Contra: Hard Corps

The first Contra title to grace a Sega platform, Contra: Hard Corps was also the last game in the series to be rebranded as a Probotector game for the European market. It's the circle of life.

IT'S PAYBACK TIME!

Debug Room#

A debug room remains in the ROM, though it is not accessible through ordinary means. Using the patch code FFFA48:00 on any version of the game will force the debug room to load. The area is fairly standard of test areas, with a ramp and some grippable wall and ceiling blocks, ending in an instant-death hole which cannot be passed. Pressing B cycles through the game's entire script, which also overwrites the area graphics, resulting in some severe visual glitching.

Debug Mode#

Only works in the Japanese version (might be possible in the other versions via patch codes). At the title screen, press Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, C, B, A, Up, Down on controller 2. A sound will play if done correctly. While the game is paused, pressing Up on controller 2 will advance frames.

Misplaced Tiles#

In-Game	Corrected

Fang's intro portrait is mistiled. The top part of his boot is accidentally placed one row of tiles up, overlapping a portion of his sprite. This error was corrected for the Probotector version of the graphic.

Regional Differences#

To do: Cover the whole Probotector and JP/US version graphics comparison and gameplay, including one oddity (unaltered human motorcycle rider) at the Military Train (Stage 5b) in Probotector. Source:http://rq87.flyingomelette.com/RQ/R/GEN/CHC/1.html and http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=3891 Get proper examples for Browny's dialogue differences in the Japanese version. Go more in-depth on the story changes that were made in Probotector.

Title Screen#

Japan	US	Europe

Both the Japanese and US title screens share the same name Contra: Hard Corps, while the European title screen changes it to Probotector. The US title screen adds barbed wire behind the logo, which is not on the other title screens.

Japanese Differences#

Button Codes#

The Japanese version, The Hard Corps, includes a number of button codes likely used for debugging. The following two codes are entered on the player two controller at the title screen.

• Level Select: Left, Right, A, B, C, Left, Right, A, B, C, Left, Right, A, B, C. If performed successfully, Fang's shout of "Yeah!" will sound to confirm. The rather spartan level select screen will not appear until the player starts a game and selects a character. (This code is frequently stated incorrectly online as "A, B, C, Left, Right". The game is fairly flexible about the code, so while the correct code begins with "Left", the mistaken sequence will eventually work if repeated long enough—specifically, four times).
• 70 Lives: C, B, A, Right, Left, C, B, A, Right, Left, C, B, A, Right, Left. If performed correctly, Sheena's scream will sound to confirm. Entering the Options screen after this will show 70 lives set, although if changed it will again be locked to a maximum of 3, requiring the code to be entered again.

The third code is entered on the pause screen, back on the player one controller.

• All Weapons: Up, Up, Down, Down, A, Up, Up, Down, Down, B, Up, Up, Down, Down, C. If performed correctly, a digitized monster screech will sound to confirm. If playing a two player game, this will give both players all weapons.

The code which checks for these patterns remains but was dummied out in the western Hard Corps and Probotector releases. The patch code FFFA4C:01 (usable in either game) enables the level select as seen in the Japanese version. Alternatively, the below patches to these games restore all cheat functionality.

Download Contra and Probotector patches File: ContraProbotector-MD-CheatsPatch.7z (397 B) (info)

Difficulty#

In the international versions, and as in the previous Contra games, the player dies in one hit. In an effort to cater to the Japanese market the Japanese version has a life bar, shown on-screen, which provides the player with three hits before losing a life. As a result pain sounds can be heard when getting hit. This sound is present in both versions but unused in the international releases (though it can be heard in their sound tests); the life bar code was dummied out for the international releases, as well.

Additionally the player can continue an infinite number of times in the Japanese version, while the American version limits to five continues.

There are patches available for both the US Hard Corps and Probotector which attempt to make those games behave more like the Japanese version: among other changes, the life bar and button codes are restored, and an additional button code allows access to the debug room described above.

Dialogue#

In the Japanese version, Browny has a different set of dialogue from the other three characters that notably depicts him with a significantly more gentle manner of speech, most likely due to his gameplay role as a "novice" character for younger players to use (think Maria in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood compared to Richter). This unique trait was not carried over to the international versions, so Browny shares the same aggressive tone as the other characters, despite still being described as having a "warm personality" that earned him his nickname in the English manual.

European Differences#

Graphics#

As with all early Contra games, the European release was renamed to Probotector—in this case, without any subtitle, meaning it shares its title with the NES game—with its sprites significantly reworked to turn human characters into robots, ostensibly making the game less violent.

Other Changes#

• The maximum amount of continues has been decreased from five to four.
• The scene where the Alien Leader offers the player the choice to defect is removed altogether (consequently removing the bad ending), most likely due to the Nazi parallels that could be drawn.