The game was originally going to be released as Arc Hound in Japan, but then it was cancelled, and Konami localized the game as a spin off of Contra in the United States. Now I like this game, but at the same time it's just as hard as the original Contra video game.
Plot. Set in the fictional metropolis of Neocity in 1992, a group of special forces operatives led by a man named Burns, are tasked to bring down a crime syndicate known as D.N.M.E. Burns receives a phone call from Fox, an informant, telling him that the Head of Intelligence is being threatened by the terrorists. Burns arranges a meeting with his informant to learn about the situation. However, when Burns arrives to the docks to meet with Fox, he discovers that the informant was killed and is suddenly attacked by the D.N.M.E. Now Burns and his special ops squad must clear Neocity of terrorists.
Objectives are simple, fight your way to the end of the stage and defeat the boss awaiting at the end of that stage. Controls are similar to the ones of the first games. In the side-view stages, players can walk left or right, while in the overhead stages they can walk in different places such as north, west, south, east, northwest, and so on. Shooting in eight different directions is possible depending on the context.
Concept. Players must roam through five different stages eliminating enemies and bosses as they fight. Players can obtain upgrades for their weapons, just like in the previous Contra games. You can switch characters in the pause menu in order to fight strategically and win.
Development. Contra Force was originally announced for Japanese release under the title of Arc Hound (アークハウンド), with no ties to the Contra series. Arc Hound was promoted in a brochure that was included in the Family Computer game Crisis Force and covered in Japanese game magazines, but was never released. The game's protagonists were identified in these previews as the "Independent Public Order Task Force Untouchable".
Rantings. Despite having the name Contra, this game is not like Contra at all. Because in Contra, they fight against aliens, and in this game they fight human terrorists. Also, I don't like the shooting in this game particularly for a reason: the shots are not long, and that's what bothers me most. Also, this game is very tough that at times you'll feel the need to break your controller.
Good Aspects. For a spin off, the designs, music and gameplay are ok. Backgrounds are good too, but still this does not make any justice to Contra games. Replay value is low, and if you want to try it for yourself go ahead. No doubt, this is not in the Wii Virtual Console
Overall. Contra Force gets a 4 out of 10.