Contra ReBirth retains the same sprite-based side-scrolling gameplay as the series' earlier installments. The game can be played with the standard
Wii Remote, as well as with the
Classic Controller or a
Nintendo GameCube controller. As with most
Contra games, up to two players can play simultaneously. The player initially has a choice between two different player characters:
Bill Rizer, the traditional
Contra hero, or Genbei Yagyu from
Neo Contra. Two additional characters: Brownie (Tsugumin in the Japanese version), an android shaped like a small girl; and Plissken, a tall reptilian humanoid alien (whose name is a tribute to the
Snake Plissken movie character), can also be selected once the player has completed the game on Easy (Brownie) and Normal (Plissken). The dual weapon system from
Contra III: The Alien Wars returns and the player's normal gun can now shoot in autofire once again. The power-ups in this installment consists of a Spread Shot, a Laser Gun and a Homing Gun. The traditional flamethrower, however, is missing. Playing on the Easy setting allows the player to always keep their current weapon after losing a life, a feature not available in any of the other settings, but locks the player out of the final boss stage and true ending, which usually occurs after all five main stages are completed. ==Plot==