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Contra Memories

Mike / November 2nd, 2011

 

 

Comments

  • PlasticLion

    November 2, 2011 at 10:45 pm

    I always wondered why the ending says, “consider yourself a hero.” I mean WTF? I just saved the world from Red Falcon! I AM A HERO!

  • Koga

    November 2, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    Suepr C will always remain the hardest Contra, and my favorite!

  • AxBunny

    November 2, 2011 at 10:51 pm

    When I first saw the original Predator movie I used to always call it Contra because it reminded me so much of that game ^_^

    I never really played any after the first one, but it is truly a timeless classic! The spread gun is a must have.

  • EpiclyEric

    November 2, 2011 at 10:54 pm

    Anyone who’s beaten this know that theyre fuckin Heroes! xD i remember first playing Contra, such a fucking great game, Good Job James.

  • Allen Lucas

    November 2, 2011 at 10:57 pm

    Wow! Great story James! Usually when I get up in the morning when I was a kid, I usually watch Mr. Wizard’s World. When I got older, I usually start watching the old Wild Wild West TV series. If I ever play a game way early in the morning, I think my parents would’ve shut it off on me. Now as an adult, I just get up, make my breakfast, and go on the computer to see what’s going on in entertainment. Boy how times have changed.

    If the Nerd wants to review a bad Contra game, I think it’ll be Contra Force. Maybe that’ll happen in the future.

  • You Can Just Walk Over It

    November 2, 2011 at 11:09 pm

    Watching people on your side encouraging you to beat a game is the best.

    I used to play Zelda 1/2, Contra etc, when my mom was more into videogames. I remember losing and getting a game over to the Barba boss in Zelda 2. I felt like quitting or that I’d never win since I gave it my all. But after some encouragement from my mother I destroyed the boss on the next try.

    Then 5 years ago when Twilight Princess came out, my mom visited and watched me play through another Zelda game and memories of my childhood came back. Now with Skyward Sword coming out this month, I’ll most likely revisit that same Zelda experience when my mom visits for Thanksgiving. Though no Zelda game will likely be as hard/frustrating as Zelda 2 was, so the inspiration to drive forward will be a fond memory of what games used to be like.

  • remarkable5

    November 2, 2011 at 11:24 pm

    I Really Liked This James, I Think You Should Make More Like This

  • UnknownEntity

    November 2, 2011 at 11:25 pm

    That was fun to watch.

    Main thing I took away from that was…

    Man, James, you have some great parents. I am sure you already appreciate this fact, but when you share these pieces of your past this always comes to my mind.

  • Salculd

    November 2, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    Contra is probably one of the games from my early years that I remember with the most fondness–and I DO mean early years. I remember my mom playing it with me on 2-player when I couldn’t have been older than five or six. Not advancing too quickly for the other player to keep up in the vertically-scrolling waterfall level was a Morality Lesson.

  • Nationalgord

    November 2, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    Hey James, you should check out “Hard Corps Uprising” on Playstation Network. It’s a prequel to Contra: Hard Corps.

  • xxn1927

    November 2, 2011 at 11:36 pm

    hahaha yeah. Im really into this dungeon crawler right now, called The Binding of Isaac. Spoiler alert: the end boss is… a giant heart lol.

  • LicaWolf

    November 2, 2011 at 11:38 pm

    Well, this was different :)

    “I beat Contra before breakfast” it sounds so kickass xD

    Funny, now I realize I never beat Contra. In the NES times, I was too young and it was my older brother the one that beat the games. I played a lot too but I was a complete fail at it.

    I like how you related being a kid and having people watching you play and sharing your excitement with the excitement of knowing that people is watching the Nerd videos.

    Thanks for sharing that memory with us, James. It bringed back good memories of my own childhood.

    Very enjoyable video.

  • super.ca.i.n

    November 2, 2011 at 11:39 pm

    Before i even watch the video, thank you, this is one of my favorite games of all time. Its just great. And yes, i used to think of it as if it was the Predator game because it feels like it. Scorpion and Mad Dog look a lot like Arnold in that movie, they are fighting Aliens, in the middle of the jungle so why not??

  • super.ca.i.n

    November 2, 2011 at 11:50 pm

    Yeah, it feels like glory when you finally beat it. I had a version that allowed you to select your default weapon, that means that every time you die you restart with that weapon so i selected the spread gun and that was great because then the shitty machine gun was gone forever and i always got to keep the spread gun no matter if i die so the game became much easier and playable. Today i can beat the game without losing a single life, the same with Super C so i dont need the Konami code or any kind of cheat but jeez, it surely takes a lot of practice to achieve that.

  • TerrifyerX07

    November 2, 2011 at 11:52 pm

    Dude this is a pretty kick ass video…like, I get a really weird original Simon’s Quest review feel from it…i dunno, nostalgia. just feels a lot more real, even without anger, just get that genuine less acted sense like super early shit. Good shit man, hope to see more of this in the future

  • super.ca.i.n

    November 2, 2011 at 11:55 pm

    Also, i recommend you all to play the japanese version. It has a lot of pre-stage sequences that were cut in the US version, in which even the ending was cut. In the Japanese version you can actually see the guys getting into the helicopter before fleeing the island. It also explains the story a lot better (it actually DOES explain it, the US version DOESNT) of course, thats useless if you cant understand Japanese but if you havent seen it check it out.

  • Jeremy Elliott

    November 3, 2011 at 12:13 am

    James you were lucky to have such cool parents.. They had a good attitude towards video games, and horror films! You probably had a very different childhood than must of us.

  • Michael Lindberg

    November 3, 2011 at 12:36 am

    I totally remember beating Bubble Bobble and Kirby’s Adventure with my brother. We spent weeks on the final bosses of both games and when we were done I remember spazzing for joy and then going, “Well what do we do now??” (We spent YEARS on those games!) : – )

  • BigJgolf

    November 3, 2011 at 12:37 am

    I played this game so much I could beat it without dying once and keeping the spread gun from level 1 though the whole game my friends couldn’t believe it.

  • dcase

    November 3, 2011 at 12:37 am

    Nice video. Good story. Now I’m missing my Nintendo childhood days again.

  • JayRam

    November 3, 2011 at 12:54 am

    The joys of owning a video game system when were kids–playing games before heading off to school. Used to do the same thing when I’d just bought the Super Nintendo, back when it came with Super Mario World and Super Mario All-Stars. Twas good times, they were.

    Great vid, James.

  • themantis54

    November 3, 2011 at 1:00 am

    Hey James,

    Just wanted to let you know I found your work a few years back and loved it. Shared it with my little sister and now many years later she is in love with film production and is in college for it.

    You make great stuff. Keep it up!

  • TwistedSpeech

    November 3, 2011 at 1:06 am

    Thanks for sharing such a wonderful memory, James. I grew up with the Sega franchise, both the Master System and the Genesis. I had a similar event, though mine happened on a Saturday. I had finally beaten Sonic The Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis. I worked on that game for months and then on an early Saturday morning I finally beat Sonic 2 without cheating one bit. When I told my friends they thought I was bullshitting them because like you I wasn’t as good as my friends and I also had a low self-esteem. I remember the show Video Power. I always had a hard time catching it though because it came on at 5:30 because I live in Central Time and you obviously live in Eastern Time. I think I saw it once or twice and was blown away by it. Thanks again for sharing this memory with us, James. I’d really enjoy you doing this with more video games you and I grew up with in the 80s and early 90s. We definitely had a great childhood. : )

  • reviewEager

    November 3, 2011 at 1:14 am

    I like the format. Keep em’ coming!

  • toiletfarm

    November 3, 2011 at 1:47 am

    Nice changeup. I could never beat Contra without the code as a youngster. I haven’t played it in over 15 years. Might have to pick it up one of these days.

  • Darren The Hood

    November 3, 2011 at 1:58 am

    Video Power! I remember this show. I only caught a few handfuls worth of episodes because like you it came on so freaking early, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles followed soon after. Usually I was getting dressed and packing up my school books and only caught the prize round which is what most people remember today. Most likely it’s because those kids in the velcro vests were sticking video game boxes on themselves. It was rediculous. So was the mystery prize if they found it was usually a Neo-Geo. I still remember the kid holding up the box with no effort or strain so youcan tell the box is empty.

  • handsome pete

    November 3, 2011 at 2:34 am

    My favorite video game memory is the first time I reached an underwater level in Super Mario Bros. I was just a little kid, too dumb to figure out how to swim, so I would just walk to the first seaweed and get stuck. I told my brother about it and he literally didn’t believe me when I told him, he thought I was lying. That game has lots of awesome things you can tell friends about, with all the different kinds of secrets hidden everywhere and all the weird stuff you find in later levels.

  • Jackred89

    November 3, 2011 at 2:35 am

    Alright I got a story my own relating to yours on Contra. I remember playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist on Sega Genesis. There were times I play it before getting ready for School. I remember one time my brother actually did the nail on the step trick. Except it was clean with a screw in place of the nail. Oh man that was painful that I had to walk awtiful sometimes. What does that have to do with the story well I will tell you. It didn’t stop me playing the hell out of it which was one of the games I never stop thinking about. As a punish I had a bell which every time I rang it my brother has to do something for me. It did take a while for my foot to heal but I almost beat the game.

