-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------[Contra 3: Alien Wars]------------------------------
------------------------------[FAQ/Walkthrough]--------------------------------
----------------------------[by Ice Queen Zero]--------------------------------
--------------------[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]----------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

o---------------------o
      INTRODUCTION
o---------------------o

Of all the Contra games I've played, my favorite game of the series in Contra 3
for the Super NES. Contra and Super C on NES before it were good. They were so
challenging to play. Contra 3 ups the ante.

o---------------------o
       DISCLAIMER
o---------------------o
Contra 3: Alien Wars and its characters are trademarks of Konami and all of its
copyrights belong to them.

This FAQ/Walkthrough is the sole copyright of Andrea "Azul Fria" Castillo aka
Ice Queen Zero and cannot be put on other sites or posted without my given 
permission nor can it be reproduced w/o proper consent.

o---------------------o
       STORY
o---------------------o

Set in the futuristic year 2636, the alien invaders that were defeated during
the previous installments have decided to launch a full-scale war against
mankind on Earth, starting the "Alien Wars". 

o---------------------o
       OPTIONS
o---------------------o

Choose a 1 or 2 player game or go to the Option menu to choose the number of
lives (up to 7), difficulty (Must beat on Hard for true ending), and sound type
you want to listen to.

The difference between 2 player A and 2 player B is that on the overhead screen
levels. A lets both players play split screen while B keeps them on the same
screen at all times.

o---------------------o
       CONTROLS
o---------------------o

B button = Jump
Y button = Shoot
X button = Change Guns
A button = Bomb
L & R button = Hold out both guns, press Y to do a jump and shoot both guns.
Start = Pause the game, start the game
Select = switch option

Sidescrolling
-------------
Left/Right = move in that direction
Up = Aim Upward, climb wall upward if grabable
Down = Crouch, climb wall downward if grabable

If hanging on a ceiling or wall, use the D-pad to aim in that direction.

Top down
--------
D-pad = move in that direction
L button = rotate screen counterclockwise
R button = rotate screen clockwise

o---------------------o
       WEAPONS
o---------------------o

C = Crusher Missile
S = Spreader
L = Laser
F = Flamethrower
H = Homing Missile
B = Barrier
Bomb = Spread Bomb

o---------------------o
       GAMEPLAY
o---------------------o

This game assumes you are playing the Hard Mode.

Stage 1
-------

Run right then shoot upwards to get the Barrier. Then destroy the car ahead.
The guns you want are the spread gun and the Homing Gun. For now, start using
your Homing Gun to shoot all the blue soldiers and dogs that you don't have
time to be aiming for. Watch out for the guns that do come out of the ground.
You can be killed just by bumping into it. Also watch out for red soliders as
some of them will take ground from higher up and shoot towards you. The best
way to avoid the dogs is to get to higher ground yourself. When you get to the
green wall, switch to Spread Gun and kill the sniper at the top first then get
on the lowest platform above the ground and start firing. You'll clip all three
targets but only the red core on the bottom matters. Switch back to Homing Gun
and fire your way to the tank. Go on a rampage by trudging to the right and the
tank will take damage but you should be able to destroy the second green wall
before it gets destroyed.

Kill the next ground gun and then switch out your Spread Gun for the Crusher.
Switch back to the Homing Gun and use them to obtain two bombs and another one
of the Barriers. Use the Barrier to run through the flames. When it turns red,
do not try to run past the final flame. Let it shoot up then jump over it. Now
ignore the next weapon pod and arm your Crusher as you run to the far right and
use it to quickly destroy the Magnetic Armored Tank Magnus Mk. II from behind.
Head to the right on and get on higher ground and wait for the plane to fire 
its missiles that set the ground ablaze. Now switch to Homing Gun and carefully
get past the erupting volcano rocks. Be sure to take careful steps past the 
erupting big rocks and flaming geysers especially the final one which arches to
the right. When you are onto safe ground, get the two bombs and prepare to 
fight the boss.

The turtle by the name of "Beast Kimkoh" (stolen from the final boss of Super C
of course) appears as the boss. Use your Crusher to shoot at its core. Avoid 
the shots that come from it and also shoot away any moths that or maggots that
come out of the mouth as possible. If the fight drags on too long (which it'll
do in Hard Mode), the boss will fire a giant laser from its mouth. The only 
difference in Hard Mode is that it won't stay still when it spits out the mouth
beam. Keep shooting its core until it dies.

