Konami has had a pretty solid year when it comes to the return of old school favorites. Last month, the company paid a visit to a long-lost Castlevania game with Dracula X Chronicles for the Sony PSP. Earlier in '07, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game returned on Xbox Live Arcade, complete with four-player online play. Now Contra gets a turn, and Konami couldn't have put its latest incarnation in better hands. WayForward dis a commendable job with Contra 4, though only a handful of gamers have to skill to beat it.

Bill and Lance are back, battling evil forces that have once again taken a stranglehold on Earth. They use any weapon they can find to push back the alien resistance, including a wide-reaching spread gun, a juiced-up rapid-fire rifle and other deadly toys. New to Contra 4 is the ability to use a Bionic Commando-esque grappling hook, enabling them to access upper areas. This new technique comes in handy right from the start, when you'll need to grab onto an overhead helicopter to bring down a boss.

Contra 4 utilizes both the upper and lower screens, giving each level a unique layout. It feels disorienting at first, as bullets fly off the top of one screen right onto another. However, this idea suits the game better than trying to implement some gimmicky touch-screen play. The graphics look wonderful, carefully paying tribute to the old-school Contra arcade games while, at the same time, adding contemporary touches such as lighting effects and cool animations. With the sound, WayForward recreates the classic Contra soundtrack to today's standards, complete with rock-heavy synthesizer beats and battle anthems. The sound effects deliver for the most part, although some of the macho voice samples really nauseate.

WayForward doesn't try to emulate that old Contra feeling in the gameplay – it literally kidnaps it and makes it work on the Nintendo DS. This game is pure 2-D shooting magic, with every button on the system finding use. Even the shoulder buttons, normally unassigned for a game of this nature, go to work. The left one switches off between two weapons (ala Contra III) and the right holds your soldier in place as he shoots around him.

You'll need every ounce of fortitude because the game is HARD. No, we mean really hard. Actually, we mean so hard that you'll call your mother looking for sympathy after you get whipped on the first level hard. Even boss battles are a chore, particularly a second level one that stands two stories high, attempting to impale you with its claws. Don't look for game saves either – they don't exist. If you lose during a boss battle and continue, you start right back at the beginning of the level. Lose all of your continues and you start over from scratch. Sucks to be you.

As for extras, Contra 4 has plenty to go around. You have an unlocked Challenge Mode, with its various tasks that'll keep you busy for a few hours. Get through enough of those challenges and you'll find two unlockable retro goodies – the full NES versions of Contra and Super C. They're wonderful, just like their old-school counterparts, although they don't have a two-player option. An interactive museum is also available, so you can step back into the halls of Contra's history. Yes, even the really crappy games – such as Contra Force – get their due.

Finally, you're able to bring a friend along for the ride in two-player mode. Trust us when we say that you'll need his or her help, especially in the game's later levels. One minor complaint – there's no game sharing option.

In the end, however, Contra 4 happily sidesteps the mistakes that plagued other failed entries in the series. The nostalgic goodies and difficulty settings add to its richness. Unless you're a wimp, rush out and buy a copy.