolfenstein, and Duke Nukem 3D.

[@DeskoDev]

@Sake Dup From what I've played it's not bad at all, I live in the US and was born long after its time so I'm not too familiar with it but compared to a lot of other arcade ports I've seen it runs exceptionally smoothly. The only disappointment is how you can't move to the left in the side-scrolling stages, but the tweaked level design makes that more tolerable than one would expect.

[@bangerbangerbro]

Yeah but the problem is that this is part of an exclusive club of good late 80s arcade conversions, along with R-Type and a few others.

[@ZxSpectrumplus]

Proud Speccy owner here. The Speccy version is not bad at all. Smooth scrolling and all. Only marred by the curse of the attribute clashes as usual. It has pretty hi-res (compared to the CPC version with all the giant pixels which looks like a mashed up of colors). The Speccy does very well when it comes to speed and performance as it is lacking in the color department and hence able to move everything pretty quickly. The PC version is joke for the price of the machine.

[@mrluxury1018]

I love the NES verson!

[@johndevito2384]

Same here, man.

[@luisreyes1963]

Who doesn't?

[@misteuraxe691]

2nd best version after arcade

[@janmanuel4273]

Everyone recognises the nes version of contra

[@televiciousgoober]

Not the most faithful, kinda of it's own game really.

[@_MD80]

I adored this game on my Amstrad CPC 464. Might have also been the first game I ever completed.

[@hayk3538]

6:16 my eyes🤪🤪

[@V1N1G2]

Sou apaixonado pela versão americana pro NES. Por ter conhecido e jogado a versão japonesa muitos anos depois, não me cativou tanto. Mas gostei bastante da versão Arcade, muito bonita.

[@GangstaSpanksta]

Geez the Amstrad version, getting that first power up was half the battle.

[@poppliohumanov6849]

The MSX2 version of Contra is my favorite :3

[@PisikakMega]

в 90х приходишь в игровой зал и говоришь барыге "мне игру где мужик бегает - стреляет" и он сразу понимает что за игра.

[@woofaki5550]

Amstrad was my favorite!!

[@Rhovanion85]

I was today years old when I learned the "S" power up stands for "Scatter" instead of "Super".

[@pacogalvez75]

Another great vídeo.

[@baalfgames5318]

The arcade version is the Good Ol classic. The amstrad version looks... playable if you can get used to the lack of scrolling. The ZX Spectrum version!!! Wow! Whoever converted it actually cared about the source material! They put effort into it and it looks good! The PC-Dos Version... Looks like what I was expecting the ZX Spectrum version of be. The Commodore version, again, looks like the creators put effort into making a decent conversion! The NES version needs no introduction. The msx2 version... has a similar problem to the amstrad version, though it's not as bad since the amstrad version only cut to halfway to the next scene, making it harder to judge enemies. It also looks slower than the amstrad version, though someone said that's an emulation issue.

[@DeskoDev]

It looks like they have the MSX emulator running in PAL mode, which would be wrong as that port was only released in Japan.

[@bangerbangerbro]

@@DeskoDev I didn't even know PAL MSXes were a thing. Well maybe MSXes, but not MSX 2s.

[@grimmations9603]

Why does the Amstrads graphics remind me of a game gear XD

[@bangerbangerbro]

Because it is colourful with similar hues but very lo Res.

[@OtomoTenzi]

I still think that the NES version wins this one in every category... Graphics and sounds were top-notch for 8-bit, overall speed and gameplay mechanics were GREAT, and the controls were very precise and accurate! If you were really skilled at this game, you can beat it without even dying once. Can't say fer shure about those other versions, but I do recall that the NES version got progressively harder and harder everytime you beat it and start over from the beginning again; with whatever high score and lives you had left over. And let's not forget the ever-famous KONAMI code for 30 extra lives!

[@frun]

I could vote for the arcade if it had the proper orientation.

[@neilbethell2299]

NES and Speccy by far the best

[@juanarellano5511]

Konami "reinventó" este magnífico juego, para hacerlo estupendo y superior en gráficos, sonido, jugabilidad en su versión para NES... La versión japonesa, es la mejor.!.!.!.! Gráficamente, más rica, más viva, y una historia que te mete en la trama... El mejor juego de "disparos" que jamás haiga jugado.!.!.!.!

