Konami has announced it’s working on Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS. The traditional 2D side-scrolling action will go in a new direction with Contra 4, though, as the gunplay will span both DS screens
Konami is also tinkering with the gameplay mechanics, adding “deadlier abilities than ever before” and including multiplayer cooperative functionality.
The dual-screen functionality is probably the coolest new feature, though. According to Konami, the players will use both screens “to battle across expansive environments in which death can come from any direction. The use of both screens for the game’s core action also allows for massive boss battles as players try to seek and destroy the weak points of sky-high enemies.
“A first for the series, Contra 4 introduces a grappling hook accessory that lets players grab onto elements of the environment directly above them. Whether using it to avoid oncoming dangers or attack from a strategic vantage point, the grappling hook allows for new combat situations.”
Contra 4 is scheduled to ship later this year.