Let's attack aggressively!
>>>>>>> Bill Rizer & Lance Bean <<<<<<<
<<<<< General Summary >>>>>
"
A title awarded to a superior soldier possessing almost super human drive and ability, while excelling in guerrilla tactics."
...The definition of a "Contra". The first few Contra games center around a pair of commandos named Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, who were originally modeled after action movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. The pair fought against alien invaders that attempted to conquer the Earth by infiltrating their planet in the distant future of the 27th century. This happened a number of times, and each time, Bill & Lance were called back into action to wipe out the extraterrestrial forces of Red Falcon and, later, Black Viper.
Contra has generally been a series most-synonymous with Nintendo systems. Almost all 9, 16, and 32 bit iterations appeared on Nintendo systems, and the series recently experienced one H3LL of a comeback on the Nintendo DS. Contra is one of the hardest, most enjoyable, and respected action franchises alive today, and Bill Rizer & Lance Bean are the driving force behind it's success.
>>>Videos
Contra III = Level 1 - Probably my 2nd favorite SNES game of all time.
Contra 4 = Final Boss - Done without dying, even. I can attest to how hard that is.
Contra: Shattered Soldier = Stage 4 -
THIS IS THE COOLEST THING YOU'LL SEE TODAY O.o
Neo Contra - Stage 2 = Yes, that
is a dinosaur.
>>>Play Style
Bill Rizer & Lance Bean are totally reliant on their Contra Rifles. Most of their standard attacks have short range and do little damage (though great knockback), and their most-used move will almost always be Shot, due to it's incredible versatility. They have a pretty terrible recovery, but smart use of Shot in the air will make that a non-issue in the hands of a skilled Bill & Lance player.
Their melee options are more limited, but still pretty useful. They primarily attack with their rifles, wielding them as clubbing tools, but they mix in a few body checks and kick every now and then. Damage isn't their strong point in this area, but almost all their standard attacks have better-than-average knockback, which can create opportunities for them to use their wicked ranged abilities.
>>>Special Traits
> Bill & Lance are a dual character, like the Ice Climbers. Though which you control is randomly selected for each match.
> Both their jumps are totally identical.
> While they can't crawl, they have one of the best crouches in the game, pressing their bodies plat against the ground while aiming forward, and with their knees bent at a right angle, the soles of their feet pointing straight up.
> There's a 1 in 100 chance that Bill & Lance will shout "Die alien scum!" whenever they attack.
> If either Bill or Lance is KO'd, so is the other one. Their bond of friendship extends even to death! Unlike the Ice Climbers, it's
very difficult to separate Bill & Lance from each other, requiring an incredibly-powerful attack (Bob-Omb, Fully-charged Smash Attack, etc.) to do so, and even then, they'll be able to stick together unless their % is over 100. So 99% of the time, if you separate them, you'll probably end up scoring a KO.
> If Bill & Lance are separated, the majority of their attacks can't be used. Trying to do so will result in a confused and pained expression from the one you're controlling (separation anxiety).
>>>Stats
Offense =
2
Speed =
4
Weight =
5
Jump Height =
5
Fall Speed =
6
Recovery =
4
Range =
8
Attack Speed =
7
>>>Pros & Cons
> Pros
- Powerful and unpredictable team attack
- Super-versatile range attack that can be used in almost any situation
- Advanced FS is deadly on small stages
- Fast attacks with great knockback
- They attack...aggressively!
> Cons
- Loses parts of their moveset when separated
- "Advanced" FS is difficult to use well on large, open stages
- If either dies, they both die
- Poor recovery
- Most moves have very specific hitboxes; difficult to time
<<<<< The Moveset >>>>>
Attacks that can only be used with both soldiers are marked with a red *
>>>Standard Attacks
A, A = First, Bill or Lance brings their rifle down in a wide arc from above, stunning their foe. They follow up by twisting to the side and planting a firm boot to the stunned foe's gut, sending them away (
3-4% gun,
5-6% kick)
Notes:
If you can land the first attack, you'll land the second, due to the stun, which is always the same no matter how much damage your foe has. However, the first hit has really shallow range (though a tall hitbox). Unless your foe is right in front of you, you'll have to hope the kick--which goes much farther, though still not too far--lands.
