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# Contra: Operation Galuga is a loving throwback to simpler times
- URL: https://regionfree.net/contra-operation-galuga-is-a-loving-throwback-to-simpler-times/
- Published: 2024-04-01T14:15:46.000Z
- Updated: 2025-04-15T17:35:53.000Z
- Description: ★★★★ | Bruh-vado
- Author: Joonatan Itkonen
- Tags: Gaming, #gamereview, Game Reviews

💡

****Tested on: N**intendo Switch (Lite, handheld)  
****D**istributor provided a review copy

I never got into *Contra* when it originally came out. Mostly because I wasn’t born yet, but also because the re-releases in the 90s were too hard for me to enjoy. To date, it’s a series that I remember fondly as the one that I try for five minutes, remember why I don’t play it, and let others have their fun.

Which isn’t to say it’s bad. Far from it. *Contra* is one of the great original creations that defined the 8-bit Nintendo, and ushered in an entire genre of action titles. From a purely technical view, it’s an example of peerless game design. There isn’t a single thing you could take away without breaking the magic.

But it is a difficult game, and I’m not built for such hardship in my entertainment. Which is why I’m so glad that *Operation Galuga*, the sequel/remake to the original, is far more accessible and user-friendly.

Fear not, gatekeepers, you can still play the whole thing on the nail-biting difficulty level of yore. That’s not going away. But for everyone else, *Operation Galuga* offers a bevvy of options that make life just a bit easier. It doesn’t make the game a walk in the park, but it does smooth out the rough edges to the point that retrying the still challenging levels isn’t a source of frustration.

For starters, you now have unlimited continues available. Levels come with checkpoints, and your hero can take multiple hits instead of keeling over from a single one. Weapons can be upgraded by picking up the same type of gun, leading to some truly kick-ass combinations down the line. Between levels, you can pick up upgrades that ease off the difficulty even further.

It’s all in the service of a good time, and *Operation Galuga* delivers that in spades. Whether that’s in single-player or with three friends, the result is a throwback that feels modern in all the right ways.

The main campaign lasts only a few hours, but that’s kind of the point with this genre. Every aspect encourages replayability, whether it’s to try out different weapons, or just to get a better score. As players get more used to the punishing mechanics, the prospect of moving up to the old-school rules grows more enticing. Unlike in the past, where the difficulty curve was a 90-degree cliff wall, *Operation Galuga* builds up the challenge incrementally.

While the story and the voice acting aren’t exactly stellar, they’re not a distraction, either. There’s a knowing schlocky quality to the whole thing, and I can’t help but feel that some of the wooden delivery is intentional. Those who lived through the golden age of bad game dubbing will certainly get some nostalgia out of it.

I tried out *Operation Galuga* in both handheld and docked modes, alone and with friends. Each mode offered a solid frame rate and terrific responsiveness. For full throwback goodness, I recommend the handheld mode. There’s something supremely joyous about short bursts of ultra violent alien mayhem while on the bus, or lying back on the sofa.

Played with friends, *Operation Galuga* delivers exactly what it promises. A frenetic and over-the-top run-and-gun experience that is perfect for couch co-op sessions. In an era of 100 hour epics and online games-as-a-service sludge, *Operation Galuga* feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s simple, direct, and precisely what we need right now.