  • bickbenedict1

    November 3, 2011 at 2:37 am

    Contra 1 is a very easy game. I’ve never even needed that code. I’m not bragging. I you want a truly hard contra
    Game everyone knows to play hard corps or shattered soldier. Contra 3 on hard will also give you a run for yor money and contra and contra 4 even on normal is fucking brutal and I can’t eat it. But contra 1, is a cakewalk for veteran gamers like myself. Thanks for this awesome review

  • Don Skiver

    November 3, 2011 at 2:50 am

    Oh boy, you’ve touched on a lot of memories. Being only two years younger than you, I also definitively remember watching “Video Power”. Whenever I woke up early enough to catch it in the morning, I would think about that final prize run all day. I used to have my own day dreams and fantasies about getting on the show and being good enough to do the prize run and then getting all kinds of games.

    Thanks for sharing your memories on “Contra”. I would love it if you did more of these retrospective videos in the future, it gives the fans more insight. Plus they’re really interesting.

  • Thomas Johnsen

    November 3, 2011 at 3:09 am

    Grat story James:) keep up the good work.

  • Jeremo

    November 3, 2011 at 3:14 am

    The best thing I have ever ate.

  • Jinks2001

    November 3, 2011 at 4:49 am

    Awesome story James! I loved playing contra with my brother back in the day. I was wondering which game you woud talk about for this video, i was guessing either simon’s quest or super mario. I am psyched you talked about contra!

  • betawa

    November 3, 2011 at 4:51 am

    Your parents must be very laid-back.

  • crono04

    November 3, 2011 at 5:13 am

    James Rolfe, the Angry Video Game Nerd, doesn’t know the Konami Code. That just seems weird somehow. ProTip: Its in the metal version of his theme that played during the fight against Super Mario Bros. 3/ the devil.

    First time I beat Contra, it was with my cousin in a 2-player game. It…sorta counts, right? Once we figured out what was going on in the final battle, one of us focused on the heart while the other kept the guards (we called them face-fuckers because they looked like the face-huggers from Aliens and we were kids so replacing words with “fuck” was hilarious) off the other. When the heart blew up, yeahs were hell’d, Cokes were clinked and fives were highed. It felt like the first TMNT movie just after the first time they saved April. “They were many but we kicked *his mother walked by the room*…we fought well”.

    I never owned my own copy of the game so the first time I beat it solo was on an emulator not too long ago. But by then, I’d been forged in the fires of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Half-Life and Portal so it didn’t seem like that much of an accomplishment. Fun as hell, though.

  • Curttehmurt

    November 3, 2011 at 5:30 am

    Fuck yeah Pork Roll!

  • DjDiabolik

    November 3, 2011 at 5:35 am

    My first computer it’s no a console….. my first computer it’s a commodore Amiga 500 and from the beginner i’m a lover of adventure games.
    The first adventure i have beat without solution it’s THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND!
    After some time i have sold the Sequel.. 11 Floppy Disk!!

    Recently i have sold the SPECIAL EDITION after i have played and finished very much time on ScummVM the PC version :)

  • Daniel_Fox1989

    November 3, 2011 at 5:42 am

    You know what James? I like this new turn of events. Personally I think you should talk about some old great games that helped make NES and SEGA and other systems what they are today and helped the market of gaming. There’s nothing wrong with expanding your horizon of films that you bring to the public. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. These videos that you’ve posted really bring me back to my childhood in a HUGE nostalgic way. If you want to relive a memory then you know you did something right in your past to make you wish you could do it all over again and Contra was game I always played with my brothers or would watch them play. Try and see how these positive video game reviews and memories come out and if other people like them okay? Nothing wrong with the Nerd, keep up with the AVNG and Board James but try a few more |-~~Nostalgia~~-| (trying to think of a catchy title for you and the public) videos. I think you’d be doing us all a favor and making us wishing we could live those moments with our friends and family. Playing these games with our friends and family created an amazing bond and a world we’ll always go back to by saying “remember when” or maybe that could be a tittle too…-remember when- Anyway keep up the awesome work. Maybe also Mike could bring up memories from his past too of games that were played and you two could compare and contrast or stuff of that sort.

  • executive333

    November 3, 2011 at 5:47 am

    Great story James, very inspiring.
    I too have stories of beating games but unlike everyone else who’s comented, i won’t go into too much detail.

    The first game i ever bought with my own money was Final Fantasy IX and to beat that game after 60+ hours was just incredible.
    I still to this day play that game. I think we all have a game that makes us who we are today and i can see that yours James, is contra.

    Once again great story, this is now my favourite video on your site.

    P.S Can’t wait for the movie!

  • AnotherJames

    November 3, 2011 at 5:55 am

    Thanks James, great story. :)

    It took me about 12 years to beat Zelda 2.

    It was just a question of circumstance; I didn’t own the game when it came out, a good friend of mine did, and we’d whittle away at our progress here and there when we were together but when he moved away, I didn’t have the heart to pick up my own copy and start from scratch.

    I played it here and there again at other people’s houses (I came to learn that one of my dad’s fraternity brothers in college is a huge Zelda nut, freaking imagine that), but I never gave it a whirl myself, until I was in college myself.

    I had my own copy at this point, and I distincly remember one week in the spring where I decided that I’m no longer going to screw around, it was finally time to play for keeps. Just like I did about ten years prior.

    MANY hours it took me, I remember my roommate giving me shit for playing it so much. “The hell’s that, Zelda 2? The hell you doin’ man? Why don’t you play Ocarina of Time instead?”

    I spent a whole day on the last part, and I didn’t know about the trick to the last boss so I was jump-slashing like a mofo, trying to get a lucky hit in. On my last life I finally down the bastard.

    After such a LONG time waiting for the ending–I never looked it up, that just seemed wrong somehow–I was expecting at LEAST a seizure.

    Nope. Nothing of the sort.
    YOU SAVED HYRULE. YOU ARE A REAL HERO.
    THE END

    I don’t think I had ever been more let down and pissed off in my entire life.

    Oh well. At least Zelda woke her ass up finally.

  • Aramus

    November 3, 2011 at 6:56 am

    Great video James, and an awesome story. I’d like to see more Video Game memories videos. You are a real good hearted fan.

  • Waendchen

    November 3, 2011 at 7:02 am

    wow, video games sound so much more exciting before the internet existed (or was very popular). i never feel any excitement with games because they are either too easy or too hard so that i just give up and not continue trying to beat the game like you do/did.

  • NetLex

    November 3, 2011 at 7:06 am

    That was such a great story, my heart started pumping a bit towards the end; reminds me of many a great moments beating some very difficult NES games.

  • Jackred89

    November 3, 2011 at 7:42 am

    I will summarize a couple more interesting stories of my life. I may have to give some details to make it more clear.

    1. In School before Elementary everyone including the principal came to watch operate a computer.

    2. In Elementary School my class was suppose to go on a field trip. This place has an inside pool but I was the only one that can swim. They actually move me to another class going to that trip instead. I did amazing well last I heard.

    3. In Middle School I got moved into another class’s Science lessons.

    4. In High School I got the school’s top honor becoming the Gold Level student.

    You could say I’m a gifted child and you would be right.

  • Dannybrazil

    November 3, 2011 at 8:00 am

    This man makes me the happiest boy ever. I LOVE YOU JAMES

  • Jenslyn87

    November 3, 2011 at 8:33 am

    Really enjoyed this! Awesome :)

  • kingallaoy

    November 3, 2011 at 8:35 am

    “i beat Contra before breakfast” feels like (the good the bad & the ugly) 8-bit style with james being Clint Eastwood
    “…………. it’s sooo bad”

  • Aaron Hill

    November 3, 2011 at 8:41 am

    DUDE!

    MOAR OF THESE! SRSLY.

    This was really awesome. It had all of the awesome nostalgia of the AVGN without the funny-yet-at-times-distracting stage humor. I really enjoyed the insight and introspective journey of this discussion; it’s really cool to hear how video games (particularly those that I played as a kid) affected other people.

    And the best part is that you can cover *GOOD* video games this way :)

  • Simon_N_Flame

    November 3, 2011 at 8:45 am

    I love you James

  • Kain5056

    November 3, 2011 at 9:03 am

    That has to be the most badass statement in the whole Universe!

    -You know, Chuck Norris can divide with zero.
    -Oh yeah? Well, I beat Contra before breakfast!
    -WHOA, DUDE! O_O

  • Creep

    November 3, 2011 at 9:19 am

    Some of my best gaming has been done after having just woken up.
    I used to stay up all hours of the night, trying and trying to beat a single boss in a certain game, couldn’t do it. So I go to bed.

    Wake up in the morning, beat the boss/level in one try.
    This has happened many times..

  • Michael_Syrigos

    November 3, 2011 at 9:21 am

    Awesome video James! I’d love to see more of this type.