*Side Tilt = A two-part attack involving both men. First, the lead jabs the butt of his rifle at the foe's knees while ducking down. If that hits, the backup will reach over the lead's bent back with a roundhouse kick, hitting high and launching the enemy (
5% gun,
5-7% kick)
Notes:
Again, the first hit is very short-ranged. Also, the second will go right over smaller opponents most of the time (the hit to the knees floats the enemy slightly, but only at higher %s). It's a very fast move though, and has great priority. Also, because it sends the lead fighter low, he can potentially dodge a number of attacks if they're aimed high enough.
Up Tilt = Both fighters aim upwards with the back-end of their rifles, then thrust upward in tandem (
4-5%)
Notes:
The attack has some lag near the start, while Bill & lance position their weapons. But the knockback is such that at low percents, it's possible to pull this off multiple times without fear of retaliation...assuming you can hit with it. It's got zero lag at the end, and has high priority, but it's extremely short-ranged.
Down Tilt = Both soldiers, while standing upright, aim straight down in front of them, discharging a small, fiery blast near their feet from their rifles (
7-9%)
Notes:
The main draw here is how the move strikes to both sides. The horizontal range is slight, but the blast and it's ricochet off the ground creates a makeshift wall, clashing with incoming attacks and knocking damaged opponents upwards, rather than away. Bad lag towards the end, as the close-range shockwave stuns the pair for a short time.
*Dash Attack = While running, Bill grips Lance's arm and swings him around in a circle, like a human club. Lance puts his rifle between himself and the enemy, slamming into them with it instead of his own body (
10-13%)
Notes:
Awesome range (a rarity for this pair) and great speed and knockback. However, there's a period of wind-up, and lots of cool down as Lance repositions himself. So if you don't connect with the (rather small) window of actual damage, you're in for some punishment. If you DO hit, though, the move has solid damage and good knockback.
>>>Smash Attacks
*Side Smash = Another team attack! Bill lunges forward at his opponent's legs, grabbing them in a bear hug. If he's successful, Lance leaps above him and jumps onto the enemy's torso, similar to Diddy Kong's Monkey Flip. After he lands, he plugs his foe in the face with several shots, point-blank, as they fall to the ground. Insane damage, but no knockback at all (
25-28% uncharged,
32-38% charged)
Notes:
As stated, there's no knockback at all here. Lance rides his enemy to the ground, firing all the way, then hops off after they land on their back. So...this is a ridiculously cool attack, but there are some catches to using it. For one, if Bill misses the lunge, nothing happens. This is important, because the lunge can't grab airborne enemies. Secondly, a foe at low % can spin the Control Stick quickly to break free of Bill's hold before Lance arrives. Bill's hold gets weaker as his damage goes up, so there's significant variables at play here.
*Up Smash = Lance links his hands, then signals Bill, who steps into Lance's linked hands with one foot. Lance then boosts his partner into the air, like a living projectile. Bill goes upwards a few feet, then delivers a killer uppercut with the butt of his rifle, doing awesome damage and knockback (
15-18% uncharged,
20-24% charged)
Notes:
This is Bill & Lance's primary KO move. Bill can go about as far an one of Snake's uncharged mortars when the move is fully charged, though it'll increase the lag significantly, and the primary attack will occur later on in the move, during the apex of his jump. There are a total of three hitboxes in all: one as Bill launches into the air, which just serves to stun any opponents stupid enough to be next to him, as well as carry them upwards so he can launch them away with his spinning rifle whip. The second in the actual attack, which can KO at 70 or 80% against most characters. The third occurs as Bill lands, which is basically there to cover the horribly punishable post-lag (it only does one or two damage, but pushes opponents back). Yes, there's TONS of lag at the end. So only use this when you know you've got an opening, alright?
