Mechstermination Force

Not long ago, Konami announced a brand-new Contra collection that will include the original arcade game, Super C and the 16-bit classic Contra III: The Alien Wars. If you're excited for the run 'n gun action but have already mastered those old school classics, then let me introduce you to Mechstermination Force. This is an explosive new action game that gives you all of the over-the-top excitement of Contra without any of the long side-scrolling levels. The result is an insanely fun 2D shoot 'em up that goes a long way to remind me why I loved the run 'n gun genre in the first place.

There's not a whole lot of story in Mechstermination Force. The MegaMechs have taken control of the world and you're part of a small group of soldiers tasked with fighting for humanity's survival. This means taking on fourteen powerful mechs of various sizes and skills, each ready to destroy you (and all of our cities) in a wide variety of ways.

That's the gimmick in Mechstermination Force -- it's just bosses. You don't have to race through linear stages or survive those tacked-on overhead levels in Contra III that nobody liked, because we're always dropped off just a few feet away from the towering inferno of death. In that sense, Mechstermination Force reminds me of a side-scrolling run 'n gun version of Shadow of the Colossus, complete with an impressive selection of bosses that will test all of your 2D platforming skills.

One boss takes the form of a massive snail, complete with laser beams and a maze inside its metallic shell. There's also a two-headed beast so big that you'll need to burrow inside its legs and climb up one body part at a time. Of course, not every boss is that large, as many are much more compact and straight-forward, often moving around in predictable patterns and giving you gun turrets to shoot at. That said, I'm a big fan of how big and menacing these alien mechs are. And many of them will change shapes and strategies as you get close to winning. There's a boss early on that starts out as a gigantic robot, but eventually turns into something resembling a crocodile. There is no shortage of creativity on display in Mechstermination Force.

Although the battles play out in wildly different ways, there is at least one element that remains the same -- the way you kill these mechanized monsters. No matter how big or small, you'll need to rip through the metal to uncover the beast's heart. Once you've done that, it's time to rush in and give it a smack with your trusty baseball bat. Usually you'll need to do this a few times, but it forces you to get close to the boss instead of just staying back and taking shots from across the screen.

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What I like is that I didn't rush into each stage and beat the bosses in a single attempt. The game can be tough, to the point where I spent the better part of an hour trying to kill a single boss. This is a game built around learning and memorizing how the boss acts, all while dodging a lot of bullets and debris. There were a few bosses I managed to take down on the first try, but most gave me a real workout until I discovered their weaknesses. I loved finding these vulnerabilities, and I think that's why I had so much fun with this game.

It helps that there are a bunch of powerful weapons to wield and a couple new abilities to unlock. Even when we're repeatedly dying, we end up earning money that can be used to buy new firepower, including a spread shot, lasers, explosives and more. We also unlock new moves that can change the way you tackle each boss, such as a handy double jump and a way to climb on walls and hang off of objects. These new weapons and abilities come in handy when dealing with some of the game's final battles.

On that note, the final battle is one of my few complaints about Mechstermination Force. This is one of those games where everything you've learned from the first thirteen stages is tossed out the window in favor of introducing us to a bunch of new mechanics that only apply to the final boss. This is in no way a deal-breaker, but it is one of my pet peeves. The final mech feels completely disconnected from the rest of the game, and ends up being the least interesting boss of the bunch. I wish the game could have gone out on a higher note.

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Thankfully, the majority of the boss battles are exciting and full of action. In fact, there were more than a few that I went back to several times in hopes of earning more money and stars. It also looks good, giving us bright and colorful cities in the midst of being destroyed by cool looking monsters. This is an immediately likable action game that manages to bring new life to the run 'n gun genre.

Mechstermination Force is a game that has distills everything that I love about Contra without any of the filler. This is a great-playing action game with fourteen incredible bosses and a whole bunch of powerful guns. These are long and drawn-out battles where you'll literally climb inside the bosses and come up with new tactics when they suddenly change shapes. It's also lengthy and challenging, though never to the point of being unfair. If you're a fan of run 'n gun shooters and love taking down giant kaiju monsters, then prepare to fall in love with Mechstermination Force.