7 games similar to Contra — handpicked for fans of Run and Gun and Action games.
Contra defined run and gun gaming with its relentless pace, pinpoint shooting mechanics, and the primal satisfaction of blasting through waves of enemies with a Spread Gun. These picks share that same adrenaline-soaked DNA — tight controls, punishing difficulty, and the kind of moment-to-moment intensity that demands full attention. If you live for the chaos of a two-player co-op session gone beautifully wrong, these games are exactly what you’re looking for.
SNES | 1992 The direct sequel turned everything up to eleven on Nintendo’s 16-bit powerhouse, adding Mode 7 overhead stages, dual-wielded weapons, and some of the most aggressive enemy design in the series. The alien invasion aesthetic hits the same tone as the original while the SNES hardware lets the carnage scale far beyond what the NES could manage. It remains the gold standard for run and gun on a home console.
Neo Geo / Arcade | 1996 SNK’s masterwork takes Contra’s core loop — run, shoot, dodge, die — and wraps it in painstakingly hand-animated pixel art that still holds up decades later. The vehicle mechanics, POW rescues, and absurdly escalating boss fights give it its own identity while scratching exactly the same itch as Contra. The difficulty is brutal and the two-player co-op is among the best the genre ever produced.
Sega Genesis | 1993 Treasure’s debut title threw every idea at the wall and every single one stuck — combinable weapons, a mix of fixed and free-scrolling stages, and bosses that defy expectation at every turn. The sheer speed and mechanical creativity of Gunstar Heroes made it feel like a spiritual successor to Contra even without sharing a name. The co-op chaos is legendary and the weapon fusion system rewards experimentation in a way the original Contra never could.
Sega Genesis | 1995 Another Treasure gem, Alien Soldier is essentially a boss-rush Contra stripped down to pure confrontation — you sprint through short corridors and slam into back-to-back boss encounters that demand precise pattern reading and fast reflexes. The difficulty is notoriously unforgiving and the weapon cycling system adds a strategic layer that keeps each run feeling different. Contra veterans will find the challenge deeply familiar and deeply satisfying.
NES | 1988 A contemporary of the original Contra on the same hardware, Bionic Commando replaced the jump button with a grappling hook arm and built an entire action game around the trade-off. The side-scrolling shooting and enemy density feel cut from the same cloth as Contra, but the swinging traversal creates a rhythm all its own. It is one of the best NES action games ever made and an essential companion to Contra in any retro library.
SNES | 1991 Capcom’s conversion of Area 88 brings the run and gun intensity to a horizontal shooter format, with selectable pilots, upgradeable planes, and enormous mechanical bosses that demand sustained aggression. The mission structure and upgrade economy give it more depth than a straight arcade blaster, but the core feeling — constant danger, fast reflexes, huge explosions — is pure Contra energy. The SNES version is the definitive version of an already excellent game.
NES / SNES | 1993 The crossover between two of the hardest franchises on the NES splits its time between beat ‘em up brawling and vehicle stages with unmistakable run and gun DNA. The punishing difficulty, two-player co-op, and relentless enemy pressure make it feel spiritually close to Contra even when the mechanics diverge. Fans who loved the cooperative intensity of Contra’s NES days will find plenty to love here.
Amiga / SNES | 1990 Factor 5’s European run and gun answered Contra with a massive, labyrinthine approach — sprawling levels, a rope mechanic, and a weapon wheel that encouraged constant experimentation. The power fantasy of blowing through enemies with a full spread weapon is identical to Contra’s but the scale is considerably larger. Turrican II on the Amiga is particularly essential and widely considered one of the finest games of its era.
All of these games are built on the same foundational premise as Contra: a lone soldier (or two) against an overwhelming tide of enemies, where survival depends on aggression rather than caution. The run and gun genre demands that players stay in motion, manage limited resources under pressure, and read enemy patterns fast enough to react before a bullet finds them. These games share Contra’s philosophy that difficulty should feel earned rather than arbitrary — death stings because the game gave you the tools to succeed and you simply weren’t fast enough.
Beyond mechanics, these picks share Contra’s tonal register: military sci-fi or outright alien invasion settings, bosses that serve as skill checks rather than gimmicks, and a two-player co-op mode designed to be played shoulder to shoulder on a couch. The best run and gun games, Contra included, achieve a particular kind of flow state where the action becomes almost percussive — a rhythm of shooting and dodging that feels less like a game and more like a reflex sport. Every game on this list can put a skilled player into that state, and that is the highest compliment the genre can offer.
| Feature | Platform | Year | Score | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contra III: The Alien Wars | SNES | 1992 | 9 | Run and Gun, Action |
| Metal Slug | NEO-GEO | 1996 | 9.2 | Action, Shooter |
| Gunstar Heroes | SEGA-GENESIS | 1993 | 9.2 | Action, Shooter |
| Alien Soldier | SEGA-GENESIS | 1995 | 8.8 | Action, Shooter |
| Bionic Commando | NES | 1988 | 8.8 | Action, Platformer |
| UN Squadron | SNES | 1991 | 8.8 | Shooter, Action |
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The SNES Contra masterpiece. Contra III: The Alien Wars brought the series into the 16-bit era with spectacular Mode 7 boss battles, dual weapon wielding, and relentless action that matched the hardware's capabilities.
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The run-and-gun masterpiece that pushed the Neo-Geo hardware to its absolute limits. Metal Slug's hand-drawn animation — hundreds of frames per character, explosions, and environmental details that no other arcade game matched — combined with cooperative two-player action, weapon variety, and relentless design to create what many consider the greatest run-and-gun game ever made.
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Treasure's debut game and one of the finest action games ever made on the Genesis. Gunstar Heroes combined four weapon elements into sixteen possible combinations, three difficulty levels with distinct enemy sets, and boss fights of legendary creativity — including a board game level that remains one of gaming's most inventive stage concepts.
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Treasure's Genesis technical showpiece — a game with 25 boss encounters and minimal stage segments, designed as a pure boss-rush action game. Alien Soldier's six-weapon system, counter attack mechanics, and screen-filling enemy designs pushed the Genesis hardware beyond anything other developers achieved.
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The NES game that dared to remove the jump button. Bionic Commando replaced conventional platforming with a grappling hook mechanic that created one of the most unique action experiences of the era.
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Based on the Area 88 manga and anime, UN Squadron is a masterclass in SNES launch-era shoot-em-up design — pilots choose from three characters with distinct aircraft, purchase weapon upgrades between missions, and tear through enemy-dense side-scrolling stages with exhilarating firepower. Capcom's adaptation benefits from the SNES's Mode 7 capabilities and a pounding soundtrack that establishes the game as one of the finest scrolling shooters of the 16-bit generation.
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A landmark crossover event for early 90s beat-em-up fans, Battletoads & Double Dragon unites Rare's bruising amphibian warriors with Technos' iconic martial arts duo against the shared threat of the Dark Queen and the Shadow Warriors. The game wisely tempers Battletoads' notorious difficulty with Double Dragon's more accessible combat pacing, resulting in a co-op brawler that rewards skilled play without punishing newcomers at every turn.