Contra Force departs from many of the Contra gameplay conventions. The game is still a combination of over-head and side-scrolling shooting, but many changes have been made. There are four characters to choose from, each with his own arsenal of weapons. Characters can be changed during gameplay by hitting the select button, and each one has his own amount of spare lives (the game ends if one of them runs out). The player can play the game alone, with a friend or with a CPU-controlled partner. The weapon system has been drastically changed from the other games in the series. Instead of picking up individual power-up items from flying boxes, the player has a 'power/selection bar' similar to the Gradius games. The player(s) find briefcases hidden in various boxes and walls that move up the power meter. If the player dies, not only is the current weapon lost, but also the amount built up in the power meter. The initial weapon, the pistol, does not even shoot bullets the length of the screen. Overall, the game plays much slower than other Contra titles.
