: The game features high-quality, hand-drawn anime visuals and detailed boss designs, moving away from the gritty, pixel-art style of previous entries.
: Points are retained even if you lose all your lives, making the grind feel rewarding rather than like "time wasted".
: You can start from any previously completed level rather than restarting the entire game every time. Other Notable Gameplay Features
: You can carry two weapons at once and switch between them. Collecting the same weapon multiple times upgrades its firing rate and power.
“[Rising Mode is] a genius way to keep you returning to levels even after you've beaten the game.” YouTube · IGN · 15 years ago
is widely considered a "spiritual successor" and prequel to Contra: Hard Corps , developed by Arc System Works—the studio behind Guilty Gear .
“Every upgrade makes a significant difference and will keep you playing late into the night to unlock “just one more”.” Game Informer · 15 years ago