Down Smash = Both prime their guns, then level them straight out on both sides, one on each. They both fire a shotgun-like blast from their rifles, dealing big damage and set knockback (
15-16% uncharged,
17-18% charged)
Notes:
A crawling foe can get right by this, and due to some slight lag on the end, can usually counterattack before the Contra Men have a chance to dodge or guard. Aside from that, this is Bill & Lance's most useful Smash Attack--it has huge horizontal range on both sides, and does solid damage. The knockback, however, is always the same, no matter how much damage a target has. It's solid knockback, but you won't be KO'ing anybody with this move.
>>>Aerials
Neutral Air = The duo's jump animation is essentially a continuous mid-air somersault. Pressing A while doing so will cause a burst of fire to emit from their guns, and due to the spinning, this burst hits all around them for light damage and knockback (
3-6%)
Notes:
No lag, wide range, and okay priority. There's very little knockback or damage though, so this is primarily Bill & Lance's all-purpose approach tool in the air, as well as a good tool for spacing. The blasts reach about as far away from them as the average Forward Tilt (only, well, in the air), and strike in a clockwise pattern (3 o'clock to 3 o'clock), rather than on all sides at once.
*Forward Air = The backup soldier strikes forward in a shoulder block. If he connects, he'll continue going, driving his foe in a downward arc to the ground (
1-2% tackle,
8-10% landing)
Notes:
Awesome spike. Bet you saw that coming, eh? Of course, this will KO your buddy if you land the move and he goes flying off the stage, which will, of course, KO you as well. So maybe it's not that awesome. It's also useful for combos, as the lead soldier can fastfall quicker than the backup can shove his foe to the ground. So the player could "grab" the enemy, then fastfall to the ground and prepare an attack for when the enemy comes in range.
*Back Air = The backup fighter thrusts his back outwards, stunning an enemy directly to his rear, stunning them. Pressing A again makes him flip above the stunned enemy and fire a close-range blast into them (
3-4% body check,
5-15% blast)
Notes:
The first attack has next to no lag, but is only good for interrupting an enemy's momentum. Pressing A initiates the second attack, but this will result in Bill & Lance being separated (as the lead soldier still falls forward while the backup one stays where he is to fire his weapon), and the second attack can be DI'd away from for much less damage (which is why it's damage listing covers such a large range). If you do manage to land the follow-up shot, though, a direct hit (the foe didn't DI) will usually result in a powerful spike and great damage/knockback.
Up Air = The lead character fires a Peashooter round directly upwards (see Peashooter details)
Notes:
On the surface, this almost seems like a waste of a move, right? What makes this unique is that if you input Up+A and Down+A in rapid succession, you can fire in both directions at once. This is great for covering yourself when moving through a congested area, or for peppering the ground below you with shots.
Down Air = Backup soldier fires a Peashooter round directly downward (see Peashooter details)
Notes:
On the surface, this almost seems like a waste of a move, right? What makes this unique is that if you input Up+A and Down+A in rapid succession, you can fire in both directions at once. This is great for covering yourself when moving through a congested area, or for peppering the ground below you with shots. As an added bonus, the recoil from the shot on this move pushes both men slightly upwards, so can be used to aid recovery (though if you're using both Up and Down Aerials in sequence, it'll cancel this feature out, as the Up Aerial pushes both soldiers slightly more toward the ground).
>>>Grabs and Throws
Grab = Your everyday, one-armed grab. However, Bill & Lance grab towards different sides, so you can actually grab enemies behind you (
though you won't be able to pummel them, as the backup character only throws).
Pummel = The backup fighter stands slightly in the background, delivering powerful uppercuts to the opponent's gut while the lead Contra holds them in place (
2-3%)
Notes:
The two-way grab is one of Bill & Lance's defining features, and their pummel is a decent one. Notice that unlike Nana, who can't even throw enemies she happens to grab, the backup soldier actually listens to his partner.
