Contra: Hard Corps

Though there is a Contra: Hard Corps Longplay on the site, it doesn't go for the best ending (well, I classify the rocket fight as the best ending). I decided to do that and then some: show ALL of the stages and endings. Savestates are used so I can pick the different options and in case there are distractions...and no deaths...until I said "Bump it!" after dying on the first and second miniboss in Stage 6B numerous times (first one is just plain unpredictable). The game branches off at 3 points: after Stage 1, after Stage 4, and, sorta, at Stage 7. At Stage 7, you can choose to join with Colonel Bahamut or throwdown with him, leading to the best ending. I have stages marked as "A" and "B" because it is usually different, except for Stage 5 "Fight to the end" selection. That fight is always the same. For Stage 4, if Dead Eye Joe is alive, he will be in the robot.

A shooting game with, surprisingly, no buff men with no shirts (flipping still present, minus Browny, who double jumps). Instead we have a robot with an electric yo-yo, a d00d with some adequate clothing, a chick with LITTLE protection, and a wolfman-doggy-person with a gatling arm. Said to be the toughest of all the Contra games. Heck, the Japanese version is easier, as it has life bars and an extra lives code. Oh, and there are LOTS of bosses in this game. I think shattered Soldier has a lot of bosses as well (only played a bit.) Playing with Sheena since Ax Laser (Weapon D), even though on the weak side, wrecks the game, as well as the Break Laser (Weapon C). Of course, Genocide Vulcan (Weapon A) and Shower Burst (Weapon B ) are pretty powerful, too. No Smart Bombing because it rapes everything.

My pick for hardest stage: Alien Lair (BGM is awesome though.)

Stage order as present in the video:
Stage 1 - City
Stage 2A - Highway (Chase Dead Eye Joe)
Stage 2B - Research Center (Rescue the Research Center)
Stage 3 - Junkyard-Arena (Ending)
Stage 3 - Junkyard
Stage 4 - Jungle (Dead Eye Joe edition)
Stage 5A - Space Station (Ending; Chase Dead Eye Joe-Surrender and fight later)
Stage 5B - Military Train (Rescue the Reseaerch Center-Surrender and fight later)
Stage 5C - Doc's Experiments (Fight to the end)
Stage 6A - Bahamut's Alien Lab (Ending; Rescue the Research Center-Surrender and fight later)
Stage 6B - Alien Lair (Ending; Chase Dead Eye Joe-Fight to the end)
Stage 6C - Ocean (Rescue the Research Center-Fight to the end)
Stage 7 - Bahamut's HQ (Ending; join Colonel Bahamut)
Stage 7 - Bahamut's HQ/Rocket Climb (Ending; Refuse)

A "chart":
Chase Dead Eye Joe-Surrender and fight later-
1 - 2A - 3 - 4 - 5A

Chase Dead Eye Joe-Fight to the end-
1 - 2A - 3 - 4 - 5C - 6B

Rescue the Research Center-Surrender and fight later-
1 - 2B - 3 - 4 - 5B - 6A

Rescue the Research Center-Fight to the end-
1 - 2B - 3 - 4 - 5C - 6C - 7