<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
:	O
The	O
Alien	O
Wars	O
is	O
a	O
1992	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Konami	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Entertainment	I-Application
System	I-Application
(	O
SNES	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
third	O
home	B-Device
console	I-Device
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Contra	B-Application
series	I-Application
after	O
Contra	B-Application
(	O
1988	O
)	O
and	O
Super	B-Application
C	I-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
(	O
NES	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
PAL	O
regions	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
retitled	O
Super	O
Probotector	B-Application
:	O
Alien	O
Rebels	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
characters	O
were	O
replaced	O
with	O
robots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
Contra	B-Application
title	O
to	O
have	O
been	O
directed	O
by	O
Nobuya	O
Nakazato	O
who	O
later	O
directed	O
other	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
designed	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
to	O
feature	O
more	O
comical	O
elements	O
,	O
a	O
more	O
cinematic	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
and	O
tighter	O
stage	O
design	O
than	O
its	O
predecessors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
,	O
with	O
critics	O
praising	O
its	O
arcade	O
quality	O
derived	O
from	O
its	O
sound	O
and	O
visual	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
has	O
been	O
called	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
Contra	B-Application
games	O
in	O
retrospective	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
as	O
Contra	B-Application
:	O
The	O
Alien	O
Wars	O
(	O
1994	O
)	O
by	O
Factor	O
5	O
where	O
it	O
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
for	O
its	O
Super	B-Device
Game	I-Device
Boy	I-Device
enhancements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Konami	O
also	O
released	O
a	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
port	O
titled	O
Contra	B-Device
Advance	I-Device
:	I-Device
The	I-Device
Alien	I-Device
Wars	I-Device
EX	I-Device
(	O
2002	O
)	O
which	O
received	O
more	O
critical	O
reviews	O
for	O
removing	O
features	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
version	O
was	O
rereleased	O
several	O
times	O
on	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
online	O
distribution	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
is	O
a	O
side-scrolling	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
game	O
akin	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
predecessors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
take	O
on	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
commandos	O
Bill	B-Application
Rizer	I-Application
and	I-Application
Lance	I-Application
Bean	I-Application
fighting	O
off	O
an	O
alien	O
invasion	O
on	O
Earth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
six	O
stages	O
in	O
total	O
;	O
four	O
are	O
side-scrolling	O
while	O
two	O
are	O
presented	O
in	O
an	O
overhead	O
perspective	O
using	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
's	O
Mode	O
7	O
rendering	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Konami	O
with	O
a	O
team	O
led	O
by	O
Nobuya	O
Nakazato	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
this	O
was	O
Nakazato	O
's	O
third	O
year	O
at	O
Konami	O
,	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
Contra	B-Application
game	O
he	O
worked	O
on	O
,	O
having	O
only	O
previously	O
done	O
informal	O
playtesting	O
for	O
Super	B-Application
C	I-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
believed	O
the	O
original	O
arcade	O
version	O
of	O
Contra	B-Application
(	O
1987	O
)	O
was	O
difficult	O
to	O
play	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
vertical	O
screen	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
did	O
enjoy	O
the	O
Famicom	O
port	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nakazato	O
's	O
team	O
worked	O
in	O
Konami	O
's	O
new	O
offices	O
in	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
seated	O
next	O
to	O
the	O
arcade	O
team	O
that	O
had	O
developed	O
Contra	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nakazato	O
shared	O
progress	O
on	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
with	O
the	O
arcade	O
team	O
and	O
received	O
positive	O
feedback	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
coverage	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
known	O
as	O
Contra	B-Application
IV	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
reported	O
the	O
name	O
change	O
to	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
in	O
its	O
coverage	O
of	O
Winter	O
CES	O
in	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nakazato	O
believed	O
Contra	B-Application
had	O
a	O
low-budget	O
movie	O
theme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
believed	O
the	O
action	O
in	O
earlier	O
Contra	B-Application
games	O
is	O
too	O
realistic	O
,	O
so	O
for	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
he	O
wanted	O
to	O
include	O
more	O
comical	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
strains	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
's	O
sprite	O
capabilities	O
,	O
so	O
the	O
team	O
used	O
background	O
tiles	O
to	O
draw	O
the	O
helicopter	O
and	O
missiles	O
in	O
the	O