Forward Throw = The enemy is picked up and held over Bill's head. He throws them away with all his might, and Lance fires a powerful blast at them as they fly through the air (
0-1% throw,
10% shot)
Notes:
If you're missing your partner, you'll simply throw your foe away. The knockback from the shot is significant, but Bill's throw always sends the opponent a set distance away...which isn't very far. But if you're missing your buddy, you can either get the enemy away from you, on do some damage with your Down Throw--at the risk of being counterattacked as the opponent gets back up.
*Back Throw = While the lead holds the opponent in place, the backup jumps behind them and punts them away (behind the lead fighter, that is) with a strong football kick (
8-11%)
Notes:
At 0%, the heaviest characters can actually be grabbed by the lead character as they're flying towards him from the punt-kick, but only once or twice. Most characters will go flying past anyway, but take that into consideration if you find yourself grabbing a 0% Bowser or Ganondorf.
*Up Throw = The enemy is held still by one fighter as the other drops flat on his back and blasts the enemy away from below with a round from their Contra rifle (
10-13%)
Notes:
The laggiest of Bill & Lance's grabs, though that really isn't saying much, as they're faster than most anyway. The blast from the shot here can catch other enemies that happen to be in the way, sending them upward as well.
Down Throw = The foe is thrown to the ground, and both Contras fire a round into their prone adversary. No knockback, high damage (
14-16%)
Notes:
The attack's damage is halved if only one soldier is present, but otherwise this is a move you'll want to be using a lot, especially during the start of a match.
>>>Miscellaneous Attacks
*Rising Attack = Bill & Lance link arms, back to back, and using the pressure of each others presence, rise up to a sitting position, at which point they hop into the air, spinning once with their legs straight out, damaging surrounding foes (
7-9%)
Notes:
There are actually two hits here: one for Bill and one for Lance, though the actual hitboxes aren't out for very long, as they spin fairly quick. There's no ending lag, and the lag at the beginning is covered by invincibility frames. However, it's easy to see coming, so a smart opponent would keep their distance. On the other hand, it's got great range, so they could still get caught if they mistake their judgment.
Ledge Attack = Lance rolls over the ledge first, as if you tapped R or L, then turns toward the ledge as Bill jumps up. Once in position, the two execute a double uppercut from both sides, theoretically trapping their foe between a rock and another rock (
15%)
Notes:
This move takes forever to execute, and is really easy to see coming. However, it's the strongest ledge attack in the game, and is actually a pretty slid KO move, sending opponents flying off the top of the screen at around 90 or 100% damage. Also, if they land the hit, they high-five each other as they get back into formation.
*Ledge over 100% = Bill flips over the ledge, then reaches down and grips Lance's arm. As he pulls him over the edge, Lance fires three Peashooter rounds (even if that's not the currently selected ammo) at a slightly upward angle (see Peashooter details)
Notes:
A ranged Ledge Attack! Awesome. The failing here is that Bill is vulnerable for a few frames as he pulls Lance up (but only a few--it'd require precise timing to catch him in it), and if he's interrupted, Lance will plummet to his doom(!). Otherwise it's a great move.
>>>Specials
Neutral Special: Shot = The lead character fires a shot in the direction he's aiming. One second delay between shots (
varying, depending on weapon)
Notes:
Bill & Lance's signature move, and incredibly versatile. In the air, holding the control stick in any of seven directions (Down, Left, Right, Up-Left, Up-Right, Down-Left, or Down-Right) while using this will fire a Shot in that direction. While running, tilting the control stick in a diagonal direction and pressing B will make him fire in that direction. The bullets do not go through platforms or stages of any kind, but usually go pretty far, and have excellent speed, no matter which weapon you use. However, there's a one second lag between shots, due to the ridiculous recoil of the Contra Rifle (one Mississippi...)
