Contra didn't just involve jungle warfare and gun-related mayhem--it also had aliens. The backstory of the game was detailed and sinister enough to lure young commando wannabes into the several levels of play that scrolled across the screen.

Unbeknownst to most people on the planet, an alien baddie named Red Falcon had crash landed on Earth back in the 50s and made his base on a remote South American island. After consolidating power and armies, Red Falcon was ready to take over the world. Who will save us from this monster? cried the multitudes. Two brave soldiers stepped up to the challenge, Mad Dog and Scorpion. Actually the soldiers were named Bill and Lance but they obviously got to pick their own nicknames.

Contra could be single- or two-player, and if you had a buddy who also wanted to play, it'd be a shame to leave Mad Dog without Scorpion or vice versa. The two players fought their way through the jungle terrain, shooting up Red Falcon's men and collecting bigger, better guns along the way. Maybe a flamethrower or two. And laser guns. Once the intrepid duo made it to Falcon's lair, they had to navigate labyrinthine corridors and knock down locked doors, still fighting enemy troops. The reward for making it to the inner sanctum was a confrontation with Red Falcon himself.

Some levels switched from the laterally scrolling screen to behind-the-shooter perspective which made for real novel excitement back in 1987. The ability to work with a partner was another feature that made Contra very popular in arcades and living rooms across the country.