[@user-zx7rg2nm8f]

Good work 👍👍👍

[@ubiased23]

I prefer the music on the Msx version, but like the graphics and the playability on the Amstrad CPC.

[@Deimos_Fresh]

Played on NES and arcade version via Konami Arcade collection on DS and MSX2 version via emulation. Prefer NES version. I think it was first time for me to see a DOS version. From this video I'd say every game, except DOS and MSX2, are good more or less. ZX is definitely is not as bad as many would expect.

[@Antari-kun]

Arcade version - so funny main character jumping :)

[@jasonthomas6684]

Contra/Gryzor is the only game I know of where it looks drastically different between its versions. I find that interesting but odd at the same time.

[@TetraTitanio]

12:20 Me parece curioso que la versión de NES viéndose más "poderosa" a comparación de los otros ports, este no tenga esa "mecánica" de ir girando a la izquierda o la derecha, sino que toda la base es lineal.

[@waltercamachoberrocal2506]

Fue un sacrificio :v

[@waltercamachoberrocal2506]

Sin duda la mejor versión por lejos es de la NES Un port con mucha identidad propia

[@ZxSpectrumplus]

Nice. NES takes the best version award. Worst versions - MS DOS and MSX 2 ties....the horrible CGA graphics with block scrolling instead of pixel scrolling vs flip screen with no scrolling. The character in MSX 2 version looks like he is doing some slow motion moon walking btw.

[@OtomoTenzi]

You're absolutely right! The MS DOS version seems to contain only 4 colors? The MSX 2 version is SLOOOOOOW as FUCK and doesn't seem to really have much going on at all... I think he was playing it on a keyboard or something, cuz all his movements seem so RIGID!!! 🤔

[@caseyjones8949]

la musica de la msx 2 esta suave!

[@Almagor90]

Yo he jugado a las versiones de NES y Arcade. Y me quedo mil veces con la De NES. Tiene la mejor calidad de banda sonora y efectos de sonido. En el apartado técnico gana la de Arcade, pero... No vives de gráficos!!!

[@Eternalfdubzero]

Y más si descubres que la versión japonesa de dicha consola tiene el chip VRC2 que agrega una intro, un ending y más gráficos que en la versión norteamericana no se pudieron colocar.

[@TetraTitanio]

@@Eternalfdubzero Si la hubiesen podido colocar, pero se quedaron mejor con dicha exclusiva. al menos muchos juegos de NES japoneses tienen mejores en el cartucho que las versiones americanas.

[@fabioacrs]

The MSX version is running a bit slower. On my real hardware is a lot faster.

[@shalpp]

Probably PAL speeds

[@MichaelMichera]

Arcade version looks the best!

[@joniharkonen1460]

what the hell is with pc? in that year 286 has power to run wolfenstein 3d.

[@OtomoTenzi]

LAME port, I guess?

[@ark333]

OMG I had the PC DOS version, indeed it was very clunky and slow to play. This version is the worst of them all, ironic, because PC was the best computer in terms of processing power of all shown (not the best graphics, as you can see). Those programmers needed to get another job because they clearly can't do shit right.

[@SuperRobertson79]

NES ist the best version! The Arcade looks bad, and that jumping animation with the straight legs is to goofy! :)

[@tonyduarte2991]

Amstrad CPC version was the best

[@randalloriginals230]

Msx2 version all the way.

[@Tovvvija]

So as i thought - Arcade and NES.

[@ssdivizion]

PC DOS version is ultra terrible!

[@baalfgames5318]

You have the people who made the ZX Spectrum version and the Commodore 64 version who actually cared about the source material and put effort into making a decent arcade port on the systems... and then you have the guys who made the PC version who just didn't care at all. Probably one of those companies on a deadline who hired anyone with a pulse to work on their game.

[@dafinition]

I didn’t know C64 had the best home computer version.

[@totoonthemoon3593]

Because it don't?

