Released ten years after the original Contra arcade game, Contra: Legacy of War makes a number of changes to the formula that made the series a hit. While all previous Contra titles are side-scrolling 2D affairs, Legacy of War provides 3D textured levels. Along with the standard 3D graphics, users can also enable a 3D mode that can be viewed with the included 3-D glasses. A staple of the series, two-player simultaneous play is still available but instead of controlling two male soldiers, players can choose to play as an alien, a female warrior, a robot, or a war veteran.