Stage 2
-------

There are five targets to destroy in this level. Start off by positioning your
starting point near one of them and take him out quickly. Look for the Laser in
this level. It functions like the Flamethrower so holding the fire button will
let it fire in a constant stream. Be careful of the soldiers and millipedes as
you take out all five targets. The arrows point in the direction to go. Another
thing to watch out for is the broken bridges. If you step on it, it crumbles
and leaves only a small piece to stand on. When all five targets are destroyed,
you fight the boss.

The second boss is Metallican. There are eight targets total but only the red 
eye must be destroyed to win. The other seven targets will attack you. Six of
them are pods and one is the tail gun. Take out the tail gun first then attack
the six pods as the boss tries to spin into you. When you start attacking the
eye it will "jump" up off the screen and try to smash you. When the eye is 
destroyed, so is the boss.

Stage 3
-------

Start running right and the guns you want are the Crusher and the Flamethrower.
Beware of the rolly-polly gun. They will try to roll over you then take aim.
Stay on the handrails and use the Flamethrower as much as possible. When you
run out of ground. Quickly move through the rails and burn the moth-winged
aliens as quick as possible. They will all drop dead when you reach the dead
end and fight Chrome Dome. Chrome Dome will use its rotater to snag you and
drill you with its tail. The Flamethrower will reach its core from the rails of
where you hand on the hand rails. When you kill it, avoid being taken out by
the rotator. 

Destroy the missiles coming from below and work your way up to grab the wall on
the right. Climb up and try not to be stepped on by the now newly-transformed
Chrome Dome who know spawns legs. While avoiding the steps, shoot away any of
the missile that may hit you. When Chrome Dome reaches the loose segments, it
will attack itself to the loose segments and pull them out to reveal spikes. It
will proceed to try ramming into you. Be sure to move up or down depending on
where you think it's going then attack it from an angle until it is dead. If
you got the Crusher Gun, you can actually shoot it dead in the face to knock it
back and make it abort its charge.

Head to the top and try to avoid the snipers' fire until the screen scrolls to
the right and face off against The Flying Squito Nest. Stay on the edge of the
screen to avoid its bombs as it will stop short. Now when its eye is exposed,
attack it with the Flamethrower. You can actually earn maximum lives by letting
it live and killing the aliens spawning from it. If you want to kill it, then
proceed with the attack. Finish off the snipers in the way and destroy the wall
at the end. Kill all cannons and aliens as you go to the top and go right by
using the rotators. At the end you'll face BOB 1 (red) and BOB 2 (blue).

Use your Flamethrower as you attack them from above. BOB 2 is not much of a
threat as BOB 1 whom can hop on walls and grab the ceiling. When BOB 1 grabs
the ceiling, move to the wall and move down to avoid the triple shot. When
they take enough damage, they will turn into wild torsos and hop around. This
is your cue to finish them off.

After you finish off the BOB 1 and BOB2, the Robo-Corpse will appear and will
start by sending out some homing lasers that will chase you around the room as
you shoot at him. When you see a flame for in its mouth, it is getting ready to
shoot a stream of fire that will circle the room in a clockwise pattern. That
is your cue to run up the wall and the ceiling and when safe, drop down and 
repeat. If the boss hides behind the wall, it will send some time bombs that
you must avoid to keep from being blown up. The best weapon on this boss is the
Flamethrower.

Stage 4
-------

Once again the Flamethrower and Crusher works best here. Aim the Flamethrower
upward and attack the enemies that shoot and drop bombs. The bombs will only
kill you if you are on the ground when they hit. Kill the next set of flying
enemies and when you face the Battle Tank, stay to the back and fight it with
the Crusher Gun as you destroy its missiles in the process. Also kill the other
guys that interfere in the fight. After it is down, avoid the two bolts that
and kill the guns from the ship's underbelly as avoid the snakey look thing.
Burn the enemies coming out of the ducts then avoid more bolts followed by
a laser gun. Stay on the right side and jump when it fires. Now you will face a
Tetrandakker. Stay to the very left and it won't even touch you physically. You
just shoot at it with the Crusher when in range and destroy its missiles until
it dies. Grab the missile and take on Slash. Keep firing at him and when he
pauses, jump up to avoid his ninja star and keep up the assault. The copter's
missile will fire and it is boss time against Anti-Contra Battleship Dodriguez.

This is going to be a tough one as you have to jump from missile to missile in
order to fire at the boss. Avoid its bombs as you destroy the arms on the top
and the bottom to remove its shield. The arms do fire diagonally so be ready to
avoid its line of fire as you attack the arms. When the arms are gone, then the
shield will be gone too. Shoot at the core as you avoid the fire missiles. You
can use either weapon on the boss depending on how safe you want to be. Just to
give an example, use the Homing Missiles to shoot the boss's core as you are
concentrating on missile hopping. Use Crusher Missiles or Flamethrower to dish
out damage but you must be close. Laser is okay but you must be concentrating
on missile hopping.

