Highlights
- Contra: Operation Galuga marks the revival of the beloved shooter franchise after a decade-long hiatus, with WayForward leading the development.
- The game will feature revamped versions of iconic levels and bosses from previous Contra games with a new art style.
- The release of Contra: Operation Galuga in 2024 will be a highly anticipated event for fans, ending a long wait for a new entry in the series.
One of gaming's most iconic run-and-gun franchises is making a comeback with Contra receiving a new game from Konami and WayForward. The beloved shooter series was one of Konami's earliest video game franchises with the first Contra releasing in 1987 for the NES and receiving multiple sequels. However, the series has largely gone dormant in recent years, with only one new Contra game releasing during the past decade. Now, the classic series is receiving its own revival from a developer familiar with the franchise.
WayForward has become known within the gaming community for its retro-inspired game releases throughout recent years. Alongside the revival of Shantae, WayForward would work alongside Artplay to develop Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, as well as collaborating with Nintendo on Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp. WayForward would also previously collaborate with Konami on another entry in the shooter franchise with 2007's Contra 4. Now, the developer is teaming up with Konami and taking its talents to the Contra franchise with Contra: Operation Galuga.
During the September Nintendo Direct, Konami would officially reveal it is once again partnering with WayForward for Contra: Operation Galuga. Billed as a re-imagining of the classic shooter franchise, the reveal trailer showed off revamped versions of several iconic levels from multiple different Contra games with a new artstyle. The trailer would also showcase several of the re-designed bosses, featuring recognizable enemies from the first Contra game. Contra: Operation Galuga was confirmed to be releasing in early 2024 with no exact release date announced during the broadcast.
The debut of Contra: Operation Galuga will serve as the end of a long wait for the newest entry in the franchise. The shooter's 2024 release window marks a five-year gap since the last Contra game, with 2019's Contra: Rogue Corps receiving mixed reactions from fans. Rogue Corps' launch came after a similarly long hiatus with an eight-year gap between Rogue Corps and the launch of Hard Corps: Uprising on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2011. Operation Galuga will not be the only version of the classic games on the console, though, with both the Contra Anniversary Collection and Arcade Archives: Contra available through the eShop.
Contra: Operation Galuga's announcement came amidst a slew of remakes and remasters revealed during the Nintendo broadcast, featuring plenty of iconic games. The Mario franchise saw multiple remasters showcased including Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and the newly-announced remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Several third-party developers also showed off new revivals of older titles, including Another Code Recollection and a remaster of the first three Tomb Raider games. Contra: Operation Galuga looks to be a welcome return to a classic series of shooters with its launch next year.
Contra: Operation Galuga will release in early 2024 for the Nintendo Switch.