    I’ve beaten many many games and many sticked to my memory, but
    I have to say that one that stands out was Goonies 2 because 1)I love the game, I always considered it to be very good in design and setup, combining platform action and point n click exploration, pitty more of the style were never made 2)it was hard! I NEVER wrote down the passwords, I always began from the beginning! Even to this day. Blame Megaman 1. 3)Due to it being so complex and hard and due to the fact that I never noted down what was where, make a track of where the doors led etc, I played if for a long time, from ’87 when it came out, till ’90-91, no cigar. Then I picked it up late one night in ’97 and I beat the fucker! It was like chasing the hottest girl in school and scoring with her in the showers, only harder!!!

  • TwistedSpeech

    November 3, 2011 at 9:31 am

    I have an idea, good or bad, I do have an idea. Why not do some episodes where both James Rolfe and the Angry Video Game Nerd have a combative argument over certain games. James loves it but the Nerd hates it with a passion. They get into it and have a debate. James tries to prove why it’s a great game while the Nerd tries to prove why it sucks ass threw a straw, lol! It could be a great episode or two. : )

  • adieu

    November 3, 2011 at 9:36 am

    I think this i the best one of nerd videos. I like the other videos to, but I honestly think that you are a much better story teller then actor. I would love seeing more videos like this… fells a little like lifeintheanalogage.com. I like it

  • stt32m1

    November 3, 2011 at 9:38 am

    This is sweet James. I felt that way when I beat Ikari III: The Rescue. First game i ever beat. Looking back at it now though, im pretty sure you cant die, or you have unlimited 1ups. Its way too easy.

  • JoDinis86

    November 3, 2011 at 9:39 am

    Great video! Will you make more videos like this? Picking up good games to make some kind of review?
    Congratulations. I’m a big fan

  • Jimbo

    November 3, 2011 at 10:15 am

    The Konami code is
    Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A
    You were right the first time. Kinda weird you weren’t sure. Every gamer should have that memorized.
    Anyways that was a really interesting story. The fact that you beat Contra without using the code must have been the most awesome feeling ever.

  • stevenrun

    November 3, 2011 at 10:21 am

    Look at you, pretending to not know the Konami code.. ;P

    I loved Contra when I was a kid. I used to play with machine-like precision. I have once gone through the entire game without a single death, but I’ve never duplicated that feat to show anyone. I’ve tried to play it again on emulators, but I could never get that timing back. Maybe it’s the controller. Some logitech PC gamepad just isn’t the same as the old NES pad.

  • kaykeyser

    November 3, 2011 at 10:24 am

    I always beat games on half days ware school started late it was the presure to compleet the stage before time was up. I beat SMB3 that way.

    a 2nd story

    I knew a guy who liked to brag he beat mario paint.

  • phoenix252005

    November 3, 2011 at 10:28 am

    I totally agree with Creep,I would play for hours and not be able to beat the boss,then I go to sleep and the next day I beat the boss in one try! Its something about sleep that supercharges your playing powers lol I looooved Contra! So much that me and my best friend would play “Contra” outside with toy guns in my backyard everyday. Thats how much that game has affected my life. Although I never beat it when I was a kid,I finally beat it about 2 years ago and it was awesome! I was so excited to finally beat this iconic game from my childhood. We are the same age James so we had similar memories of Nintendo and the great and terrible games of Nintendos past! What a great time it was!

  • AVGN_monster_fan

    November 3, 2011 at 11:05 am

    why dont you post your videos on cinemassicre why put a link to gametrailers page?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? i is confused

  • SpeedyEric

    November 3, 2011 at 11:30 am

    Awesome lookback video, James.

  • am5832

    November 3, 2011 at 11:35 am

    Love Love Love this video. Your behind the scenes videos are just as good as your reviews. Everything you do just peeks my interest. I hope to meet you some day. Your like a celeb in my book and I am sure your subscribers will agree. Growing up poor I never owned any console except for a game gear and it took years of begging and pleading. I played echo the dolphin for hours a day for weeks at a time until the game gear was on fire hot and my hands sweat. I finally beat it. There really is nothing to compare it to. If you didnt beat a game as a kid you missed out. Once the ps1 was released with the memory cards, beating a game doesn’t mean much today with all the saves. Remember when the rumble controller came out? When I heard about it I thought it was a lie because of how cool it sounded.

  • Rust In Peace

    November 3, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    Great stuff!

    I enjoyed that little story. It’d be nice if you did more commentaries like this one in the future.

    Good luck with everything, man.

  • drumstixxx99

    November 3, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Major props for finally mentioning Video Power!! I’m just thankful I’m not the only person on Earth who remembers that.

  • Kevin T. Bell

    November 3, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    It’s funny, the first time I beat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III was not late at night, but an early Saturday morning after cartoons – first try and my jaw dropped. Granted I had gotten to the last levels before that morning but if anyone has played TMNT3, they know the final level bosses of Krang and Super Shredder were tough as hell. More so than TMNT2 in my opinion, even if TMNT2 Krang had more hit points.

  • Kimmonator

    November 3, 2011 at 1:13 pm

    Cool story bro! (Y)

  • ThrowntoReality

    November 3, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    A story from me:

    I used to kick ass on “Super Smash Bros.” on N64. None of my friends wanted to play against me, because I always won!

    Then, there was a N64 tournament in town…

    …but you had to play 10 different games, and I hadn’t even heard of half of them. One of them was SSB, and at the time that was the only game I was really interested in. I never signed up for the competition.

    Today I would have signed up. I’m still pretty good at it, and if you just give me an hour or so to warm up, I’ll be without mercy!

  • Tenchuu

    November 3, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    Nice episode

  • errk

    November 3, 2011 at 2:31 pm

    Reminds me when I beat Gunsmoke for NES!! Especially when James mentions his parents watching. My parents, brother and sister was watching me as my heart nearly jumped out of my throat as I beat it! Great memories! They don’t make game like they used to…

  • TomM

    November 3, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    Contra is a really hard game to beat. I’ve only have beaten it with the Konami code. Props for beating it before breakfast! XD

  • Grimmjow Jeagerjaques

    November 3, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    That was an awesome story man. It was like something from a movie, parents as engrossed with watching a game as the kid is playing it then, the kid beats it, the parents applaud, the kid brags about it to his friends, awesome shit man :D .

  • Stylix

    November 3, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    I use to go over to a friends house in the mornings before waiting on the bus since the stop was 2 door down from him. His parents left for work about an hour before the bus would come by so it was always just us goofing off before the bus. One day we started playing Double Dragon and ended up getting really far into it. We were so captivated by it that we forgot to watch the clock and ended up missing the bus while we focused on beating it. After we cleared it we realized the bus had already come and gone so we panicked for a bit but then we both got this dumb idea to stay at his house all day and just play games. We never thought about what would happen in the evening when our parents found out, we had already convinced ourselves that we would be in trouble if we called them to say we missed the bus and needed a ride….. Well that day ended up being a lot of fun, we just stayed at his house all day playing video games and goofing off. We got in trouble that night of course, lecture and all, but we were still stoked we had beat Double Dragon.

  • Pupukummu

    November 3, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    I enjoyed watching this. Would love to see you review more classic good games.

  • CultOfSimon

    November 3, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    It was called Probotector here and I remember it being an amazing game. I didn’t have a NES but I did have an Amstrad CPC. I had no idea that Gryzor (aka Contra, Probotector) was available for it! :(

  • Throwback Neil

    November 3, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    Please review Conan for NES?

  • Robin Torkar

    November 3, 2011 at 4:05 pm

    How’s the 2010-DVD coming along? I want to expand my collection! :)

  • kevper0918

    November 3, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    http://www.retronintendogames.com/c/cntrforc/

  • Edward

    November 3, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    AVGN Special? More like HVGN! :D

  • Joker83

    November 3, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    That’s an amazing story – beating Contra before school on 3 lives. I wish I was there for that. I always had friends at school tell me they beat Mike Tyson but I never believed them.
    great video

  • joliet_jane

    November 3, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    Awww…. the part about your parents warmed my heart. :)

    I love how your recollections of video games and movies always bring out the emotions take makes us love them.

  • Johnthegamer

    November 3, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    Nice video James, I think Contra must of been everyone’s favorite 2 player game in the 80′s I know it was mine, I remember countless sleep overs when I was a kid we would spend most of the night playing Contra.

  • Cazlab

    November 3, 2011 at 4:40 pm

    Loved this video James! It made me all warm inside and I could really feel what you were experiencing :D Would be awesome if you had any more of these kind of memories to share! :)

    Cheers from a hardcore Probotector(Contra) player in Sweden.

  • Valis77

    November 3, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    I was hoping that he would do the bad contra games.

  • Ro-TST

    November 3, 2011 at 5:01 pm

    That’s pretty hardcore, James. You’re a better Contra player than I, Even today, I have to use the Konami Code. As a kid, I intensely sucked at the game. Actually, I sucked at a lot games. Didn’t deter from my fun though. Having started on ColecoVision before I had an NES, I became a master of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. at an early age; games that had no end. I think starting on games like that, you’re unprepared for the more (then) sophisticated presentation of the games for later systems.