[@bud389]

@@totoonthemoon3593 Except it did? The Spectrum might play well, but it's so stiff and eye-gaugingly ugly compared to the Commodore 64 version.

[@totoonthemoon3593]

@@bud389 It don't. The C64 version is so stiff and eye-gaugingly ugly compared to the CPC version.

[@oscarjimenezgarrido7591]

@@totoonthemoon3593 The Amstrad version was colorful, had nice graphics and ran smoother than most similar sidescrollers for that machine, but the C64 version was even smoother - in fact, I don't know what's wrong with the version presented here, but the game ran even better and the music's tempo was faster on my PAL C64. This was one of the rare occasions where a lot of care and effort was put in all the different ports, so each one of them might have their own advantages and disadvantages but, in the end, they were all good, seen on each one's own individual context.

[@totoonthemoon3593]

​@@oscarjimenezgarrido7591 I understand you point of view, but a game is not better because even smoother. It is an overall, and the C64 version is not as fun to play and the graphics and sprites limitations are a drawback here. So, I don't considerate this port to have received a lot of care, compared to what the C64 can produce. By the way, both C64 and CPC are lacking some music ans stages content to be a great arcade conversion.

[@gloriaforces8854]

Arcade version is awesome

[@MVC2fan1]

I like the arcade and nes. However, there's a version on famicom.

[@MVC2fan1]

I know that.

[@shalpp]

@B3ro1080 there's enough different between the two to consider them 2 different versions of the game

[@flexxodus]

NES win!

[@MrLtia1234]

I like the PC version. Also, I enjoy jerky things that make me sick. Really shows what an excellent conversion the NES version is - easily the best.

[@bangerbangerbro]

Do you like the SNES version of Jim Power by any chance?

[@MrLtia1234]

@@bangerbangerbro NOT played that at all. If that's a reference to something better on the PC, that's effectively a different machine as it's post PCI.

[@bangerbangerbro]

@@MrLtia1234 What? I'm not taking about the PC version though I think it is the same as the SNES version. I mean lots of people find it makes them feel sick because of the reverse parallax scrolling.

[@MrLtia1234]

@@bangerbangerbro But.. what does that have to do with Contra?

[@bangerbangerbro]

@@MrLtia1234 Nothing.

[@ChristianCastle]

The best version: NES (by far) The worst version: MS-DOS

[@FLonYT326]

NES is 1st place

[@OtomoTenzi]

Yep, and it was totally worth the 50 bucks I spent when it came out... Talk about INFINITE replay value!

[@maso2312]

移植され過ぎ。

[@xXFlameHaze92Xx]

Arcade>Nes>Commodore>MSX

[@EstrellaMatutina666]

No, MSX2 is better than Commodore.

[@EstrellaMatutina666]

6:17 ¿PC Master Race? Hahahahaha...

[@dafinition]

Horror of the Night IBM PCs really weren’t optimal gaming machines until EGA graphics came out.

[@jcdenton2819]

@@dafinition That's more the case of the bad and lazy port, even ZX Spectrum which is inferior (turrets and first boss seems broken, color scheme is worse from the technical standpoint) has a better gameplay because ZX port developers at least tried.

[@akaffouni]

The DOS version is embarrassing

[@msigamingz4184]

NES is the best, no version is as good.

[@guilhermeschicovski3364]

Nes>>>>>>>all

[@hashknight1]

genesis version?

[@milesaway1980]

There isn't one. The Genesis had Contra: Hard Corps, which is its own stand-alone Contra game. It's not a port of the original arcade game.

[@jaitheminecraftgamer5046]

Let’s Compare Contra / Gryzor 1: Arcade (1987) 2: Amstrad Cpc (1987) 3: Zx Spectrum (1987) 4: Ms-DOS (1988) 5: Commodore 64 (1988) 6: NES (1988) 7: Msx (1989)

[@jarekfranczyk880]

1. Arcade, 2. NES...

[@nawletorre7136]

c64 lazy lazy developers coders

[@baalfgames5318]

How so? The Commodore 64 version looks fine to me.

[@KrunchyTheClown78]

Pretty much every version is complete garbage except the NES lol