Super C

The NES version of Super Contra was released in Japan and North America as Super C in 1990, and in the PAL region in 1992. It is revealed in the museum section of Contra 4 that the title was shortened to avoid any accidental reference to the Iran-Contra scandal. The PAL version (Probotector II) has the main characters and the humanoid enemies replaced with robotic counterparts, much like the original Probotector.

The gameplay and graphics of Super C are similar to the first NES game, but replaces the pseudo-3D stages with overhead stages much like its arcade counterpart. There are three stages unique to the NES version: a high-tech base, a mountain and an alien nest, all vertical-scrolling stages. The order of the later stages and bosses are also slightly different, with a new final boss added to this version as well (the "Fearsome Beast Kimkoh"). The NES version uses the same power-ups as the first NES game, but changes the function of the "fire gun" power-up from a gun that fires small fireballs that travels corkscrew pattern to a large projectile that spreads fire after hitting its target. The player can charge this gun by holding down and then releasing it, shooting an even larger projectile that passes through most fodder enemies and causes an even bigger explosion when it hits a large target. The Rapid Bullets, Barrier and Special power-ups from the first NES game are also included in this game.

The Konami Code from the original Contra was not included in this game. A different code was added which gives out thirty lives in the Famicom version and ten lives in its NES counterparts. Like in the Famicom version of Contra, the Japanese Super Contra has a stage select code removed in its overseas counterparts. Other than that, the Famicom version has no additional cut-scenes or graphical features as it was programmed on the same Nintendo-manufactured MMC3 mapper used for its NES counterparts, compared to the Famicom version of Contra (which uses the Konami-made VRC2 chip). All three versions contain a sound test mode.