  • Fei Wong

    November 3, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    Thanks James for sharing your memories of old with us, i feel very identified with you, i was the same when i was at school adnd i understand you.
    My case with Contra was a little different, i played the game first on a NES clone console that a friend had, and they always played a 100-in-1 game that had Contra with infinte lives, but the game was only a rotten mess, it only had the first 2 or 3 stages repeating in cicles. I later played that gem on my own NES but i never defeated that little bastard.
    Cheers from Spain, and good luck with the AVGN Movie :D

  • fuzzy fester

    November 3, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    Great video! Brings back good memories. :)

  • Nintendomaniac

    November 3, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    This is such a great story, James. I had a very similar experience when I was 7 and I beat the original NES Metroid for the first time. I got to Mother Brain, and I only had a few minutes left before I had to leave for school. I just barely beat it and was able to finish watching the end credits right as my mom was rushing me out the front door. It’s moments like this that defined our childhoods.

  • Galaga Master

    November 3, 2011 at 6:37 pm

    I love the normal AVGN videos, but I have to admit this was fantastic! It was nice change of pace and really brought me back to my own childhood and how I felt when I played NES games with my friends immediately before and after school …. those were good times, man.

  • StaarsCommando

    November 3, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    Ahh Video Power. It started out as a tip show with a cartoon but revamped for the second season as a gameshow. It was one of my favorites because the winners would get to run around a maze and get games and systems, and at the end they would show what he or she got.

  • Spy Z

    November 3, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    Thanks for sharing your experiece with us …. who would knew that little kid was gonna become one the AVGN …. you are a really cool person James …. btw, Good luck with the AVGN Movie, I’d love to audition, but i live kinda far from there … but i’m sure as hell that i’m gonna enjoy it :)

  • Djister

    November 3, 2011 at 7:07 pm

    Nice video. To this day, Contra remains a favorite of my friends and me.

    Please review Total Recall for the NES! :)

  • MRCAB

    November 3, 2011 at 7:40 pm

    The way you tell it, it sounds like a “how I lost my virginity” story. LOL

  • Jackred89

    November 3, 2011 at 7:52 pm

    I just recently made a video on my new YouTube about suggesting Death Battles. Within the first couple of hours it got uploaded screwattack likes my video. That made my day with an idea for a follow up video. If you want to see it then click on the following link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suGgKmjEPMQ&feature=colike

  • itscmillertime

    November 3, 2011 at 7:57 pm

    My roommate and I actually were the contra guys for halloween this year! It was epic.

  • MasterFrodo

    November 3, 2011 at 8:16 pm

    I would love to see more videos done in this style.

  • GoldenFrog

    November 3, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    Great story James. You tha man !
    I bet all your friends were in denial about you beating it with no code.

  • hipnotyq

    November 3, 2011 at 8:46 pm

    Good video! I’d like to see more of these memory vids!! Takes me back to my own youth.

  • Longview01

    November 3, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    Would love to comment on GT James and thumb you up but I got slapped with a 2 day ban for laughing at someone elses ban….

    Great video tho man, would love to see more of these

  • Elvenking

    November 3, 2011 at 9:31 pm

    Most of the the video…he has the Spreader weapon. (S). That is the way you beat this game…you hang onto that…beating this game without cheats can be done all the time.

    Great memories though…for sure.

  • naruto185

    November 3, 2011 at 9:33 pm

    wow!! so coooooooooooooooooooooooooool! i played contra on my computer i beat the fucking game without knowing there’s a code just wow!

    gooooooooooooooooood luck with the movie James! :)

  • Telereactor

    November 3, 2011 at 10:01 pm

    Great video. I loved it. When I was a kid, my cousin and I played this for countless hours. Still to this day, when we see each other, we still talk about the days ‘when we used to play Contra.’ Good times.

  • Jeremy

    November 3, 2011 at 10:10 pm

    Great video, James! You really know how to tell a story. Makes me want to see your movie even more so.

  • DanLichtenberg

    November 3, 2011 at 11:03 pm

    You realize, James, and I think you do, that you’re now obligated to do a video on Video Power? I watched the show all the time as a kid. It was bizarre and Johnny was constantly making a fool of himself, but in the pre-internet days, it was one of the only ways to see video footage of the newest games. Johnny may have been a douche, poor fellow, but I also remember how frustrated I got watching the contestants play whatever game at the beginning of the show; they were always AWFUL! It made me jealous that these kids got on the show and sucked so badly at video games. And do you remember the prizes they gave out? They handed out Neo Geos like candy. Still, the show was a trip. And that fucking theme song…

    Anyone remember what that cartoon show was that featured Johnny Arcade? I seem to remember the shows airing together in an hour long block.

  • spideyjuano

    November 3, 2011 at 11:20 pm

    hey james, i dont know if youre familiar with egoraptor’s chanel on youtube, check out their new review on megaman X, its fucking helarious!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FpigqfcvlM
    cheers and good luck on the movie!! cant wait!!

  • RobotTorg

    November 3, 2011 at 11:56 pm

    James, please do another one of these. This is some nice sentimental stuff.

  • Snejku

    November 4, 2011 at 12:38 am

    What RobotTorg said

  • smeghead

    November 4, 2011 at 1:14 am

    Contra was awesome back then and it’s still pretty damn good today. I remember feeling so proud of myself the first time I beat the game without the code, back when we didn’t have those precious save files, when beating a game meant something.

    Good god, I sound old.

    Anyway, this was a cool story (bro). I hope you do more of these.

  • Mariusz69

    November 4, 2011 at 1:43 am

    What’s great about this is he starts out being “James” then he goes in and out of the nerd character as he pretends to play the game. It’s like watching Robert DeNiro pop in and out of character. It’s awesome :)

  • diego_5060

    November 4, 2011 at 2:20 am

    You are a great player James, you seem to really love videogames. I admire thar.

  • syntheticsw

    November 4, 2011 at 2:44 am

    This video is fucking awesome.
    I would like to see more videos about GOOD NES games :-)

  • LadyWhirlwind

    November 4, 2011 at 4:34 am

    Great video :) Please make more vids like this one!

  • Tommyboy

    November 4, 2011 at 6:27 am

    Great Episode! i Had same kindof feeling with a Darkman on NES When i was little.

  • mekiarika

    November 4, 2011 at 9:57 am

    Damn, it’s great! fap fap fap

  • khimera609

    November 4, 2011 at 11:59 am

    By the time i got to play contra there were many contra games out i didnt even know which one was the code for. I don’t think i ever finished the game but i know i got to the last boss. Great episode man

  • frostare

    November 4, 2011 at 12:14 pm

    I’m glad someone shares the feeling, the one you mentioned. I’m also glad it’s not gone for good, me and my brother recently played Contra 3 and there it was, even more recently Megamari was one hell of a game, I don’t recall playing a harder game with easy to grasp controls.

  • Monstermash

    November 4, 2011 at 4:59 pm

    James had the breakfast of champions that day.

  • happyrock

    November 4, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    Contra is one of the greatest games. when I was 13 I beat the game 7 times on one life. Then desided I had no life … well what ever. Contra 3 for the SNES was the final contra game ever made to this date, yes I beat it on hard with out losing a life … once again.

    great video,

  • sickboy

    November 4, 2011 at 7:21 pm

    ANGRY video game nerd, not Happy Nostalgic video game nerd

  • JaredRM27

    November 4, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    That’s just awesome.

  • Argentines_dont_wear_sombreros

    November 4, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    wow man, that made me clap at the end , and I never do that ( I found really dumb clapping to a screen)

    it just happenned… awesome. I’d like to see more of that.

  • nintendoman4581

    November 4, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    Great backtrack down memory lane, ive just started playing Super C and almost beat it (w/o codes!) whew its a workout for the fingers sometimes cranking that D pad.

    You should do more of these memory tributes!
    its not a review but its definitely something to look forward to in the AVGN section.
    I say go for some Ghosts n Goblins experience next haha.
    (I love to hate that game)

  • cain35

    November 4, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    Hi James good video of a classic as it is against the game but a bit difficult … because you do not do an analysis of NES GIJOE a game that has all graphics, difficulty, puzzles, action, I like rather than against it think you …

    bye ..

  • Fracassi

    November 5, 2011 at 12:31 am

    Yeah this is definitely a staple, which is why it bothers me that it isn’t on the VC.

  • deadmartian

    November 5, 2011 at 2:00 am

    Awesome video James! I hope you make some more like this. How about some thoughts on the sequels? Have a great weekend!

  • Matthew Luongo

    November 5, 2011 at 2:24 am

    8 o’clock. I do my Contra beatin’ *after* breakfast.

  • Fracassi

    November 5, 2011 at 7:54 am

    Wait, wait, wait. Something doesn’t make a full stack of pancakes here. Your friends would come over use the code for what is essentially 90 lives and this was the first time you had beat the game? Man, your friends must have been terrible a video games.