Stage 5
-------

Much like Stage 2, you have five targets to destroy. Once again, the Laser will
serve as a better purpose with its constant stream to quickly destroy any of
the targets. Like before, the arrows will point you into the right direction.
There are some pits that will warp you to different parts of the stage and some
will spin you around. Use L or R to counteract the spinning. Some bridges you
cross will explode so back off of them quickly before you plunge to your doom.
When all five targets are dead, you fight the boss.

Scorpellum starts off easy with you destroying his claws but after taking much
damage, he will make you start spining every which way as you try to correct
your footing and shoot its eye in the middle of it. Avoid its shots and claws
and destroy it for victory.

Stage 6
-------

The Flamethrower will be your friend in this level. You will be reunited with
some of your old foes from past Contra games.

Alien Larvae: Aim the Flamethrower forward from a safe distance and you will
both damage it and destroy the hatchlings that come from its mouth.

Heart: Get to a safe distance and wave the Flamethrower up and down to harm it
and the little spiderlike creatures that pop out of the four sacs. Three of the
sacs can be destroyed but that's optional any way.

Shadow Beast Kimkoh: It won't kill you when rising from the ground like in the
Super C game. When it rises, get ready to jump as it charges on the very left
side when it charges. When it reveals its face, shoot your Flamethrower at it
and avoid the falling spikes it shoots as well as the laser coming from its eye
than can catch you by surprise. If it burrows into the ground, go all the way
to the left side so when it emerges again, you can prepare to jump as it will
either charge again or jump backwards. Keep up the assault to beat it.

Vicious Slave Hawk: Constantly move up and down to avoid its charges. When it
misses a charge, fire upon it. After enough damage it will go into Phase 2 of
its attack. It will teleport to your plane level and swipe at you with its tail
then repeat. When it vanishes, get into a position then move down as it comes
back into view and fire upon it as you avoid its tail too. Keep it up and it
will eventually die.

Jagger Froid: He looks similar to the 6th boss from Super C (This was also the
final boss in the Arcade version of Super Contra and other non-NES ports). Get
ready to take out one of the snake arms immediately to make this fight easier
on yourself. Get to the other side and the other snake arm won't get to you.
Take this time to destroy the eyes. Destroy the other snake arm and go for the
head. Enemies will start raining down where the arms used to be in massive
quantity. Red Falcon him self will shoot a lot of miniature alens at you. In a
2-player game, it is easier to have one player attack the aliens while the
other one attacks Red Falcon. Survive this assault and you will face...

Red Falcon Mother Brain: The Easy mode version has four ball of attacks for you
to deal with but the other modes have eight. There is no difference in Normal
or Hard mode fight itself but the aftermath is a different story. These are the
eight attacks to watch out for.

Redish ball - The brain will only chase you around the room. Attack it at will.

Blue n yellow ball - Stay to the very left side of the screen and shoot at the
brain and jump when it walks close and it will turn back

Spike ball - It will rain destroyable spikes and a lot of powerups to assist
you in battle.

Eyeball - Just rains eyes on you that can be destroyed.

Purple shiny ball - You got to do a lot of dodging and shooting as these balls
cannot be destroyed and they are hard to avoid.

Mint ball - A series of mint balls will circle you and start coming in towards
you slowly. Your best bet is a powerful weapon or use a bomb.

Rocks - The rocks come in threes. Time your jumps and shots as you try to land
when in a safe spot when the rocks are flat.

Spotty ball - The snake ball as I call it is the trickiest ball of them all. It
will make four passes and you must stand in the right spots to stay alive.

When the Mother Brain is destroyed, it will flash momentarily and fall to the
ground and you escape. This is where the game ends in Normal and Easy but the
brain will don some armor in Hard Mode and chase after you. Aim downwards and
jump when the Armor brain gets close but don't hold "down" when jumping. Keep
up the assault and Red Falcon is finished and so is the game. You get the true
ending of the game in Hard Mode.

o--------------------o
        CREDITS
o--------------------o

Konami - made the game
GameFAQs - hosting this FAQ
You - reading it.

Check out my other guides at:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/74803.html

o--------------------o
      CONTACT ME
o--------------------o
azulfria[at]hotmail[dot]com 
[at] = @ and [dot] = .
Don't want any email bots.

Thank you for reading

-Ice Queen Zero