XBLA, Contra and Gyruss coming "soon"

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 24th 2006 at 4:30PM }

There's a small section devoted to Xbox Live Arcade in the latest issue of Konami's newsletter -- creatively titled, "Konami News". In the newsletter, Konami announces that both Contra and Gyruss are coming "soon." How soon is soon? We don't know, but there are ten more Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays this year, and we can only hope that these games are destined for two of them. (Small Arms first, please.)

The article contains some previously unreleased info on both games. Contra will feature updated graphics and sounds, online multiplayer (!), and leaderboards. But does it have "the code?!" That's all we want to know. Gyruss will feature updated graphics, new versus and co-op modes, and leaderboards. We have to hand it to Konami for actually upgrading its old arcade games for XBLA. That's the kind of thing more developers should do -- unlike Namco, who actually removed multiplayer from games like Pac-Man and Galaga. So, are you excited for Contra? Any other Konami games you'd like to see resurrected?

[Thanks, J.Goodwin]

Tags: arcade, contra, gyruss, konami, live arcade, LiveArcade, the code, TheCode, xbla, xbox live arcade, XboxLiveArcade, xla

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

VeHeMeNcE @ Oct 24th 2006 4:51PM

I'm pretty sure it was already confirmed by Major Nelson that the Konami Code would work for Contra, but he could always be talking out of his ass....

I say bring on Super Contra!

razer @ Oct 24th 2006 4:59PM

That really is the Xbox Live Arcade motto: "Coming Soon".. Although the UMK3 release on saturday was surprising and pleasant, it was only released then because someone messed up and posted it, otherwise we would have waited another week for another arcade wed, which is the most unfullfilling thing about the 360. And when they say "updated graphics" they mean sticking a widescreen border around the original game. I tell you whoever is running the arcade at MS has some obsession with retro-games that can be played on just about any other system and in most cases for free(See MAME). I'm sure some would argue, but this is must my opinion/rant.

Jerome Paradis @ Oct 24th 2006 5:47PM

Ah! Can't wait for Gyruss. I used to be able to go to Earth a couple of times in a single game. I wonder if I still got the zone.

zenprism @ Oct 24th 2006 5:09PM

Come on, Konami, where's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Games with Live multiplayer?

AoE @ Oct 24th 2006 5:21PM

Well I'll probably give the Contra demo a shot because it's Contra... but honestly, these graphical upgrades they're giving the classics; am I the only person unhappy with them? Frogger looked different enough that it no longer felt like the frogger I grew up loving, so I had to pass on it; I fear the same will be true of Contra and Gyruss...