  • MeRQuR

    November 5, 2011 at 9:10 am

    Shout out from Finland! Had to register just because of this video. I’ve watched almost all your vids here and loved ‘em. The way you talk about games and movies.. Viewer can sense that you really love those things and so do I. Another real video, no acting etc. I liked it, it put a smile on my face. Keep doing it, cause you’re doing it right. Peace.

  • TheDarkYoshi1000

    November 5, 2011 at 11:24 am

    @Fracassi
    The code allowed 30 lives not 90. And im sure his friends wouldnt just sit there all day playing contra. And if anything, he beat the game with no codes and he was alone.

  • roboraygun

    November 5, 2011 at 11:26 am

    Long time follower but first time commenter. Had to register and comment after this vid man! As much as I love your AVGN character and enjoy those vids, I have to say this one was pretty awesome! I think all of us growing up during that same time have those very similar memories of those nostalgic moments growing up with video games. Thanks for sharing that, it totally brought back some of my own childhood memories. You guys keep up the good work! =)

  • jonathanlippe

    November 5, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    Fantastic storytelling and this is a mirror image of when I beat Mike Tyson’s Punch Out when I was in 3rd grade. I was born in Jan 1979, i’ve seen all your videos because its the story of my childhood. Many of the games that pissed me off as a kid, you’ve reviewed. When i first heard about you like 5 years ago, I thought “well if this guy really knows bullshit in videogames, he’ll have a review on Top Gun, Back To The Future and Ghostbusters – and sure enough those were some of your first videos which had me hooked. Its like you’re speaking my mind.

  • doguapo

    November 5, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    awesome!

    my heyday was playing ff7. i must have accidentally sold the underwater materia before fighting emerald weapon. i was like, “oh shit!” i tried it anyways and my buddy was sitting there, awe struck at how well i was doing despite the time limit.

    then finally, after hitting stride with phoenix and knights of the round, i beat it! underwater materia’s for cheaters. do it like a man! no konami code either :D

  • AVGNfan(:

    November 5, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    i have never played nes besides duck hunt and super mario bros. but ive watched AVGN vids since day one. Man i love James Rolfe and errrvry thing he does. WAtching nerd videos for all these years made me decide imma buy a hugeass collection off ebay or somethin so i can catch up on all these shitty games! besides Contra and zelda and most mario games of course, well there were many other good games but no use in listing them all, :/ haha u get my point

  • crvorhees

    November 5, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    @thedarkyoshi1000
    30 lives, 3 continues, 90 lives.

  • Kiarachu

    November 5, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    This video is awesome! And I agree with you when you talk about “no codes to beat a game”. I was into that some years ago but now I realized that it’s more cool to beat a game without them. So you can say “I’ve beat that game without codes”…especially if it’s a hard game to beat ^_^

  • preying4war

    November 5, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    I always needed to put in the 30 Lives code as a kid. It wasn’t until years later that I felt I’ve played the game enough not to be dependant on that crutch. Now I can beat Contra without dying, in about 23 mins.
    “For a kid, that was a lot of extra time. You didn’t need to shave back then.” That’s hilarious!

    Also, I didn’t have a chance to congratulate you on Monster Madness 2011. You worked really hard, & did a fantastic job. You should be very proud. I’m going to miss Sequel-A-Thon, & a new review every day.

  • Fracassi

    November 6, 2011 at 1:21 am

    @TheDarkYoshi1000

    Right, but you get two continues. That’s why I said “essentially 90 lives.”

  • Fracassi

    November 6, 2011 at 1:25 am

    @TheDarkYoshi1000

    And also, I have beaten that game in about ten minutes – It is not a long game and you respawn where you die. Hell, there is an achievement for the XBLA game where you have to beat the game in less than ten or twelve minutes and I got that. Granted, the NES version had two extra stages.

  • Kimmonator

    November 6, 2011 at 4:35 am

    @MeRQuR

    Viileä tarina veli

  • Wes

    November 6, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Contra is my all time favorite NES game. Thanks for the memories! Also I completely forgot about Video Power! I loved that game show. It Double dare and Guts were shows I would have loved to been a contestant on. Awesome just awesome!

  • masterasia

    November 6, 2011 at 10:16 am

    This was also my favorite game, but I was probably more obsessed with it than James. I beat the game with one life. Sorry no proof, just my word. But Super C was 10 times harder, and I was also to beat that without the code as well.

  • jmil315

    November 6, 2011 at 11:41 am

    I really miss those days when beating a game was a big deal. Too much hand holding in games today.

  • penpan

    November 6, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    Glad your folks were behind you passing the game before school. My mother never took an interest in all the nintendo we’d play, but our dad did and would play with us :P

  • Haisman

    November 6, 2011 at 3:18 pm

    I remember those times James, but I hadn’t Conta, I had Probotector! =)

  • Poketroid

    November 6, 2011 at 6:35 pm

    Awesome video, I myself never owned Contra nor an NES, although my friend had contra. We would always be playing it, we had no idea there was a code, so we had to play the game normally, we lost a ton of lives, but we had fun. There’s no game these days, that are like NES games.

  • Rezoke

    November 6, 2011 at 7:15 pm

    @Fracassi

    Man, his friends were probable also 9 years old. Chill the fuck out Billy Mitchell.

  • Einsam

    November 6, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    ahh yes the classic save it or pause it when i was a kid my game was final fantasy 8 i would play 2:30 pm tell 9:30

  • l0tics

    November 6, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    “eyes are all bloodshot, I’m in this zombified state, but somehow that was the perfect mindset to be in to be focused enough to beat the game”

    You just described playing video games high. If you didn’t know that already, you definitely need to try it.

  • 1228Glenn

    November 7, 2011 at 12:33 am

    AVGN you rock man, and for the first time ever you’ve made me realize why I’ve been wanting to set up my own stream. It hit me when you were talking about people watching you play a game. Kudos on your everything you have done. May your gaming soul live on.

  • 1228Glenn

    November 7, 2011 at 12:34 am

    And please do not stop making the great vids

  • You Only Live Thrice

    November 7, 2011 at 2:44 am

    i thought the heart boss was fuckin awesome! esp when it starts beating like crazy you know its almost dead!

    but then i thought Mother Brain was awesome too. Hearts and Brains your final bosses on the NES

  • Zentu

    November 7, 2011 at 5:10 am

    Ya know, its quite intristing about Konami games, in that MOST of them even today use the same Code for games and such. The; Up, Up, Down , Down, Right Left, Right Left, B, A, Select, Start. Or was it Left, Right? lol Ok I sort of forgot myself just now. But as Games got more advanced, so did Controlers, I mean Konami continued to make games for OTHER systems, so the code would be simular in nature. then theres the Timeing issue when to put in the code as well.

  • Darkquest Deathunter

    November 7, 2011 at 5:56 am

    All of these guys on here saying they Heart their bosses……awwwwww, that’s so sweet.

  • Andrew Krahforst-Lang

    November 7, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    As great asContra was, I liked Contra 3 The Alien Wars the best, for the Super Nintendo. And the newer PS2 Neo Contra and Shattered Soldier sucks sweaty monkey balls.

  • Wizzrobe99

    November 7, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    It must of been quite the accomplishment to beat Contra before breakfast, even without the code. Great job, man.

  • NeptuneNavigator2001

    November 7, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    Wow, James….. I gotta say, I was laughing the whole time through, not because I thought it was funny, but because of the joy that I remember experiencing. Thank you, James. This video describes my exact feelings on this game. It’s still my top favorite out of my NES favorites, and even though I couldn’t beat it legitimately back then (used the Game Genie; without it, I could get up to level 5), I understand exactly how you felt, because I felt it too. Thank you, friend. Even though I have the actual NES game again, I believe I needed something like this to really take me back to those moments. Nerd episode or not, this was WELL worth the wait. And, you talk about old memories coming back from the past – well you just brought back that memory from the past for me, James. …I’ve been through some traumatic things in my short time, but just knowing that others were doing the same things I was doing when I was a kid, and being able to remember what it’s like, was all worth it. (I once tried to draw the background of the first level on a piece of paper; can’t remember how it turned out. That’s how much I liked this game.) Thank you.

  • sjd4skip

    November 7, 2011 at 6:11 pm

    I always thought the last heart enemy looked a lot like Popeye

  • cheetingfuckingGAME

    November 7, 2011 at 8:55 pm

    i remember vidoe power i think it came on at 7 over hear in AZ not sure at the end the lucky kid who went through all the challenge’s gose to the area where all the games are with that i think it was a vest or something made of velcrow or something sticky what ever amout of games that u could attach to yr chest or hold on to an not drop u got to keep im only 26 but i can remeber that far back well i think ill go look on youtube an see if i remember right

  • kozmicaos

    November 8, 2011 at 1:43 pm

    I wanna more organs for boss! Like a deadly stomach that spits out acid or…beer, dunno, or maybe a bunch of intestines that chokes you to death or lungs that blows you out of the screen with cigarrete smoke!

  • discoron77

    November 9, 2011 at 6:35 pm

    Did you ever beat Super C?

  • Strazdas

    November 10, 2011 at 11:58 am

    No such thing as games before school for me it was, but then again i was waking up half hour before school starts.
    but however i have to congratulate your parents, mine would have come and press the reset button in such situation.

