Contra [NES] 13 Loops 1CC (6,553,500)

Thirteen loops on one credit. The score counter breaks at the end of the 9th loop, around 2:40:11. Favorite moment is the brush with death at 3:30:00.
Contra has a rank system that dynamically adjusts its difficulty level. The rank system tracks two variables: which weapon you have equipped and how many loops you've completed. The game becomes harder as those values increase. Equipping the starting rifle sets your gun rank to 0. The flame gun sets your gun rank to 1. The machine gun and laser set your gun rank to 2. The spread gun increases your gun rank to 3. Even taking the increased difficulty into account, the spread gun is still easily the best. The rank value for looping starts at 0 in the NES version and 1 in the famicom version, and it increases by 1 for each loop that has been completed.
The rank system affects a number of things. The most significant one is that respawning enemies appear more frequently as rank rises. The other major effect is that enemies in stage 8 have more health on higher ranks.
Contra is a good enough game that this stayed fun for much longer than expected, but you can still see the fatigue set in around the 11th loop.
1st loop - 0:11
2nd loop - 17:15
3rd loop - 34:28
4th loop - 51:16
5th loop - 1:09:21
6th loop - 1:27:17
7th loop - 1:46:33
8th loop - 2:04:48
9th loop - 2:23:01
10th loop - 2:42:03
11th loop - 2:59:34
12th loop - 3:17:16
13th loop - 3:34:39

[@ivanlouievillorante9925]

STAGE 1 - Jungle zone STAGE 2 - Base 1 STAGE 3 - Waterfall zone STAGE 4 - Base 2 STAGE 5 - Snow field zone STAGE 6 - Energy zone STAGE 7 - Hangar zone LAST STAGE - Alien's lair zone

[@Wenjo936]

I only just found out about the loops and wanted to see a comparison. Thanks man!

[@nikketasnowden]

Cinemassacre?

[@Wenjo936]

@@nikketasnowden you know it bro

[@nikketasnowden]

@@Wenjo936 😁👍👍

[@notjackiechan9420]

3:30:00 not even close! ;D

[@pivpo]

My record is 6 loops

[@daquarlow]

XD im impressed!

[@Peter_1986]

This is the perfect way to give a game extra replay value.

[@dozeros]

Thanks for the upload :)

[@ashcliffeable]

Why 13 loops and not 14? Remarkable achievement btw.

[@vanguardsarcade4682]

Because I died. And thank you!

[@charliev7510]

I remember playing this on repetition. On the 4th loop, soldiers clearly multiplied.

[@vanguardsarcade4682]

Yeah the enemy count goes crazy around loop 4. The big difference after that is that the stage 8 aliens become increasingly durable.

[@shi-chan50]

​@@vanguardsarcade4682 I felt the same way when I saw you. That's why you gave up on defeating some aliens.

[@officedullard8722]

What's the hardest loop/rank?

[@vanguardsarcade4682]

I don't know. The enemies on stage 8 would have to stop gaining health eventually, or their integer would overflow. No idea on when or if that happens.

[@charliev7510]

I noticed the enemies esp. on alien’s lair have longer duration to destroy after several loops, obviously.