Nintendojo Interview: Contra: Operation Galuga Post-Mortem

Contra: Operation Galuga (which we thought was worth a play) came out this past March for Nintendo Switch and the game’s director, Tomm Hulett, was kind enough to sit and chat with us about its development. So sit down for a good, old-fashioned video game post-mortem and learn about what went into WayForward’s thinking when working on Contra: Operation Galuga.

Nintendojo (ND): Contra: Operation Galuga took the series back to its 2D run-and-gun roots. What went into the thinking behind that?

Tomm Hulett (TH): KONAMI approached us to pitch a new Contra, and of course we wanted to stick to the series’ roots in 2D action. When a long-running series like this goes so long without a core entry, it’s important to recalibrate things for returning fans. In essence, proving our Contra chops in 2024, and then potentially in the future things could be mixed up a bit. But if you abandon that authenticity for something entirely alien, fans are going to bounce off it. Once we pitched the concept, we learned KONAMI had been on exactly the same page. In fact, that’s why they came to us to begin with! So we were off to the races immediately.

ND: What was it like for WayForward to return to Contra? Were there any hurdles developing a Contra game now versus back in 2007 when you all made Contra 4 for Nintendo DS?

TH: When I brought Contra to WayForward in 2007 (as a producer at KONAMI) the series was in much the same situation as it was now. So to satisfy fans and evolve the series, WF’s thesis was to create the ultimate version of any returning bosses, create brand new, memorable situations that retained the Contra spirit, and throw in a few new gameplay mechanics. Since Operation Galuga is a reimagining of the NES game’s story and setting, it was appropriate to hit those three points again — but how do you create the ultimate ULTIMATE versions of Contra’s iconic bosses and stages? That was my primary focus during the design phase.

Oh, and it was nice to finally deliver on 4-player simultaneous mayhem, which we unfortunately had to scrap in 2007!

ND: Although we’re huge pixel art fans, the visuals in Operation Galuga are great. How was this particular style settled upon and is there a chance we might see pixels make a comeback in Contra at some point?

TH: There is always room for pixels! As for Operation Galuga, in planning stages KONAMI was very clear we needed to communicate at a glance that this was classic, 2D side-scrolling run-and-jump action, but also that it was not a “retro game” or a throwback. They wanted something polished to modern sensibilities so that younger players who didn’t have nostalgia for Contra would still be intrigued to try it. The first step in accomplishing this was to use 3D graphics for the characters and environments, which allows us to take advantage of a ton of special effects. Once this art style was secured, we found a lot of little things in level design and gameplay that also took advantage of the 3D models, such as paths through the stages that aren’t strictly right to left in a straight line (especially the autoscroll stages!).

ND: There are several fun gameplay innovations that went into Galuga. We’d like to touch on a couple, starting first with the Overload feature. What inspired this new ability?

TH: Several years ago, I was thinking about Contra’s gameplay, and I decided there might be room for improvement with the Barrier (invincibility) and Smart Bomb pickups. It would be really rewarding if the player could decide when to use Barrier, instead of the limited areas where it appears, and wondered if players could be incentivized to use Smart Bombs throughout the stage rather than just storing them all up to spam the boss. Ultimately I settled on tying these into “Overloading” your special weapons, with each one having a unique effect that would be useful in different situations throughout the stages. We included this concept in our pitch for Contra: OG, and KONAMI liked it! I’ve seen players pull off some amazing feats with Overloads — so if you’ve been a bit stingy with those weapons, give this system a try!

ND: There are multiple ways to impact gameplay via buffs and enhancements thanks to the Perk Shop. In our estimation, making these upgrades optional was the perfect way to balance keeping the game hard-as-nails for longtime fans while also easing up on the difficulty for those who might need a helping hand. Was that the goal behind some of these gameplay additions during development?

TH: You said it, exactly. KONAMI’s goals for this project were pleasing battle-hardened Contra veterans, but also making the game accessible to the Contra-curious newcomers. This seems like an impossible task on paper, but thanks to the Perk system we can make the stages as hard as fans expect, and those new players can know they overcame a true, challenging, Contra. You are never penalized for using Perks, and the hope is players will mix and match to find a comfortable play style, and then be enticed to step back and face the game in its raw form once they are acclimated. There might even be a few secret tricks with the right combination of Perks…

ND: Was there ever any pressure to nerf the difficulty in Operation Galuga by default? Meaning, was this always going to be a tough game, or did WayForward have to fight for it?

TH: I was nervous about this. I developed somewhat of a reputation after Contra 4 for making very challenging games. When WayForward hired me, Tyrannical Overlord/CEO Voldi Way made me promise I could make games that are easier than Contra 4! So I was scared to broach the subject with KONAMI… But like I said earlier, pleasing hardcore Contra fans was a priority, so once we’d figured out the Perk system, the level designers and I set about creating another run-‘n’-gun through hell. This time we included the most merciless (unlockable) difficulty modes in series history. Sorry, Voldi!!

ND: Dashing and double-jumping added a layer of agility to Operation Galuga that sets it apart from previous series entries. How was the team hoping these new moves would add to the experience for players?

TH: Games like Contra are designed to be replayed, so a big part of this is to add an incentive for those replays, as the mixture of these moves gives each player character a unique flavor — especially the bonus set you can access by completing the game. With speed runs being so popular, we’re hoping these moves provide a lot of experimentation and players comparing routes and strategies. Also in co-op, players can find a party “role” suited to their character, allowing the team to survive longer. This is optional, of course — it’s not dictated by stats or anything — but it brings back memories of playing NES at slumber parties, etc.

ND: Co-op is something many fans love. What makes it special in a game like Operation Galuga?

TH: Childhoods vary, but during mine, Contra on NES was THE game for 2p co-op. It was notorious as the game you couldn’t beat without bringing a buddy along (or inputting a code…). There are so many moments in Contra that are key to the DNA of co-op gaming, such as sniping powerups, scrolling your buddy off the bottom of the screen, and, of course, stealing lives! And these memories are best experienced together on a couch so you can slug your friend in the shoulder when they do any of those things. Co-op experiences like Contra are a bit more rare these days, so one of our hopes for Operation Galuga is that parents might share it with their children and talk about how we used to play when we were wired to the console (what? how!?).

ND: The designs for all of the characters and settings are great. Is there any chance we might see an artbook in the future collecting all of the great illustrations and designs that went into production?

TH: You’re in luck! Anyone who preordered the Ultimate Edition from Limited Run Games will receive an artbook! We included a ton of early concepts and other tidbits you don’t get from many artbooks, so treasure this one! If you didn’t preorder, UDON announced a Contra Retrospective artbook. I haven’t seen this one, but the Bill and Lance art from OG is featured in the announcement. What could it mean…?

ND: All right, it’s probably too early to ask, but can fans look forward to more Contra from WayForward?

TH: Hopefully it’s not too early; I’ve had my fingers crossed for months!

We want to thank Tomm Hulett for taking the time to chat with us about Operation Galuge. Hopefully you all enjoyed getting a glimpse into the director’s mind.