scene	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
allowed	O
for	O
"	O
raster	O
scrolling	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
the	O
programmers	O
to	O
change	O
the	O
graphics	O
for	O
each	O
scanline	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
programmers	O
shifted	O
the	O
vertical	O
sync	O
and	O
cut	O
off	O
the	O
sprites	O
at	O
the	O
scanline	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
restriction	O
is	O
that	O
graphics	O
can	O
only	O
move	O
horizontally	O
along	O
the	O
scanline	B-Algorithm
to	O
achieve	O
the	O
illusion	O
that	O
they	O
are	O
actually	O
sprites	O
in	O
the	O
foreground	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nakazato	O
believed	O
Contra	B-Application
IIIs	O
fast-paced	O
action	O
was	O
going	O
against	O
the	O
trend	O
of	O
home	B-Device
console	I-Device
games	O
shifting	O
to	O
slow-paced	O
strategy	B-Application
and	O
role-playing	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
good	O
for	O
quick-starting	O
stress	O
relief	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
February	O
28	O
,	O
1992	O
,	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
March	O
26	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Europe	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
retitled	O
Super	O
Probotector	B-Application
:	O
Alien	O
Rebels	O
and	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
12	O
,	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Super	O
Probotector	B-Application
,	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
story	O
remained	O
mostly	O
the	O
same	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
designs	O
of	O
the	O
player	O
characters	O
were	O
changed	O
to	O
resemble	O
robots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
technical	O
differences	O
in	O
PAL	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
systems	O
,	O
Super	O
Probotector	B-Application
has	O
a	O
slightly	O
slower	O
framerate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
release	O
of	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
received	O
considerable	O
praise	O
for	O
its	O
visuals	O
and	O
sound	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
(	O
EGM	O
)	O
wrote	O
that	O
these	O
special	O
effects	O
pushed	O
the	O
limits	O
of	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mean	O
Machines	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
score	O
rivaled	O
that	O
of	O
ActRaiser	B-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
CVG	O
called	O
it	O
a	O
cross	O
between	O
Strider	B-Application
(	O
1989	O
)	O
and	O
Midnight	B-Application
Resistance	I-Application
(	O
1989	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
athletic	O
climbing	O
ability	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
EGM	O
dubbed	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
its	O
"	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Month	O
"	O
and	O
said	O
it	O
matched	O
the	O
quality	O
of	O
arcade	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
retrospective	O
reviews	O
,	O
IGN	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
arguably	O
the	O
best	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
Contra	B-Application
series	I-Application
"	O
and	O
"	O
one	O
classic	O
that	O
deserves	O
its	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
hall	O
of	O
fame	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
USgamer	O
wrote	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
good	O
challenge	O
and	O
"	O
practically	O
synonymous	O
with	O
SNES	B-Application
ownership	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
called	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
"	O
exemplary	O
"	O
and	O
debatably	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
in	O
its	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1997	O
EGM	O
ranked	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
version	O
the	O
8th	O
best	O
console	O
game	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
,	O
remarking	O
that	O
"	O
This	O
game	O
has	O
everything	O
:	O
huge	O
bosses	O
,	O
Mode	O
7	O
stages	O
,	O
ultradeep	O
gameplay	O
-	O
all	O
wrapped	O
up	O
in	O
a	O
beautifully	O
atmospheric	O
post-apocalyptic	O
package.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
rated	O
the	O
game	O
15th	O
on	O
their	O
"	O
Top	O
100	O
SNES	B-Application
Games.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
ranked	O
it	O
as	O
the	O
third	O
best	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
game	O
of	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
Complex	O
listed	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
as	O
the	O
21st	O
best	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
praised	O
its	O
intensity	O
and	O
wrote	O
:	O
"	O
If	O
not	O
for	O
[	O
Contra	B-Application
:	O
Hard	O
Corps ]	O
,	O
this	O
would	O
be	O
the	O
best	O
Contra	B-Application
in	O
the	O
entire	O
series	O
,	O
by	O
far.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
ranked	O
the	O
game	O
24th	O
in	O
their	O
"	O
Top	O
100	O
SNES	B-Application
Games	O
of	O
All	O
Time.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
has	O
been	O
rereleased	O
on	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
online	O
distribution	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
in	O
January	O
2007	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
Super	O
