Contra III: The Alien Wars

Contra III: The Alien Wars
Also known as: Contra Spirits (JP), Super Probotector: Alien Rebels (EU) Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Platform: SNES Released in JP: February 28, 1992 Released in US: March 26, 1992 Released in EU: September 12, 1992 This game has unused text. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a hidden level select. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article This game has a Data Crystal page

Contra + 16 bits = Billions of boulders crapped.

Sub-Pages

Prototype Info

Unused Copyright Warning

An unused, slightly corrupted arcade-style copyright warning can be found at ROM address 4F838 in all three versions of the game. The readable portion of the text is as follows:

WARNI G
THIS GAME IS FOR SALE AND
USE IN JAPAN ONLY.
COPYRIGHTED MUSIC/
 ORKS IN THIS
GAME AER SEPARATELY OWNED BY
THE AUTHORS.
VIOLATOR  MAY BE SUBJECT TO
SEVERE PENALTIES UNLESS
SPECIALLY AUTHORIZED BY
THEM."

© 1992 KONAMI

For comparison's sake, the standard message used in their arcade games (this instance taken from Asterix, version JAD):

              WARNING

THIS GAME IS FOR SALE AND USE IN
JAPAN ONLY.  THE COPYRIGHTED MUSIC/
CHARACTERS/ART WORKS IN THIS GAME
ARE SEPARATELY OWNED BY THE AUTHORS.
THE PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THIS
TERRITORY IS PROHIBITED BY LAWS AND
THE VIOLATOR MAY BE SUBJECT TO
SEVERE PENALTIES UNLESS SPECIALLY
AUTHORIZED BY THEM.

            ©1992 KONAMI

Regional Differences

Like other Contra titles, the European release replaced the player characters with robots in order to circumvent German laws prohibiting the sale of violent games to minors.

Title Screen

Japan	US	Europe

In the Japanese version the title screen’s appearance onto the screen is simpler, using a fade-in effect; however, the title screen itself is animated, featuring flames in the Japanese text. In the North American release the title screen’s entry animation is more elaborate, as the subtitle The Alien Wars scrolls horizontally from the sides, accompanied by sound effects.

Introduction

Japanese	Translation	English
今、魂斗羅最大の戦いが始まる。	Now, Contra's greatest battle begins.	The Alien Wars begin!

Due to not being a direct translation, the big red scrolling text in the intro differs slightly in content between versions.

Japan	US	Europe

In the Japanese version; the characters lines are more explicit and aggressive in tone than in the overseas counterparts. The North American version doesn't use colored outlines on the text that was used in the Japanese version. The European version replaced the humans with robots, and removed the color-coded text altogether. The irony is that the color-coded text would have been even better suited for the European version as the humans are animated when they speak, while the robots are not.

Cutscenes

Contra	Probotector

Like in the intro, the European version replaced Bill Rizer and Lance Bean (Jimbo and Sully in the North American version) with the robots RD-008 and RC-011.

Font

Japanese	English

In the top-view stages, the Japanese version uses a metallic color with red outlines for its text. In the international versions it was changed to yellow.

Characters

Japan/US	Europe

Game Ending

Easy Mode Message

Japanese	Translation	English
	Easy Mode Operation Completed Good job!! However, you didn't completely destroy the enemies in this operation. The true big boss is lurking somewhere. Challenge yourself in a higher class mode and sweep them up next time!!

The Japanese version lets you know that there is still a true final boss left to defeat on higher difficulty settings. The international versions don't let you see the credits and only let you hear its music, so the "Try Normal Mode" was replaced with a "Push Start Key" notice.

Normal Mode Message

Japanese	Translation	English
	Normal Mode Operation Completed Your actions have defeated humanity's greatest crisis. However, the battle to protect the freedom and peace of Contra will continue from now on.

As the ending image montage is also displayed on Normal Mode in the Japanese version, the message is placed at the bottom of the screen. In the international versions, the only difference from Easy Mode is the scrolling starfield in the background.

Hard Mode Message

Japan	US	Europe

Hard Mode Operation Completed
Congratulations!! Finally, you have achieved a perfect victory.
You are the real hero! Your name will eternally go down in history for many people.

Due to the localization choices of the two previous Contra games, the timestamps on the images were removed in the international versions, instead of adjusting them. Strangely, the main characters were removed on the image where they encounter the brain in the European version.

(Translations: divingkataetheweirdo)

Credits

Japan	US	Europe

In the international versions, the team names for Arcade, Famicom, and Game Boy were updated and "Very Thanks" was changed to "Many Thanks".

Ending Celebration

Easy Mode	Normal Mode	Hard Mode

In the Japanese version, the credits and ending celebration is shown in all difficulty modes with the celebration screen containing a few subtle differences depending on the difficulty. On Normal mode, there is a kid added to the crowd. And on Hard mode, a friendly version of the man-faced dog from the first stage is added.

Japan	US	Europe

The text was changed in the international versions.

Final Score Screen

Japan/US	Europe

The final score screen is only shown when the game is cleared on Hard in all three versions. The image used was changed from the two main characters in dress uniform for the Japanese and American version to a close-up of a Probotector (similar to the one used in the opening) for the European version.

Cheats

There are 3 cheat codes in the Japanese version that were disabled in the international versions. Curiously, they're all references to Ryu and Ken's special move inputs from the Street Fighter series.

30 Lives

At the title screen, move the cursor at your desired game mode and then quickly press Down, Down+Right, Right, Start (a Hadoken command). If done correctly, you will hear the player dying sound effect.

The code will remain in effect, even after a soft reset during gameplay. To disable the effect, simply go to the Options screen and adjust the starting number of lives to anything other than 30.

Since the US version disables the code, the Game Genie code D987-AFA4 is required therein.

Sound Test

In the Japanese version, quickly press Right, Down, Down+Right, X (a Shoryuken command) at the title screen for the sound test.

Since the US version disables the code, the Game Genie code 418A-0F0D is required therein.

(Source: GameFAQS (ReyVGM), GSCentral (Ugetab))

Level Select

Similar to the sound test, the code required to access the level selector is only enabled in the Japanese version. Make sure the cursor is one choice above your desired game mode (e.g. choose "Options" if you want to start the game in 1-Player Mode) and then quickly press Down, Down+Left, Left, Start (a Hurricane Kick command). You will hear an alien roar if you input the code correctly.

Alternatively, you can also input the code while highlighting your desired game mode by quickly pressing Down, Down+Left, Left, Up+Left, Up, Start.

The Game Genie code D5C8-64AF is required to access it in the US version by selecting "Options" at the title screen. Press Up and Down to choose your level.

Other Changes

• The Japanese version provides infinite continues while they are limited in the international versions. (The exact number of continues depends on the difficulty setting)
• The Japanese version allows the player to fight the true final boss on Normal mode, whereas the international versions only allow it on Hard mode.
• During gameplay in the Japanese version, the lives counter counts "1" as your last life. In the western versions, "0" is your last life.