  • Noctique

    November 10, 2011 at 12:42 pm

    I love this episode! Gamning has always given me confident in childhood and created alot of good memories. I know you are very busy with your movie making, but i miss more AVGN videoes. The movie better be good,james!

  • 8bitwars.com

    November 10, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    Check out RL Contra at: http://www.8bitwars.com/videos.php?id=shorts03

  • Rhetticus

    November 11, 2011 at 12:47 pm

    Wow, that was awesome! I really want to see more episodes in this format :D

  • ebekeneezer

    November 11, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    I remember Video Power! I have been trying to find out the name of that show for years now. Whenever I talk to people the only video game show they remember is that stupid Nick Arcade show. Sure Video Power is cheesy as hell but I remember as a kid I always wanted to run through the game mall .

  • Tekkenfan

    November 12, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    Hey James i’m such a fan of you and this is for everyone has James ever mentioned about Tekken he mentioned street fighter and mortal kombat a lot why not tekken i’m sure he’s heard of it but i say we tell him to do a review to see what he thinks of it James there are 8 tekken games tekken 1-6 are numbered then there’s 2 out side the series tekken tag tournament and tekken tag tournament 2 and how are you gonna know what system there on simple tekken 1 and 2 are on PlayStation tekken 3-5 and tag tournament on PlayStation 2 tekken 6 and tag tournament 2 on xbox 360 and ps3 not to mention Street fighter x Tekken well just let us know next time ok tekken review please if you do it i’ll tell you what the naked gun sequel case is i’m not lying i’ll tell you if you talk about tekken ok bye PS London after midnight has been found some guy saw it with his own eyes not the picture one the actual movie guess some one made another copy well bye.

    • splicerofrapture

      December 6, 2011 at 4:34 pm

      actually tekken 3 was also on ps1

  • Tekkenfan

    November 12, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    PS tekken is not a shitty game tit’s awesome not a rip off of street fighter it’s made by namco the guys who did pacman and other games.

  • Tekkenfan

    November 12, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    oh hey James you have not review neo geo the odyssey 2 and the genesis 3 maybe you can do a 3 part thing like part 1 would be neo geo part 2 odyssey 2 part 3 genesis 3 like you know the like part 2 odyssey 2 part 3 genesis 3 you know what i mean you Mike and Kyle rule you know that.

  • Tekkenfan

    November 12, 2011 at 3:42 pm

    OK you know what making you impatient about the naked gun case won’t let you do the review how about this if i tell you would you do it please begging you alright here it goes naked gun 331/3 well 331/3 was on record discs and stuff i can’t really explain honest naked gun 331/3 i just naked gun 3 OK i know the director must have been joking with the people that’s all hoped this helped you from Tekkenfan your welcome

  • Tekkenfan

    November 12, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    Hey James there’s this other guy i think you should team up with he’s another angry gamer he dresses like you accept he never shows his face not even his real voice he did games that you didn’t review beatlejuice NES
    mortal kombat sega genesis duke nukem 3D and did review some games you did Michael jacksons moon walker sega genesis terminator 2 nes and super mario bros 3 nes you wanna find him his name is IGSRJ he’s not making fun of you not imitating you he’s funny just watch just type down beatlejuice nes review then that’s it.

  • Tekkenfan

    November 12, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    So whose with me should he do a tekken review and a neo geo odyssey 2 and genesis 3 review leave a comment whose with me.

  • AlirazaVideoGamesonYouTube

    November 13, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    “I beat Contra before breakfast” hehehe. Contra is a nice and fun and fairly easy pickup and play games. The newer Contra’s are far more difficult for the average casual gamer.

  • Tekkenfan

    November 13, 2011 at 5:39 pm

    Congratulations AlirazaVideoGamesonYoutube congrats

  • joseevildead

    November 14, 2011 at 1:55 pm

    Defs one of the best NES games. Always love your videos!!!!

  • MR_gecko231

    November 14, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    have you ever stopped to think that maybe the entire stage was the “red falcon”? i mean, it did look organic, maybe the enemies in the stage were parasites or sim-biotic organisms living inside it, like in the giant worm on gears of war 2. ive never played an NES but i have good observation, great video, keep up the good work!

  • Tekkenfan

    November 14, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Looks like a tanks intestine from left 4 dead or a hideous thing from the call of duty series or assassins creed series or mortal kombat fatalities maybe even or those monsters from prototype or infamous.

    • heated_00

      November 18, 2011 at 6:01 am

      Play more games that aren’t modern first-person shooters for a while. Not hating, and it’s okay once in a while, but just saying you should broaden your tastes a little more.

  • viJilance

    November 15, 2011 at 1:12 pm

    this is the exact same story with me except:
    i was suspended from school for fighting
    i beat Mario RPG during school, but before breakfast
    i got in trouble for playing because i was grounded, but i didn’t care, you can’t rent a game after you ground your kid.

  • Biohazard

    November 15, 2011 at 2:45 pm

    I have one wish for my entire life : fly to america ( i’m from Austria ) and meet you!

  • workdeck

    November 16, 2011 at 7:20 pm

    Yes, this game rocked…I loved Contra when I was a child and possessed 8-bit NES…I beat this game again and again, and I was playing it with my younger brother, I was blue soldier and he was red soldier all the time…:D

  • alsultan.abdulwahab

    November 17, 2011 at 12:10 am

    there was a cheat code for Contra?!!! man i was good when i was a child

  • pissoncrap

    November 17, 2011 at 10:19 am

    I really suck at this game, but I enjoy it very much. Here’s some cool 8 bit Metallica to play it with-

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHngfBvuRkc

    As always, great video.

  • CoreyJames

    November 18, 2011 at 10:03 am

    I still to this day Remember Vividly Beating Double Dragon 2 ….But whats funny haha is that ive been playing that game since i was a little kid but i didnt beat it untll i was 21 and bragging to your friends about beating a NES game when your 21 is alot harder then when your little

  • masterx

    November 19, 2011 at 12:25 am

    Hey AVGN, you want a shitty contra game, try reviewing Contra Force for NES that game is a giant pile of shit.

  • knt347890

    November 20, 2011 at 2:20 pm

    review as avgn LJN videoart

  • nesnerd4life

    November 23, 2011 at 12:18 am

    your my role model ive seen ever avgn you know whats bullshtit and a bunch of other stuff and your videos helped me when i went into the hospital for aplastic anemia thannk you

  • sage_terriblegames

    November 25, 2011 at 6:05 am

    I think you should review Bubsy 3D for the Playstation. I saw that game going for $20! I’d rather piss on a 3D TV then play that crap!

    • TheShadowluigi

      November 26, 2011 at 2:47 am

      @sage_terriblegames dude i would rather get sued FOR pissimg on a 3D tv in walmart than play this piece of crap

  • BeartallicA

    November 25, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    I had the exact same excitment feeling when I beaten Super Mario Bros. III the first time and Double Dragon II: The Revenge the first time. Games nowadays doesn’t give me that adrenaline rush feelin like the NES and Sega games back in the day. It’s a possibility that new games lose that sorta touch or it’s just because I’m gettin old. I dunno.

    • RyanKaufman

      November 26, 2011 at 11:18 pm

      @BeartallicA Are games losing their touch? Some are indeed. Are all games? No. Sadly, as you become exposed to that feeling (one which I’m also proud to say I’ve experienced), you grow used to it. It’s almost instantly after the first time you feel it. The second, third, fourth etc. start becoming less and less, until now you almost don’t even feel it, and simply feel either pride or relief.

      It’s sad, really. I hope one day they invent some sort of mental time machine, so you can relive all your past experienced. Would be great.

    • splicerofrapture

      December 6, 2011 at 4:33 pm

      @BeartallicA

      i think its knowing that you can save at any time or that checkpoints are a big part of games today that take away the adrenaline rush of beating a game

      • ChadHicks

        December 12, 2011 at 5:07 pm

        @splicerofrapture@BeartallicA

        Id ague that its becuse, as james said here, back then you COULD NOT just go online and watch the ending of a video game, like you can now. so it was a big thing when you reached that final level and saw that final boss. i rember i myself was always exited when that time came noteably while playing sonic 2(I found sonic 1s boss to be hard but not asome :p)

    • fallout1312

      December 14, 2011 at 4:20 am

      @BeartallicA Yea…theres nothing like beating and old school classic nes game…I think you just got that adrenaline rush because of how damn hard those games were….Like now days if I want to beat a game…its settled I WILL beat that mother fucker….But there are STILL games that I GENUINELY want to beat on the nes that Im starting to think I’ll never beat….And its not becuase of lack of trying….Mike Tysons punch out being one…I can make it to Tyson. BUT I Have NEVER been able to knock that son of a bitch on his ass…I think thats why it felt so good….Cuz when you beat those games damn it you ACKOMPLISHED something…lol…I think grand daddy kong said it best…YOU KIDS WOULDN’T LAST 2 SECONDS BACK IN MY DAY…LOL…AND WE DID IT WITH NO CONTINUES BITCH!!!!