Probotector	B-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
European	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
the	O
same	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
was	O
released	O
again	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
in	O
November	O
2013	O
,	O
and	O
Europe	O
received	O
the	O
unmodified	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
in	O
January	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2016	O
,	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
3DS	I-Application
eShop	I-Application
for	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
for	O
exclusive	O
use	O
with	O
the	O
New	B-Device
Nintendo	I-Device
3DS	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
was	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
2017	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
Classic	I-Application
dedicated	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
and	O
Super	O
Probotector	B-Application
were	O
included	O
in	O
Contra	B-Application
:	O
Anniversary	O
Collection	O
,	O
a	O
compilation	O
of	O
classic	O
Contra	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
June	O
2019	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Windows	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
the	O
compilation	O
initially	O
came	O
with	O
the	O
Japanese	O
and	O
European	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
without	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Factor	O
5	O
developed	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
;	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
23	O
,	O
1994	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
November	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Europe	O
in	O
October	O
as	O
Probotector	B-Application
2	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
characters	O
redrawn	O
as	O
robots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
mostly	O
identical	O
to	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
version	O
but	O
features	O
some	O
differences	O
:	O
some	O
levels	O
are	O
missing	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
ability	O
to	O
swap	O
weapons	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
spinning	O
attack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
features	O
color	O
graphics	O
and	O
improved	O
sound	O
when	O
played	O
through	O
a	O
Super	B-Device
Game	I-Device
Boy	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
thought	O
it	O
was	O
an	O
excellent	O
conversion	O
of	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
version	O
,	O
with	O
GamesMaster	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
one	O
hell	O
of	O
an	O
achievement	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
also	O
extended	O
their	O
praise	O
to	O
the	O
Super	B-Device
Game	I-Device
Boy	I-Device
enhancements	O
,	O
though	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
criticized	O
the	O
control	O
scheme	O
using	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
controller	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
E3	O
2002	O
,	O
Konami	O
announced	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
a	O
remake	O
of	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
port	O
was	O
titled	O
Contra	B-Device
Advance	I-Device
:	I-Device
The	I-Device
Alien	I-Device
Wars	I-Device
EX	I-Device
and	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
2002	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
February	O
2003	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
secondary	O
weapon	O
slot	O
and	O
bombs	O
were	O
omitted	O
from	O
the	O
port	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Mode	O
7	O
stages	O
were	O
replaced	O
with	O
side-scrolling	O
stages	O
from	O
Contra	B-Application
:	I-Application
Hard	I-Application
Corps	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
Advance	O
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
per	O
ratings	O
aggregator	O
Metacritic	O
;	O
IGN	O
criticized	O
the	O
removal	O
of	O
the	O
Mode	O
7	O
stages	O
for	O
eliminating	O
variety	O
and	O
GameSpot	O
was	O
troubled	O
by	O
the	O
weaponry	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
wrote	O
that	O
players	O
familiar	O
with	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
on	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
would	O
be	O
disappointed	O
,	O
but	O
series	O
newcomers	O
may	O
enjoy	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
2015	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
Virtual	B-Application
console	I-Application
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contra	B-Application
III	O
is	O
director	O
Nobuya	O
Nakazato	O
's	O
first	O
project	O
in	O
the	O
Contra	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
later	O
acting	O
as	O
producer	O
and	O
director	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Programmers	O
Hideyuki	O
Suganami	O
and	O
Mitsuru	O
Yaida	O
left	O
Konami	O
shortly	O
after	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
to	O
work	O
at	O
the	O
then-newly-founded	O
Treasure	O
,	O
where	O
they	O
helped	O
develop	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
and	O
Alien	B-Application
Soldier	I-Application
(	O
1995	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
both	O
expanded	O
on	O
the	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
game	O
formula	O
defined	O
in	O
Contra	B-Application
III	O
.	O
</s>