Side Special: Manual Aim = The lead soldier goes down on one knee, and raises his rifle to his head, aiming down the barrel of the weapon. After three seconds, during which time the player can fine-tune his aim in any direction (more than the 8 standard ones), he fires, which acts like a normal shot (
varying, depending on weapon)
Notes:
Similar to how Nana will whack away on enemies near her without any player input, the backup soldier will guard his buddy's rear while he's busy aiming. If any opponents get near, he'll use his Neutral A combo on them (or try to, anyway). Despite the huge time between input and execution, this move is, like Bill & Lance themselves, super-versatile. The aiming soldier can hit any target within a half-circle's range, from straight up to directly down, though he can't turn around...so you'd better be sure your enemy won't have a chance to get behind you before your three seconds are up. Otherwise this a normal Shot, only with better, totally-controllable accuracy.
Up Special: Grappling Claw = Both men fire grappling claws from their rifles straight up. Light damage at the very tip, but otherwise no damage or knockback. Tether recovery (
5% at tip)
Notes:
This is a fairly bad recovery. While the Hook does extend a very far distance (a little farther than Sonic's Spring Jump, say), it only fires straight up, so unless the player is directly/almost directly below the ledge, it won't help them. It does go through edge-hogging opponents, though, so that helps. On the ground, it acts the same way, making it a useful (if not very powerful) anti-air tool, once you get used to the timing required to connect with the tip.
Down Special: Weapon Switch = Bill and Lance drop to one knee, and reach into their pockets to replace the ammunition in their Contra Rifles with a different kind. Does no damage, but takes two seconds to execute. The different types of weapons are...
- > Peashooter: Standard ammo. Fires a small, circular bullet across the length of the stage. No knockback (2-3%)
- > Crush: Fires a medium-ranged rocket. Blast lingers, dealing damage for one second (8% on contact, 1-2% lingering hits)
- > Flame: Fires a spinning, C-shaped fireball. Short range, low knockback, but high damage (12-14%)
- > Laser: Fires a long-reaching, slow-moving laser (3-4%, repeated hits along length of laser)
Notes:
It takes a few seconds to swap ammo in and out, so you won't be using this move in the thick of combat. The Peashooter is self-explanatory. Crush goes about as far as a regularly-thrown item, and the explosion can damage for a few moments after it explodes. Flame has a large hit radius, but is the slowest of the weapon types, and peters out after going the distance of a Super Missile. Laser is tricky: if you rapidly tap the B button (yes, there's no lag on Shot when using this ammo type), you'll create a sort of "sword" of energy from the tip of your rifle. Only one Laser can be in play at a time, and while slow, they traverse the entire stage--but as soon as you fire one again, the first one disappears, which allows for rapid tapping of the B button to create a constant spout of energy near the tip of your character.
Final Smash: Spread Shot = A Contra Crest with a large, red
S emblazoned on it drops down from the sky onto Bill & Lance as a fiery aura surrounds them. "
Alright, let's DO this!" shouts the lead character, and the carnage begins! For the next 15 seconds, Bill & Lance's ammo is changed to Spread. Shot now fires five Mario Fireball-sized bullets, that fan out in the familiar "spread" formation as they fly, dealing damage and knockback to all alien menaces in the way (
5-25% per round, depending)
Notes:
Bill & Lance are totally vulnerable during this, and the only thing about them that's become more dangerous is Shot, so if you're feeling brave, get right in there and take it to em'. However, the risk is that at close range, Spread Shot can do 25% per round fires, as all five bullets can hit one person, causing 5x the knockback as well. Thus, as a Bill & Lance player, you could play it safe and just ping everyone from far away for 15 seconds--but you won't really get many KOs (if any) that way. The closer you are, the better chance you have for a KO...but the better chance you have of being knocked away, stealing precious seconds away from your Spread Shot.
<<<<< Other >>>>>
>>>Symbol
The flaming Contra "C".
>>>Entry Animation
Bill & Lance are air-dropped in from a combat chopper, dropping off their hanging perches on the helicopter's skids.