      • merderous117

        December 30, 2011 at 11:14 am

        @fallout1312@BeartallicA

        I’m not a bitch…

  • TheShadowluigi

    November 26, 2011 at 2:39 am

    up,up,down,down,b,a,b,a,start,start……did i mention i am only 12 years old?

    • TheShadowluigi

      November 26, 2011 at 5:10 pm

      up,up,down,down,b,a,b,a,select,start,start i meant…and no i did not go to gamefaqs…..i am only 12 that is true

      • RyanKaufman

        November 26, 2011 at 11:16 pm

        @TheShadowluigi The fact that you keep stating your age is like you’re acting that, because you’re 12, you’re special. Honestly, you’re not. I grew up after Contra in the days of N64 and I knew that code when I was 5 or 6. Settle down.

      • TheShadowluigi

        November 26, 2011 at 11:42 pm

        @RyanKaufman well again not excactly because the sheer fact that i was born in 1999….and it’s not like you see a 1 year old in 2011 knowing a code to an nes game….and i was correcting what he said about the code in the first place

      • TheShadowluigi

        November 26, 2011 at 11:43 pm

        @RyanKaufman i meant 12 year old,sorry

      • sillybammy

        January 13, 2012 at 10:52 pm

        @TheShadowluigi@RyanKaufman Actually, the code is up up down down left right left right BA start. I’m 12, too. Don’t feel too amazing.

      • TheShadowluigi

        January 15, 2012 at 5:13 pm

        @sillybammy@TheShadowluigi@RyanKaufman well…..both codes work i know i’ve tried my version….on an emulator but i tried it and it works…welllllllll…this is embaresing lol,.

  • TheShadowluigi

    November 26, 2011 at 11:40 pm

    well no…people do not trust simething as basic as i said the first time around…and the second time i corrected a small error …

  • DanniPoulain

    November 28, 2011 at 4:23 pm

    come on put your videos in spanish, the people of Mexico love your videos too!!!!

    • Koshka

      December 23, 2011 at 10:56 pm

      @DanniPoulain I’m sure there is AVGN videos with Spanish subs that fans created…. There are even ones for Japanese & Chinese :D

  • Mixelzpixels

    November 29, 2011 at 5:20 am

    Man… Even without growing up with this stuff it give’s ME nostalgia. It’s amazing what the classic can bring out in everyone. Even kids who have a hell of a time beating Barbie Dress up.

    Video game companies NEED to revert back to this. Like DCKR. Now THAT game is hard!

    • merderous117

      December 30, 2011 at 11:08 am

      @MixelzpixelsDCKR?

  • Julianrocksit

    November 29, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    I still get excited after beating an old NES game that I couldn’t beat as a kid. Recently, I finally beat Startropics. That shit was awesome!

  • KeithEllwood

    December 1, 2011 at 7:49 pm

    Wow! Respect to James for beating Contra without the code. I can only beat it with the 30 lives code. Some people call it the Konami code but I think there might only be one other game with that code … not sure.

    • KleZ

      March 3, 2012 at 12:31 am

       @KeithEllwood It was used on many games and on even websites … i think wikipedia had an article about it and there was this site that linked to other sites that if you did the code on the keyboard it would do something unexpected

  • EmanuelBrewer

    December 1, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    Ah, I still remember that feeling, the blast of adrenaline and the urge to win. For me, the first game I ever played and beat was, I believe Final Fantasy 3 on my SNES, or at least that’s the one that sticks out the most in my mind. I loved that game, and I still do, and beating it was one of the highlights of my life.

    • merderous117

      December 30, 2011 at 11:07 am

      @EmanuelBrewer

      lol, no offence but kind of a weird highlight of you life.

  • tailspower2001

    December 3, 2011 at 8:52 am

    I never used the 30 lives code ever.; in fact I act as if the Code doesn’t exsit.

    Contra is one my fav NES games; I only have one bad thing about it finding an new cart after you old on died Is hard to do.

  • CollinDeming

    December 3, 2011 at 8:11 pm

    i agree, tails. to use the code would defeat the very purpose contra was created in the first place. to challenge the average household gamer. what good is a cheat code if the whole reason of the game is to challenge people?

  • JoshHoule

    December 4, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    I remember video power, I wanted to go on that show so bad, because i wanted a power glove….

  • Noomydoom

    December 6, 2011 at 1:05 pm

    James have you ever considered streaming yourself playing oldskool games on Twitch.tv? I am sure your followers would appreciate it.

    • tailspower2001

      December 27, 2011 at 8:33 am

      @Noomydoom I’m use to ustream, justintv. and bitgravity as thier used by Leo Laporte the tech guy . However I haread of twich.tv

    • tailspower2001

      December 27, 2011 at 8:35 am

      @Noomydoom I’m use to ustream, justintv. and bitgravity as thier used by Leo Laporte the tech guy . However I never haread of twich.tv

  • ShabakaKhan

    December 7, 2011 at 5:20 am

    Buddy is doing a 24hr OLD SCHOOL NINTENDO MARATHON FOR CHARITY Donate at http://www.onlineredkettle.org/ninglendo Salvation Army!

    • ShabakaKhan

      December 7, 2011 at 5:22 am

      watch it @ www,twitch.tv/ninglendo

  • solidfake

    December 12, 2011 at 10:19 pm

    Though this was not an “angry” review, this is one of my most fav episodes. You and I have a lot in common, James.

  • fallout1312

    December 14, 2011 at 3:58 am

    early morning pownage huh…lol…congrats man….Your lucky man…My parents would have walked over and turned the console off knowing my luck…lol…I remember 1 time, I was on a roll like you and I HAD to be on the last level of some star wars game on the n64…When My cousin mandy walks in and wants to watch tv……I tell her to hold on ONE second I think Im fixing to beat the game…welll….before I know it she turned the console off….to this day thats the closest Ive ever came to hitting a girl…lol

    • merderous117

      December 30, 2011 at 11:05 am

      @fallout1312

      man, if i were you in that situation, a someone would die that day.

  • RavenNightshade

    December 19, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    that’s really an endearing story. i had some great moments in video game history, but usually i just slumped back into my beanbag chair and then called a friend to brag about my recent triumph over evil. the fact that you got an applause from your PARENTS is way awesome. i bet that was a great feeling, and i’m glad a good guy like you got it.later skater, i’ll be tuning in.

  • RavenNightshade

    December 19, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    that’s really a endearing story. i had some great moments in video game history, but usually i just slumped back into my beanbag chair and then called a friend to brag about my recent triumph over evil. the fact that you got an applause from your PARENTS is way awesome. i bet that was a great feeling, and i’m glad a good guy like you got it. later skater, i’ll be tuning in.

  • drmanly

    December 26, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    that’s a really great story

  • drmanly

    December 26, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    that’s a really great story, and being able to capture that feeling again must be great!

  • rogerdodger1998

    December 30, 2011 at 6:24 am

    If I could meet anyone in the world, it would be James Rolfe. I look up to him.

    • merderous117

      December 30, 2011 at 11:02 am

      @rogerdodger1998

      totally, he seems like a very interesting, intelligent guy.

  • Ragnar0kZ3r0

    December 31, 2011 at 6:13 am

    I gotta use that line one day lol ” I beat Contra before before breakfast!”

    Thanks James!!, for yet again taking us all back to the past! Contra is just one of those games that stays with you even 20 years later. So much so I even had to order a working copy from E-bay after you reminded me of those old times! (My original one got used so much it doesn’t work anymore, but my original NES does!)

  • codename77

    January 7, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    I’m sure that’s a video with James wearing a gold ring… It’s cool to know that James is not alone to do all things he do, sometimes it must be hard, but fucking good for us, he have someone who give him strenght to give us the coolest retro-test videos of the world, a funny “you know what’s bullshit”+”boardjames” and all that he share with us. So we have to thanks Mrs.Nerd for all. And sorry for my basic english…

  • ShakeyOwnz508

    January 10, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    Your videos play like shit on ScrewAttack.

  • KaseyL1

    January 23, 2012 at 12:04 am

    Loved this episode!! Really reminds me just how different it felt to play video games back then.

  • KaseyL1

    January 23, 2012 at 12:04 am

    Loved this episode!! Really reminds me just how different it felt to play video games back then.

  • JaysonGeronca

    January 24, 2012 at 11:49 am

    Sadly I haven’t finished contra. I’m really bad in video gaming. You know what, there should be a Contra movie.

    Hey Guys, check out X-Men-A-Thon Par 1. X-Men 1 movie review only @

    G-Jays Productions.

    Grab a copy of X-Men Movies and see more movie reviews @

    http://g-jays.blogspot.com/2012/01/x-men-thon-part-1.html

  • leicarcain

    February 1, 2012 at 6:45 pm

    10nx for all episodes; love them and they have meke my past years better and nostalgic also.

  • Exmordius

    February 2, 2012 at 10:51 am

    I love the nerd episodes and all that, but I also love this stuff, when you’re just being you. I enjoy these videos and want to see more. Good luck with the movie James, and I can’t wait to see it. – Ex

    • AVGNFTW

      February 21, 2012 at 12:19 am

      @Lolnus Not you troll.

