"What do you remember from before they put you in cold sleep, hm? How much?" This article is about a scrapped or unreleased element. It is unofficial content unless otherwise stated by developers.

The following lists all known information from earlier builds of Contra 4 during its developmental stages, prior to when the game was released. Information such as gameplay changes from the final version will be listed here.

General

• During early development, the game's weapon HUD was the one from Contra III: The Alien Wars. Hyper Shells were also shown, but it is unknown if they were functional at all or simply just there as a copy and pasted HUD from Contra III. Overtime, the HUD received another change before it received its finalized version.
• Lance Bean and Scorpion swapped colors.
• A character known ad GOLDENROD was present, which was a gold variation of the playable Probotector character, with its alternate color being purple. In the final game, both the gold and purple colors of Goldenrod became additional alternate colors of Probotector.
• An unused "metallic" Sheena coloration is present. This mirrors Lucia's metallic coloration in the final.
• One early test menu named MINI VIPER is a GYM-based battle against Black Viper's first form, which has slight differences in appearance from the final version.
• A placeholder interview by Daniel Kellogg is present. The message is two pages long and reads:

" This is the interview that I am going to test with for now so that way I can see if this interview menu I am working on will work. Let's write random stuff in here to take up space that way I have a nice, and long interview session to try and display across multiple pages for the menu. This game is called Contra DS you should enjoy this or else get beat up. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, etc.... "

• Unused enemies can be found in the GYM. These include:
  • Hazmat Soldier
  • Necroid

Gameplay

Before any of the music was set up, almost all playable stage that contained background music (notably the GYM) used the E3 variant of Jungle Juncture.

All development builds of the game that has special weapons incorporated have a debug feature implemented. Pressing the SELECT button will alternate the currently selected weapon to any other usable weapon in the game's list. Weapon development list may vary by build.

Some development builds use unused weapons:

• Spread Shot capable of firing seven bullets per round. This would later be officially incorporated as the Level 3 Spread Shot in Hard Corps: Uprising.
• Long top-down style Laser as the level 2 laser.
• Extremely rapid-firing variant of the Level 2 Missile. This is set as a "Level 3" variant separate from the Level 2 version.
• Rapid-firing variant of the H weapon, similar to Contra III.
• Alien Wars style Flamethrower.

In early late beta builds of the game, the Level 2 Laser in tunnel stages appeared as a powerful (notably loud) long straightforward beam. Later revisions added the "Vulcan Laser" style Level 2 Laser used in the final.

The F weapon fired more thinner bullets than the final's. The earlier variant more closely resembles the weapon's Contra (NES) appearance.

In some instances, prior to having the "Swap Weapons" feature added, pressing the L button will toggle the height of the top-screen. When playing the game with this feature on an Emulator that removes the middle space (that simulates the mic bar on hardware), one of the screen toggle heights gives the game an appearance of perfect full-screen.

Stages

TEST

• Multiple variations of test stages exist, ranging from palette tests, Tunnel tests, and enemy testing.

GYM

• The GYM is a debug menu stage that has evolved over the course of development. Features a wide variety of enemies that have been developed for the game.

Jungle

• Alternate enemy placements.
• Alternate layout during the second half of the stage.
  • A Black Dirk McShooter appears between the mountains and Rail Gun areas, however its palette is glitched, causing it to appear green.

Napalm

One early test menu involves the Jungle stage (scrolling only) with a flame radiant test. It is believed this test originally belonged to an idea that the Jungle would catch on fire at one point during gameplay, either by a Carpet Bomber or the Hazmat Soldiers. The idea of the Jungle catching fire would eventually be used in Contra: Operation Galuga.

Laboratory

• Known as "Waterfall" in early stage select. The waterfall itself bears a simpler pale blue/white design.

Base

Godomuga's room bears a slightly different design than the final. No doorways are present, meaning Rangel are absent. There is no filter lighting, and the boss does not spawn Gardegura. In very earlier builds of the game, the Darrs lacked hitboxes, making weapons fire pass right through them and the player unable to die from them (the player will simply pass through them).

Harbor

• Known as "Missile" in early stage select.

Tunnel 2

• Energy Fields were originally present, resembling their Contra variation.
• Big Fuzz was capable of attacking the player with his arms during the crawling phase of the battle.

Challenge Mode

Gallery

An early title screen.

An early main menu screen.

Earlier Level 2 Laser in Tunnel stages.

Early Godomuga room.

Early Factory room 6.

Early Ocean stage, featuring an alternate looking black Reaper.

Earlier Big Fuzz where he can attack during the crawling phase.

The unused "metallic" Sheena.

A Black Ledder in the Jungle. Its palette is glitched likely due to being in conflict with the stage palette.

Videos

External links

• Contra 4 documented prototypes at The Cutting Room Floor