>>>Taunts
Taunt 1 = The duo turn towards each other and give each other
one manly arm bump.
Taunt 2 = "
Come get some!" the lead soldier yells as he fires a few rounds into the ground beneath him (these do no damage).
Taunt 3 = Each soldier ***** his rifle, then the pair trade guns. The rear fighter says "
Go get em', Lance/Bill" depending on who's leading.
>>>Kirby Hat
Kirby obtains Bill's tattered red bandana, a scar across his nose similar to Lance's, and an enormous Contra rifle.
>>>Victory Acts
Victory Act 1 = "
Alriiiiight!!", "
Yeaaaaah!!" shout the pair as they continually fire shots into the air.
Victory Act 2 = "
It's time for revenge..." says Bill, followed by Lance's infamous one-liner "
Let's attack aggressively."
Losing Act = Bill & Lance sit on the ground, rifles resting against their shoulders, and applaud the victors.
>>>CODEC Conversation
Colonel: Snake, can you hear me?
Snake: Yeah, what's the matter?
Colonel: Snake, I want you to pull out immediately.
Snake: What!? Why?
Colonel: You're up against Bill Rizer & Lance Bean, Snake. They're the Earth's greatest soldiers.
Snake: ...But, wait. I though Big Boss--
Colonel: Big Boss has nothing on that pair, Snake. They've saved the planet from entire armies of alien scum single-handedly more times than you've destroyed Metal Gears.
Snake: ...Alright, I'm pulling out.
>>>Alt. Outfits
Probotectors = In Europe, the Contra series is known as "Probotector", starring two futuristic robot guardians of the Earth. "
To probotect and serve!"
Lucia & Sheena = A pairing of Contra's only two female protagonists. Lucia hails from the PS2 Shattered Soldier, and Sheena was a PC in the Genesis game Hard Corps. "
Lock and load!"
Mad Dog & Scorpion = Bill & Lance's slightly-less famous backup squad. "
Let's rock!" (
they're the two at the very bottom of the picture: Bill & Lance are sitting right behind them)
<<<<< Extra Components >>>>>
>>>Stage
Harvest Yard = The center of the alien menace, made entirely of living alien flesh. Players fight on a walk-off main floor near the bottom of the screen. On either side are three tiers of platforms extending from off-screen (these are also walk-off), from which aliens unendingly spawn, occasionally leaping off their perch to trample any fighters on the main platform (
1-3% damage and very little knockback). They can be destroyed in one hit, but their numbers are great, and they never stop coming.
Over time, as the number of oncoming aliens slowly increases, Red Falcon, the leader of the alien menace himself, will appear to destroy the players! Resembling a mutated skull covered in dark red musculature, players can destroy him by dealing enough damage to his weak points (both eyes and exposed brain), sending him down to the pits of hell where he belongs. This has the added benefit of drastically reducing the number of aliens that approach for a few minutes, though the cycle will repeat itself after, say, ten minutes.
>>>Trophies
Bill & Lance = The dynamic duo. It's time for revenge!
Spread Shot = The Contra heroes' legendary Final Smash.
Probotector = The PAL versions of Bill & Lance, in all their robotic glory.
Lucia & Sheena = The only two female leads throughout Contra's long history.
Mad Dog & Scorpion = When the job's too big for two...call in two more!
Red Falcon = The original evil alien lord that started it all.
>>>Music
Jungle Jam = The immortal theme from Stage 1 of Contra and Contra 4.
Contra 4 Credits = The manliest remix of the original Contra theme out there.
Base Remix = Contra's infamous pseudo-3D Base Assaults would be nothing without this.
The Relic of Morai = From a particularly awesome stage of Shattered Soldier.
Steel Factory = Stage 3 of Contra III. I absolutely hate this stage...but maybe that's why it's so good?
Neo Contra Theme Song = I <3 Engrish (also, here's the link to the AWESOME opening cinema this goes to:
LINK!
Thanks for playing!