  • JaysonGeronca

    February 11, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    G-Jays Game Zone – your online shopping center!

    Xbox Live Gold Membership (12 months), Wii, Xbox, PS3, PC, Kinect, and games for all consoles now available at G-Jays.

    “Top 10 Video Games of All Time” also available, Visit us at http://g-jays.blogspot.com/2012/02/g-jays-gameone.html

    (powered by Amazon)

  • kingofthecloset

    February 12, 2012 at 12:30 am

    I used to cram about 20min of Super Empire Strikes Back in before leaving the house to just make the bell of my 6th grade homeroom, and that the mood of my day was determined by if I made progress or not.

    • JeremyAlva

      March 23, 2012 at 10:49 pm

       @kingofthecloset Dude I fucking LOVED that game. I would rent it just about every time I went to Blockbuster or Brady Games (or wherever I used to go to rent games) when I was a kid. Good times!

  • AlphaZero

    February 13, 2012 at 3:37 am

    Ya’know, it’s things like this, sharing memories that brings us, as gamers, closer. And I don’t mean that in a weird “Get in my pants” way.Back then, like he said, you couldn’t just look up the ending to a game, you had to get there yourself.Sure, the games might have been difficult, but that was way more awesome than playing this shitty gears of war and call of duty ripoffs where the game is handed to you in a wrapped box.James Rolfe is probably the most awesome gamer I’ve ever seen.And in all honesty, I think he deserves his own TV show (If he doesn’t already have one.)You can brag about all the “great” games you own.Skyrim, COD MW 3, Assassin’s creed….You can brag about getting the ending in a couple of hours.

    You can keep this newfangled crap.

    Older games are the best damn games ever.

    • AVGNFTW

      February 21, 2012 at 12:19 am

      @AlphaZero I agree, and I love James sharing his memories with us viewers and fellow gamers. But how could you get the Skyrim ending in a couple of hours? That game is gigantic. In two days I was still hardly through 4 quests and side-quests. But I still love NES more than PS3 and Xbox. ;d

      • LuisAdrego

        February 26, 2012 at 6:31 am

         @AVGNFTW I own a ps3 and the damn thing died on me in 3 weeks that’s why I always go back to my beloved NES and Genesis they’re over 20 years old and still kickin it!!!

    • LuisAdrego

      February 26, 2012 at 6:30 am

       @AlphaZero damn right bro

  • killerkerberos

    February 23, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    I would love to make an 8-16 bit gaming company and release my own console. Sadly, it wouldn’t happen due to not many people buying it compared to other consoles or games because people now think CoD and GoW are the only good games. Sucks.

  • LuisAdrego

    February 26, 2012 at 6:40 am

    to be fair Contra is one of the best side scroling shooters for the nes probably ever made for any game console ever.
    the sequell Super C wasn’t that good like the ending didn’t had any cut-scene that was lame

  • muckspreadmadness

    February 27, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    I have an epic video game story, short but epic. When I was young my older brothers friend beat Mario bros for the very first time and I got to watch. The ending brought tears to his eyes.

  • JaysonGeronca

    March 3, 2012 at 2:59 am

    KINECT for Xbox 360 – sets World Record
     
    *No controllers or remotes “You are the controller”
    *the Kinect sensor recognizes your gestures and movements
    *connect with just the wave of your hand
     
    *play games, watch TV, movies, & music 
    *Kinect works with every Xbox 360 console
     
    Kinect sets World Record as the fastest selling electronic device in history
     
    (sells faster than Apple products and other gaming consoles)
     
    Own it now
     http://astore.amazon.com/gjaysprod2-20
     
    *No controllers or remotes “You are the controller”
    *the Kinect sensor recognizes your gestures and movements
    *connect with just the wave of your hand
     
    *play games, watch TV, movies, & music 
    *Kinect works with every Xbox 360 console
     
    Kinect sets World Record as the fastest selling electronic device in history
     
    (sells faster than Apple products and other gaming consoles)
     
    Own it now
     http://astore.amazon.com/gjaysprod2-20
     

  • JaysonGeronca

    March 3, 2012 at 2:59 am

    KINECT for Xbox 360 
     
    *No controllers or remotes “You are the controller”
    *the Kinect sensor recognizes your gestures and movements
    *connect with just the wave of your hand
     
    *play games, watch TV, movies, & music 
    *Kinect works with every Xbox 360 console
     
    Kinect sets World Record as the fastest selling electronic device in history
     
    (sells faster than Apple products and other gaming consoles)
     
    Own it now
     http://astore.amazon.com/gjaysprod2-20
     
    *No controllers or remotes “You are the controller”
    *the Kinect sensor recognizes your gestures and movements
    *connect with just the wave of your hand
     
    *play games, watch TV, movies, & music 
    *Kinect works with every Xbox 360 console
     
    Kinect sets World Record as the fastest selling electronic device in history
     
    (sells faster than Apple products and other gaming consoles)
     
    Own it now
     http://astore.amazon.com/gjaysprod2-20
     

  • JamesDewey

    March 4, 2012 at 3:16 am

    LOL.  I beat Contra before breakfast.  Classic!

  • Doogrisa

    March 8, 2012 at 12:33 am

    You haven’t lived if you haven’t played Contra!

  • fallenmage

    March 9, 2012 at 6:22 am

    Looking back, it is amazing to see the influences of films in Nintendo games.  Contra, to me, looks like a mash up all Aliens and Arnold movies(Commando and Predator).  

  • pro thizz

    March 13, 2012 at 8:49 am

    there should be a contra made for the Wii 360 and PS3.

    • flamingosandwich

      March 15, 2012 at 8:09 am

       @pro thizz There is. It’s called “Hard Corps: Uprising” and it’s $14.99 in the PSN strore…

  • DavidStebbins

    March 25, 2012 at 12:40 am

    I’d like to see more of these “memories” vids.

  • MauricioJEscalante

    March 28, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    You have awsome parents and great vid by the way. Hope to see more of these videos like when you almost beat Ninja Gaiden lol. By the way the have a Contra remake called – Rebirth on the Wii virtual store for the comment from PRO THIZZ.

  • Catguy2

    March 30, 2012 at 8:20 am

    It funny im waching this now becose I just first beat this game this morning and whithout the code :)

  • ZombieGearZolid

    April 2, 2012 at 1:54 am

    The best part of walking up, is BEATING Contra before you’re DAMN waffles!!!! Kudos for you for not using the code…

  • Markus_L_Campbell

    April 9, 2012 at 9:34 am

    I never used the code either. Before it was ever mentioned I already established that if I got the spread gun right away at the beginning, I would get all the way through without dying.

  • JJLehto

    May 4, 2012 at 6:36 am

    I love this. Cool to see him step out of nerd persona and have such an honest retelling..it’s great

  • mizfit101

    May 28, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    i couldn’t get past the 1st level :(

  • ylwa

    June 13, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    This is the best video ever. I

  • Tekkenfan

    June 15, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    if you have a sega genesis memory try this the ooze

  • DjTails

    June 21, 2012 at 9:34 pm

    I remember contra..hard game..still haven’t beat it..

  • FrikiGamerNerd4

    July 9, 2012 at 10:08 am

    I remember when I beat the legend of zelda and it was one of the best moments I ever had

  • Roryreyn

    July 16, 2012 at 5:18 pm

    Fuck Johnny Arcade, that’s priceless!

  • kinghenry

    August 7, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    they should have made Contra like Bionic Commando where you kill enough people and gain a health bar to take more damage

  • Zero

    August 15, 2012 at 5:57 am

    Ah yes Contra the only Contra game I’ve played was SuperC and damn was that a bitch and then my Uncle(Who owned the original and NES) Introduced me to Contra and my mouth dropped thinking “Now I have to beat ANOTHER ONE?!” as if he was mocking me and I also remember Video Power ah good times being born in 1993 good times can’t believe it’s been 19 years since my last Red Falcon battle

  • Fred Fuchs81

    September 26, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    What about Probotector?
    The european version of Contra, WAY more bad ass!
    Robots instead of randoms guys >:D
    Robots are fucking badass!

  • TravisTheCrownless

    December 4, 2012 at 3:51 pm

    Contra was the Fucking Shit it was so fucking awesome i never had the original though :/ i had the GameBoy one it was called Operation C and it was fucking awesome haha! It was great and then i played the original on the NES i fucking loved it and everyone i know loved it to, everyone has to at least love the game even though it’s hard as shit haha but overall it’s awesome. lol. the code Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right ,A ,B, Select, Start 30 lives

  • RetroGamer

    January 3, 2013 at 11:35 am

    Great Memory !! Hell your so right about that feeling of someone watching you play its so true !! but with me its diffrent I PLAY LIKE SHIT WHEN SOMEONE WATCH’S ME haha !!!!

  • JPinta

    January 5, 2013 at 11:03 pm

    I absolutely loved this. Great video James!

  • james porco

    January 8, 2013 at 10:38 am

    well done

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