Wild Dogs

Although it largely recycled stages and music from previous games, Operation C was an important game in the Contra timeline. This was the first time the series had been shrunk down in order to fit on a handheld system, and this 1991 classic proved that the Game Boy was more than capable of playing fast-paced, run ‘n gun shooters like Contra. As a gamer in the 1990s, I always hoped that Operation C was a test-run and Konami would eventually give us a true Game Boy sequel. Sadly, Konami chose to give us a stripped-down port of Contra III: The Alien Wars instead, which is definitely not as cool as having a all-new game. Now, more than thirty years later, we’re finally getting the sequel to Operation C that we should have got in the 1990s. The game is called Wild Dogs, and while it may not be directly connected to Konami, this action-packed throwback is as close to Contra as you can get without being sued into oblivion. But is it too late for this kind of run ‘n gun shooter? That’s what I want to find out in this review of Wild Dogs by 2ndBoss.

Wild Dogs takes place in an alternate version of the 1980s, when aliens invade New York City and take out the U.S. military. Not wanting to unleash biological weapons, the government makes the controversial decision to send in the Wild Dogs – a man and canine duo who will be able to infiltrate the aliens on the street level and defeat the onslaught from the inside. It’s a plan so baffling that it could work ... at least in a video game.

If you’ve played Contra, Gunstar Heroes or really any other run ‘n gun shooter released in the 20th century, then you’re going to feel at home here. This is an action game that feels like it came straight out of the early 1990s, and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s the kind of action game where you run from left to right dodging bullets and shooting down aliens, all while grabbing more powerful weapons and staying alive long enough to take on one of the game’s many, many bosses. Like I said, it’s all familiar stuff.

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But don’t let the obvious tropes and cliches fool you, because there’s actually a lot more going on beyond the simple run ‘n gun action. This is a good-sized game spread across five long stages, each of which changes multiple times before you reach the final boss. For example, we may start out dodging bullets on foot, but it won’t take long before we’re flying a helicopter in a traditional shoot ‘em up section, guiding a mech through a factory or even dodging obstacles in a motorcycle section that is straight out of Battletoads.

And before you ask, yes, you do occasionally take control of the dog. In moments Frank “Pumkinhead” Williams is trapped or we need somebody to get through a tight opening, our trusty sidekick, Teddy, is ready to get the job done. Again, this is just one of the many smart decisions made by the developer. By splitting each level up into not only different sections, but also completely different genres of action games, you get a roller coaster ride where just about anything can happen. And let me tell you, this game is ready to go even farther than you’re expecting. As a longtime fan of Contra and this style of action game, the final two stages absolutely blew me away.

Of course, it’s nice to have the variety in the action, but what really makes the difference is that the run ‘n gun gameplay is fast, fun and precise. The game controls exactly how you would expect, and I like that we’re given the option to stand in one place while shooting in eight different directions. Even with the monochromatic look, it’s easy to see and dodge the bullets, and the platforming elements are a breeze. Best of all, the game is constantly tossing new challenges at you in these run ‘n gun sections. A good example of this is when we piss off a giant insect creature who insists on vomiting acid on the level. Not only will you need to shoot your way through the aliens on the ground, but also find cover to protect yourself from the acid. That’s a lot of fun, and shows that the developer was thinking about how to make each section of the game even more exciting. And again, that kind of thinking pays off in a big way in the final two stages.

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Visually, Wild Dogs employs a monochromatic look that will instantly remind longtime gamers of the early versions of the Game Boy. The early stages even hint that this could have been a handheld game from the early 1990s. But don’t be fooled, this could never have been made on the Game Boy. In a lot of ways, this has more in common with the over-the-top action found in Contra III than Operation C, especially when it comes to the epic boss fights. And I especially love that the developer packed each level with a bunch of different mini-bosses. There’s just so much to see in each stage that you’ll completely forget that the game isn’t in full color.

Look, I think it’s clear that I like this game. Wild Dogs is a master class in how to make a great throwback that simultaneously honors the past, all while giving us something new. If there’s a knock against it, it’s that some of the sections feel like they were lifted directly from Contra with little change, but even those moments are sandwiched between some of the most inventive run ‘n gun stages we’ve seen in decades. When everything is said and done, Wild Dogs is the kind of action game that reminds you why the run ‘n gun genre was so much fun to begin with.